Ashland Shoreland Restoration

Last year we planted many Pearly Everlasting in the native plant beds along the shoreline at Memorial Park.  This year many of them survived the winter, only to have something else happen to them.  The plants emerged this spring but were soon completely covered in silk webs and small caterpillars that completely defoliated the plant.  This phenomenon looked much like tent caterpillars on a small, wildflower-sized scale. We also found these caterpillars only on Pearly Everlasting – all other plants were left untouched by this caterpillar.  To us, this presented a natural-history mystery that begged some answers.

With a bit of research on our part, and a helpful response (link provided below) to an article on the topic, we discovered that the culprit is the spectacularly colored American Painted Lady butterfly, which we’ve noticed in abundance on the site this year.  In that response, Janice Stiefel, who raises butterflies in Door County, says, “the larvae favor the perennial pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea). Some years there are large populations of American painted ladies. During those times, the plants are covered with hundreds of eggs. There would never be enough leaves for all of them, so many larvae die. To help Mother Nature a tad, I used to be able to buy an extra plant or two from the local nurseries, but they don’t carry them anymore. I asked why. The answer was that people don’t like the plants because they get too ‘buggy’”.

We also learned that we are not to worry about the Pearly Everlasting because the plant is known to re-emerge the following year when the butterfly presumably lays eggs on an alternate host. It seemed that it was an excellent year for this butterfly species on our restoration site.  However this year’s growth of pearly everlasting did not sustain the population of caterpillars so many of the caterpillars didn’t make it.

Janice’s full response to the article “Simple Act of Kindness” can be found at the Wild Ones web site.  Click here to see it

An American Painted Lady Butterfly living at Memorial Park.

As you drive along U.S. Highway 2 past Memorial Park, you may have seen the tourist overlook that allows visitors to gaze at and photograph the beautiful Lake Superior, Ashland’s marina, and the opposite shore of Chequamegon Bay, not to mention the dismantling of the historic ore dock.  The concept plans for the lakeshore restoration at Memorial Park incorporate enhancing the existing overlook by planting native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers on either side of the overlook to provide a rich palette of year-round colors and hues (reds, yellows, oranges, greens, and blues) to beautifully frame-in Ashland’s view of the Bay.

The restoration concept includes maintaining a large area below the overlook with low-growth shrubs and wildflowers that will splash color in the lower frame while also providing for habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, and help stabilize the clay soils on the steep slope-adding to the protection of Lake Superior’s water quality.  No trees have been planted in this area, however green ash trees have grown there naturally and that will be removed over the next few years.  The next time you stop to take in the spectacular view from the overlook, take a look also at the information sign mounted there (and below along the Waterfront Trail) to learn more about the project and where we have planted native trees, shrubs and wildflowers in the park.

It will be a decade or two before the trees and shrubs planted in the park mature to form a more natural woodland, so you will have to be patient and continue to visit the overlook for some time to appreciate the new plants (and colors!) that will gradually paint the park’s canvas designed to colorfully-frame-in the Bay view - attracting tourists and locals alike.  It’s a win-win!  By acting to protect our unique Great Lakes Region ecosystem, we are also enhancing a community resource.  People are attracted to places with beautiful natural surroundings, clean air and clean water, and this project supports that idea, contributing to Ashland as a place that people want to live and visit.

On the restoration site at Memorial Park stands a large American Elm, Ulmus Americana, that probably died of Dutch elm disease, and caused by fungus known to scientists as Ophiostoma ulmi.  The dead elm now appears a barren skeleton among the plethora of life that exists at the park now.  I’ve heard a few times as I work along the corridor, “Why don’t they just chop down that big dead Elm?”

Although dead trees do not look as nice as living ones, they are an important part of the ecosystem.  I’ve noticed the most interesting birds at Memorial Park using that tree.  I’ve seen Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Great Crested Flycatcher, Northern Flicker, and Merlin all use that tree.  In 2011, the merlins used it often to offer food to their newly fledged chicks.  Many creatures make homes out of standing dead trees, and hawks and eagles like to use them as vantage points when scanning the land for prey.  Fallen trees are used frequently by small mammals as cover, and fish, if they fall in the water.  Elms are also home to the Elm Bark Beetle which is believed to be one of the ways the fungal diseases is spread tree-to-tree.  Though that tree is dead and considered an eyesore by some, I’ve rarely seen a moment all summer that it wasn’t being used by one creature ore another at Memorial Park.

