2010 Connecticut Conservation Times Newsletter

7/31/2019 2010 Connecticut Conservation Times Newsletter

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Invasive Plants in Your Yard? Control Them While You Still Can!invasivescanstillbepurchasedatlocalgardencenters.

Second,itiscriticaltotakeactionassoonasyoudiscover

them;onceinvasivesbecomeestablished,theycanbe

extremelydifficulttoremove.

Therearethreebasicapproachestocontrollinginvasives:

mechanical,chemicalandbiological.Thebeststrategy

dependsonthetypeofplantandextentoftheinfestation.

Mechanicalcontrolspulling,digging,cutting,mowing

andshadingshouldbeusedasafirstlineofdefense.

Theyworkwellforsmallinfestations,

causeminimal

environmental

impact,

andforthemostpartonlyrequirebasic

gardeningtools.

Chemicalcontrolapplyingherbicides

toleaves,cutstumpsorbarkcanbe

veryeffective,buttherearepotential

environmentalandhealthrisks,andin

somecasesapermitisrequired.

Biologicalcontroltheuseofnatural

enemiesmaybethemethodofchoice

inthefuture,howeverfornowtheonlyviableoption

available

is

for

purple

loosestrife.

Theguideisagreatresourcetogetstartedaddressing

invasivesinyouryard.Itcontainsdetailedidentification

andcontrolinformation,andsuggestionsfornative

alternativesfortencommoninvasives:burningbush,

Japanesebarberry,multiflorarose,autumnolive,treeof

heaven,orientalbittersweet,Japaneseknotweed,purple

loosestrife,garlicmustard,andcommonreed.

AnddontforgettheDistrictsannualplantsaleis

comingup(seeinformationonbackpage).Besuretocheckoutthemanynativeplantofferingsyoucanuseto

enhanceyourlandscape...andreplacethoseinvasives!

ThankstoEricMosher,theDistrictsformerWatershedProjectsCoordinator,forconceivingoftheideaoftheinvasivesguideandgettingitstartedbackin2008,andtoWendyGoodfriend,forbringingittofruitionasaveryusableandattractiveresource.

Thoughyoumaynotknowit,chancesareprettygood

youhaveinvasiveplantsgrowinginyouryard.Thispast

year,theDistricttookstepstohelplandownersidentify

andcontrolthembypublishingaguidetocommon

backyard invasiveswithagrantfromTheRockfall

Foundation.Wefiguredcorrectlythatitwouldbea

neededreferencecopiesareflyingofftheshelf,andwe

arealreadythinkingaboutthenextprinting!Thisarticle

containsexcerptsfromtheguidesintroduction.Youcan

viewtheentireguideatwww.conservect.org/ctrivercoastal,

lookforitatyourlocallibrary,or

contactour

office

to

obtain

acopy.

Whatareinvasivesanyway? Theseplantsareaggressiveexoticspecies

introducedintentionallyfortheir

ornamentalvalue,oraccidentallyby

hitchhikingwithpeopleorproducts.

Theythriveinourgrowingconditions,

andwithnonaturalenemies,theyhave

nothingtochecktheirrapidgrowth.

Theenvironmentalcostsofinvasives

aregreat.Theycrowdoutnativevegetationandreduce

biologicaldiversity,

can

change

how

whole

ecosystems

function,andposeathreattoendangeredspecies.

SeveralorganizationsarehardatworkinConnecticut

preventingthespreadofinvasives,includingtheInvasive

PlantCouncil,theInvasivePlantWorkingGroup,andthe

InvasivePlantAtlasofNewEngland.Butasstewardsof

ourownproperties,wealsoneedtodoourpart.

Whyshouldyoubeconcernedaboutinvasivesonyourproperty? Theycankillyourfavoritetrees,showupinyourgardens,andoverrunyourlawn.Becauseitcanbe

costlytoremoveinvasives,theycanevenloweryour

property

value.

Whats

more,

they

can

escape

to

nearby

parks,openspacesandnaturalareas.

Whatshouldyoudoifyouhaveinvasivesinyouryard?Removethembeforetheinfestationworsens!Replacing

invasiveswithnativeplantspeciesisthebestapproach.

Therearemanyexcellentnativealternativestochoose

from,andplantingthempromoteslocalbiodiversity,

providesnativewildlifewithsourcesoffoodandcover,

andcreatesabeautifulgreenspaceforyoutoenjoy.