The new Elms we’ve planted are Dutch Elm Disease (DED) resistant, and until we determine what actually caused the death of the Elm and resources are available to attend it, we have decided to leave it in its leafless state to provide wildlife habitat, whether it stands or falls.

Practical information for elm tree owners: (taken from Wikipedia)

DED is caused by a fungus.  It is primarily spread in three ways:

1. By beetle vectors which carry the fungus from tree to tree – the beetles do not kill the tree, the fungus it carries does.
2. Through connection of an infected tree’s roots with a neighboring healthy tree.
3. By pruning of a healthy tree with saws which have been used to take down diseased trees.  This third method of spread is common and not recognized by many tree pruning and removal services.  Arborists at Kansas State University claim that cleaning blades with a 10% solution of household bleach will prevent this type of spread.  Owners of healthy trees should be vigilant about the companies they hire to prune healthy trees.  Blades need to be disinfected between uses to remove dead trees and use to prune healthy trees.
   

   The pond in early spring

Common Tansy, or Tanacetum vulgare, is an aggressive, non-native species that we are controlling at the Memorial Park restoration site.  It can be identified by its deeply lobed, fern-like leaves, and its bright yellow, pom-pom-like flowers.  The leaves of this plant produce a strong pungent odor when crushed.

We control Common Tansy by hand-pulling from the root without the use of herbicide to keep from harming the existing native plants it grows among on site, as well as to not expose the local pollinators to herbicide that frequently visit Tansy during the day for nectar and pollen.  Pulling Common Tansy by hand is best done following heavy rains when the soil is moist, and prior to when the flowers mature to seeds.  When necessary, and as a last option, we simply clip off the flower heads before they go to seed.  We do this during dry periods when it is too difficult to pull, and when we have run out of time!

To protect the local pollinators and other insects that us Common Tansy, it’s important to place all pulled or clipped plant parts in piles on site so that the insects using the plant can find new homes – hopefully native wildflowers like Canada Goldenrod, Solidago Canadensis – prior to removing it as waste to a controlled compost center.  Canada Goldenrod is an excellent food source for pollinators to feed on when the Tansy is gone, and they flower at similar times of the season.  In this project we are encouraging the Canada Goldenrod population to expand in order to compete with and hopefully reduce the spread of Common Tansy – a technique used in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices designed to minimize the use of harmful chemicals.

Tansy Leaves

Tansy Flowers

The restoration site at Memorial Park has less-than-favorable conditions for planting.  Much of the soil is composed of compacted clay and rocks, coal and mining waste with scattered glass shards, re-bar, concrete slabs, buried roof tops and railway ties…  The soil is very alkaline, with a ph of 9 in some places.  To help make this environment suitable to grow young plants, we have developed a special planting technique (see coming blog) and add a compost and organic nitrogen mixture to the topsoil… all topped by hardwood mulch.

Though mulch comes at the end, seemingly such an insignificant part of the entire process of shoreland restoration, it does play a vital role.  Mulch has many positive qualities that make it a good material to apply on the plants in restoration sites.  In Ashland, we use hardwood mulch purchased locally, and that is readily available as a by-product of the timber industry.  Mulch suppresses other vegetation (including invasive plants) that would grow around the plant and compete with it for resources like moisture, nutrients and sunlight.  Mulch will eventually decompose and provide organic matter and nutrients for the plant.  Mulch also helps maintain soil moisture after rainfalls and irrigation.  Mulch regulates soil temperature, keeping the plant roots from getting hot or cold too quickly.  The mulch we use is brightly colored with a non-toxic dye so that we can easily see which plants have been tended to and which plants still need attention, as we search for them amongst all of the non-native plants.  The bright color will disappear by next year, so the color is not permanent.  Mulch also creates a landscaped appearance suitable in certain urban settings, providing a background to our native planting beds so that the plants contrast nicely with the existing foliage.

It seems that mulch has so much to do about everything regarding the health and growth of newly planted trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.  So, if you’re planting a tree or other plant, don’t forget the mulch and its important role!

A white pine nestled in a bowl of hardwood mulch

As spring arrived this year, it became evident that many of the native plants that were planted last year survived winter and are doing well.  However, as the flowery shoots, fern fiddle heads, shrubs, and tree saplings began to leaf out and grow, so too did the invasive species that threaten to shade and compete with them for nutrients.  It also appeared that a deer learned to hop the fence along the top of the slope to get inside the protected area.  This deer may be a doe with a fawn since tiny deer droppings were found in the wooded area.  Deer apparently enjoy the taste of our planted mountain ash, based on the nibbled branches.