Howcanyoucontrolinvasivesonyourproperty? ThenumberoneruleisDONOTPLANTTHEMinthefirst

place!Whilethismayseemquiteobvious,somecommon

Why Invasives are Invasive They are quick to establish, especially

in disturbed areas

They grow rapidly once established

They are long flowering and producemany seeds and fruits

They spread effectively to new areas

They are aggressive competitors,free of the enemies that keep themin check in their natural range

Plant nativehighbushblueberry inplace of theinvasive burningbush, and enjoyedible fruit too!L.J. Mehrhoff, IPANE (L);

John Amis, UGA (R)

onservation TimesNew slet te r of th e C on ne c t icu t River Co a sta l Co nserva t ion Dist r ic t , Inc .

Janu a ry 2010


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Swamp Brook Trac k Down SurveyIdentifies Restoration NeedsMiddletownsSwampBrookwastheeighthstreamevaluatedaspartoftheDistrictsongoingtrackdownsurveyeffortintheMattabessetwatershed.InternJessicaBellassistedwiththefieldwork,datamanagementandmapping.Sevenhighpriorityareasinthestreams

watershedwere

proposed

for

restoration

action

based

onthesurvey.Recommendedmanagementmeasuresincludestormwaterqualityretrofits,culvertreplacementandmaintenance,bankandchannelstabilization,channelprotectionretrofit,streambufferplanting,livestockexclusion,andwatershedwidelandownereducationandstreetsweepingandcatchbasincleanout.

FundingforthisprojectwasprovidedbyaUSEPACleanWaterActSection319GrantadministeredbyCTDEP.

Intern Jessica Bell

Laurel Brook Study Provides Clues toStrea ms Bac teria Sourc esTofollowuponveryhighlevelsofbacteriameasuredin

LaurelBrookatWadsworthFallsStateParkin2008byConnecticut RiverWatchProgramvolunteers,District

staffconductedanintensivestreamcorridorassessment

thispast

summer.

Designed

to

complement

apet

waste

managementprojectattheparkundertakenbytheDistrictincollaborationwithCTDEP,thestudyconsisted

ofcollectingandanalyzingwatersamplesforE.colibacteria,andconductingatrackdownsurvey,astreamwalkfocusedonidentifyingpotentialsourcesofpollution

andrestorationactions.Whilenoobvioussourcesofbacteriawereidentifiedthroughwatermonitoring,

resultssuggestthatthemostsignificantandlikelysourcesarelocatedinthelowerthirdofthewatershed.High

prioritypollutionreductionrecommendationsincludethreestormwateroutfallimprovements,astreambuffer

restoration,water

quality

treatment

for

an

open

water

pond,upgrade/maintenanceoftwoonsitewastewater

disposalsystems,andfivestreamculvertimprovements.FutureassessmentandrestorationactivitiesintheLaurelBrookwatershedwillbeguidedbyresultsofthestudy.

Management Plan Developed forOld Lym e Watc h Roc k PreserveInanewcollaborationwiththeU.S.FishandWildlifeServiceandCTSeaGrant,thispastyear

theDistrict

developed

a

HabitatbasedManagementPlanforOldLymeConservationTrusts25acreWatchRockPreserve.TheplanfollowsamodeldesignedbyCTSeaGrantandUConnsNEMOProgramasatoolforlandtrustsandmunicipalitiestopromotestewardshipandmanagementofprotectedopenspace.WatchRockcontainsarichdiversityofnaturalhabitats:coastaldeciduousforest,conifergrove,open

field,

vernal

pool,

brackish

marsh

and

creek,

and

rocky

shoreline.Ithasalongandsignificantculturalhistorydatingback4500years,andprovidescoastalaccessandavarietyofopportunitiesforpassiverecreation.

Natural,culturalandrecreationalresourcesaredescribedintheplan,threatsareidentified,andmanagementrecommendationsaremadetoprotecttheseresourcesandallowforcontinuedpublicenjoyment.Asisthecasewithmanyoftheregionsopenspacelands,nonnativeinvasivespeciesposeoneofthemostseriousthreatstothepreservesnaturalhabitats.Mostaffectedarethecoastalforest(wingedeuonymous,honeysuckle,Oriental

bittersweet),

and

tidal

salt

marsh

(common

reed).

PartialfundingforthisprojectprovidedbyacooperativeagreementfromU.S.FishandWildlifeService,withgenerousassistancefromCTSeaGrant,UConnExtensionSystemsNEMOProgram,andOldLymeConservationTrust.District Monitors Success of InvasivesRemoval at Salt Island OverlookAtfirstglance,thetangleofinvasiveplantsthatoccupiedtheTownofWestbrooksSaltIslandOverlookopenspacepropertylookeddaunting.Woulditreallybepossibletoreclaimthisareaovertakenbymultiflorarose,Orientalbittersweet,Japanesebarberry,Norwaymaple,andbush

honeysuckle?A

multi

phase

project

to

restore

the

coastal

uplandforestattheOverlookwasinitiatedin2009,withtheDistricttakingtheleadonmonitoringthesuccessofinvasivecontrolactivitiesconductedbyAllHabitats,Inc.Wearepleasedtoreportthattheseeffortshavemadeatremendousdifference;manypartsofthepropertythatwerepreviouslyimpassiblearenowaccessible,makingfutureinvasivecontrolworkmorefeasible,andbringingthetownclosertorealizingitsultimategoalofopeningupthepropertyforpublicenjoyment.