We got right to work cleaning up the site, picking up garbage and wind-blown debris, weed whacking the invasive Reed Canary Grass to set it back, and inspecting and repairing the deer fence where it had been vandalized.  Then we began preparing the Memorial Park site for additional work to be done in the upcoming weeks, including bird and vegetation surveys, invasive species control, weeding, fertilizing and mulching plants from last year, and planting new plants.

While much work lies ahead of us in the upcoming months, the warm spring air and the refreshing smell of growing foliage revitalize our efforts and prepare us for a summer of hard work and progress in the creation of a beautiful, native and sustainable shoreland park.  Oh, and be sure to look for the new sign installed along the bike path that describes the project, and where you can pick up a brochure to learn more!

Lake Superior, the Oredock, and the Marina as seen from a chokecherry on our worksite at Memorial Park

Burdock, also known as “Cockelbur,” is an invasive plant that can be rather difficult to remove.  Its leaves spread out very fast and cover a large area, shading any other plants around it.  In the fall it spreads by sticking seeds to animals and people through those annoying burrs that get stuck everywhere!  Taking Burdock out of your forest floor will allow those other seeds that are stuck under those big leaves to sprout, and you may get some nice native wildflowers if you take out burdock.

It’s very difficult to pull burdock because its lead root is huge and can go several feet.   Its carrot shape (it is a relative of the carrot) keeps you from pulling it easily, so you normally only get the leaves out.  We take the burdock out on site by sticking a spade in the ground several inches away from the plant, angling the spade towards the burdock, and thrusting the spade down, cutting the root as low as possible, and then pulling the plant out.  It will come back next year, but every time you do this it will weaken the plant and eventually it will die on its own.

Burdock is considered edible.  Just don’t grow it specifically for eating; there is enough of it around already.

Reed Canarygrass

                Reed Canarygrass has been an invasive plant of concern on our restoration site and state-wide.  It is a grass that prefers wet soil, and so grows in wetland or pond-side areas, and it spreads from place to place in roadside ditches by getting their seeds stuck on car tires, hiker’s shoes, wildlife, or blown by wind.

Reed Canarygrass completely crowds out other native plants and creates patches that only contain the Reed Canary Grass, which after a while can take over entire wetlands.  It can also be very difficult to control; it reproduces both by seed, and by its rhizome, or underground stem that can branch out several plants.  The complicated root structure of the rhizome makes it very difficult to pull, and not many herbicides are safe to use in areas with wet soil or standing water.

We treat the Reed Canarygrass on our site by regular mowing and herbicide spraying, and if we do not have time to do these, we cut off the flower heads to keep it from spreading seed.  Another method we are using to control this invasive grass is to shade it out by planting trees that provide shade.

This ligule, a transparent flap between the leaf and the stem, is a good identifier of Reed Canarygrass

Recently, while working at Memorial park, we’ve come across a few bird nests, which is a wonderful sign.  After all, if there are nests, than at least some birds are nesting on the sight!  We hope that our restoration efforts will provide more nesting habitat.

Many people put out bird feeders, but only attract common birds because they do not create an entire habitat for the birds.  If you are a bird lover and you want to see new and interesting birds at the feeder, there are several things birds need that you can provide:  Food, Cover, Water, and nesting material.  If you put out a bird feeder then you’ve got food covered, although keep an eye out for different types of food to attract different birds.  Woodpeckers are often attracted to sueit and orioles love oranges and jelly.  Having shrubs or trees in your yard that provide adequate cover from predators like Hawks will dramatically increase the number of species at your house.  Bird baths suffice can give your birds water, and ponds are good too.  And then there’s the often forgotten piece of the bird habitat, the nesting material.

All birds nest in some form, whether it is a hole in a tree, a pit in the ground, a nest of twigs and mud, or they lay their eggs in another’s nest and leave.  Nesting material can be anything from twigs and dead grass and mud to string, fur, cloth, or even snakeskin in the case of the Great Crested Flycatchers, and Hummingbirds like to incorporate spider silk into their nests.

Lately I’ve been seeing redwing blackbirds flying about with dead Reed Canary Grass that we cut and left for them.  I guess we killed two birds with one stone! (not literally of course)  Many birds need more bird habitat to rest at during their long migrations, so every little bit helps, don’t be afraid to make your property into a safe haven for our feathered friends!