ThisprojectisfundedbyagrantfromtheLongIslandSoundLicensePlateFundtotheTownofWestbrook.

Laurel Brook water monitoringresults suggest bacteria sourcesare most likely located in thelower third of the watershed,helping to direct future studies tothe downstream area. Further,much higher bacteria levels weremeasured during wet weatherthan dry, suggesting that runoffrelated sources are moresignificant than chronic sources,like failing septic systems.


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Congratulations 2009Conservation Awa rdRecipients!EnvironmentalProfessionalJiffMartin,CTStateDirector,AmericanFarmlandTrust,andProjectDirector,WorkingLandsAlliance

MunicipalProjectEastHaddamOpenSpaceCommission&

EastHaddam

Land

Trust

CooperatorJoeGreenbacker,GreenbackerFarm,Durham

TeacherCourtneyJohnson,MiddletownRegionalVocationalAgricultureCenter

SpecialMeritTheGreeningOurValleyInitiative

SaybrookPointInn&Spa

CertificatesofAppreciationGary

Crump

&

Gloria

Priam,

Priam

Vineyards

BridgetRiordan,ChamardVineyards

DavidRichards,ClintonNurseries

Mark&MindyYuknat,CTRiverExpeditions

MatthewRubin,OldSaybrookShoppingCenter

PierreBennerup,SunnyBorderNurseries

RobMerritt,R2Graphics

SandiRose,RosesBerryFarm

ThomasD.Comer,CPA,ComerandCompany,LLC

WesleyanEnvironmentalOrganizersNetwork

CRCCDs 62nd Annua l Meeting Features Tour of the CT River Museum

Continuinganewtraditionoftravelingaroundthe

Districtbegunlastyear,our62ndAnnualMeetingon

November7,2009tookplaceattheConnecticutRiver

MuseuminEssex.Afterabriefbusinessmeeting,alook

athighlightsofourpastyear,aceremonytohonorour

2009ConservationAwardwinners(seelistbelow),and

refreshmentsandconversation,participantswere

treatedto

aspecial

guided

tourofthemuseumled

byJenniferWhiteDobbs,

DirectorofEducation(at

centerofphotoonright).

Thankstothemuseumfor

hostingourmeeting,and

toJenniferforproviding

anenlighteninglookback

atthehistoryandheritage

oftheConnecticutRiver.Photos: J. Costello

The Annual Meeting offered a rare opportunity to take aphoto of our staff and many of our Board members! Fromleft to right: Wendy Goodfriend, Jennifer Weymouth, JaneBrawerman, Tom ODell, Michael Lutz, Jim Costello, AlisonGuinness, Tim Myjak, Cindy Gaudino, and Barbara Davis.

Landowners Lea rn How to Create

Backyard Wildlife Habitat by Example

EleanoreMilardohasbeenonamission.Shehasboth

transformedheryardfromalawndominated3/4acre

suburbanlotintoadiversearrayofplantsandhabitats,

andcommittedherselftohelpingotherslearnbyher

example.Forthethirdtime,theDistricthelpedsponsor

anonsiteseminaratEleanoreshomesite,inpartnership

withUSDANaturalResourcesConservationServiceand

Project

Green

Lawn.

Now

featuring

120

native

species,

heryardprovidesareallifeexampleofhowatypical

yardcanberedesignedtopromoteahealthydiverse

ecosystemandenhancewildlifevalue;awayforothers

tovisualizesuchamakeoveroftheirownproperties.

OnabeautifulSundayinearlyfall,twentypeople

gatheredtolearnfromEleanoresyard.CTDepartment

ofEnvironmentalProtectionWildlifeBiologistPeter

Piconegaveaninformationpackedpresentationand

walkingtour,highlightingtherelationshipbetweenthe

nativeplantsandabundantinsects,birdsandmammals

thatnowsharethegarden.Attheworkshop,wewere

pleasedto

present

Eleanore

with

an

award

from

the

Districtin

recognitionof

hereffortsto

transformher

smalllotinto

ahavenfor

wildlife,and

toteachand

inspireothers.


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Documents

2010 Connecticut Conservation Times Newsletter