Honeysuckle: Not as Sweet as it Sounds (or Smells)!

Amur honeysuckle | Credits: plants.usda.gov

Nothing makes us as MAD as invasive species, and one of the most prolific species that we try to control is Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii).  This large deciduous shrub, also known as bush honeysuckle, was originally brought to the United States from Asia for use as an ornamental because of its fragrant white flowers and vibrant red fruit.  The bush quickly escaped cultivation due to high seed production and the fact the fruit is readily eaten and then dispersed by birds.  This method of seed dispersal makes it difficult to eradicate the bush, as birds are prone to “replant” the area.  Regular inspections and the removal or treatment of any new growth go a long way toward keeping a site free of invasive species.

The most common place to find honeysuckle is in the understory of woodlands, but honeysuckle is adaptable to a wide range of habitats and can be found just about anywhere.  Its numerous branches and plentiful leaves are able to shade out native bushes and wildflowers.  Amur honeysuckle is particularly efficient at out-competing native vegetation because it “greens up” earlier in the spring than most native plants and loses its leaves late in the fall.  This provides honeysuckle a significant advantage for obtaining sunlight, to the detriment of our native plant communities.

Weed Wrench

We regularly remove Amur honeysuckle as part of wetland restoration and habitat enhancement projects.  The best way to control this invasive species is by pulling the plant and removing the root system.  If a cut stump remains in the ground untreated, it will resprout and expand if allowed to mature.  The most useful tool we have in our arsenal for bush honeysuckle removal is the Weed Wrench.  This tool clamps to the base of the bush (or any woody plant you want to remove) and the long handle provides leverage to remove the entire plant from the ground.  If the bush is too large for the Weed Wrench, the other option for removal is to cut the bush at the base of the trunk and apply a systemic herbicide to the stump to prevent re-growth.  Amur honeysuckle is a hardy and adaptive plant, but with regular maintenance, it is possible to reduce its coverage and restore native habitat.  Once removed, native woody shrubs should be planted to replace the honeysuckle and restore the understory community.  Suggested replacement shrubs include: dogwoods (Cornus spp.), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum), blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium), and service berries (Amelanchier spp.).  If you want to be involved with one of our invasive species removal and habitat enhancement events, be sure to register as a volunteer.  We’ll be posting events on our news page and Facebook soon!

Also note that we have a tool loan program, if you’d like to borrow one or several of our weed wrenches for your own invasive species control efforts.  We’re happy to support your conservation projects, big and small!

 

An Overview of Constructed Wetlands

Green infrastructure is becoming more widely used to manage stormwater runoff, providing a natural means of limiting or eliminating combined sewer overflows and improving overall water quality.  Constructed wetlands and systems that mimic wetlands (for example bioswales, bioretention areas, and rain gardens) provide a cost-effective and environmentally conscious option that can result in an efficient and aesthetically pleasing wetland.  Additionally, constructed wetlands can provide valuable habitat for wildlife, including many amphibians, songbirds, and small mammals.  Constructed wetlands are classified according to their designed water flow; three common wetland designs are horizontal subsurface flow (HF), vertical flow (VF), or free surface wetlands (FSW).

Regardless of the type of treatment wetland used, each utilizes a process known as the root zone method (RZM) for removing bacteria, and excess nutrients, that negatively affect water quality.  The RZM can be summarized as follows: Influent (incoming) water passes horizontally or vertically through the soil and percolates the wetland bed.  The roots of wetland plants provide a pathway for the water to flow, and as the wastewater and solids move through the system they are treated by microbes that are contained near the plants’ roots.  The leaves of the plants absorb oxygen and transport it to the roots through their stems, which are hollow, and act as a bio-pump.  In the soil, or filter layer below the roots, anaerobic digestion treats the influent wastewater as well.  The type of substrate and plants included in the wetland design will vary depending on what the wetland has been designed to control.  Depending on the specific use of a treatment wetland, it may be necessary to pre-treat wastewater and remove large solids to prevent clogging of the substrate, which will reduce the effectiveness of the system.

In horizontal subsurface flow wetlands, water passes through emergent plants, and the RZM removes bacteria and excess nutrients at very high rates in a well functioning system.  After construction is complete, HF wetlands do not require significant maintenance, and many can function several years without maintenance.  Vertical flow wetlands utilize the RZM with a planted filter bed to treat wastewater as it flows through the system.  Typically the top layer is planted gravel above a layer of sand.  The deepest portion of the system is another layer of gravel that contains drainage pipes to collect and transport the filtered water as it percolates through the system.  VF wetlands are designed to be most effective when wastewater is applied in discrete intervals at a rate of 4-12 doses per day, and the wastewater is allowed to slowly percolate through the unsaturated layers of soil and sand.  Intermittent dosing is necessary to allow adequate oxygen transfer, which is necessary for aerobic degradation by the resident microbes.

Free surface wetlands are the most natural-looking treatment wetland option.  In these systems, water flows above ground and plants are rooted in the soil layer at the base of the wetland.  Typical design includes a basin lined with an impermeable layer, such as clay.  The substrate consists of rocks, gravel, and soil.  The basin is usually planted with native plants, and floating wetland islands can be used to supplement the plant coverage and increase system efficiency.  FSW wetlands are usually flooded with wastewater to a depth of 3-18 inches above ground level.  As the water slowly flows through the wetland and percolates into the soil, excess nutrients are taken up by the plants and potentially harmful bacteria may be trapped and degraded by microbial communities in biofilms on and near the plant roots.

Each type of treatment wetland has advantages and drawbacks that need to be carefully considered before developing blueprints and planning construction.  MAD Scientist & Associates has a proven track record with wetland design and construction, so if you are considering a constructed wetland for treatment or mitigation, we can help from the initial planning stages through construction and monitoring to make sure your wetland is a success.

 

Diagrams for Horizontal Flow and Vertical Flow Wetlands credited to:

Morel, A.; Diener, S. (2006): Greywater Management in Low and Middle-Income Countries, Review of different treatment systems for households or neighbourhoods.    Duebendorf: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science (EAWAG), Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (SANDEC). [Accessed: 19.02.2013].

 

Diagram for Free Surface Wetland credited to:

Tilley, E.; Luethi, C.; Morel, A.; Zurbruegg, C.; Schertenleib, R. (2008):Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies. Duebendorf and Geneva: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG). [Accessed: 18.02.2013].

 

Benefits of Wetlands

What comes to mind when you hear the term “wetlands?”  Since they are such diverse ecosystems it is often difficult to settle on a definition, but their importance is more apparent.  To explain some benefits of wetlands, here are some thoughts from the staff at MAD about the benefits (or “ecosystem services”) that wetlands provide.

Jenny:                                                                                                                                         “Wetlands are unique ecosystems that encompass the area where water meets land.  They support plant and animal communities that can rival the diversity found in rainforests.  Native wildlife rely on wetlands for year-round refuge, and migratory birds use them as a rest stop and fueling station.  In addition to providing great wildlife habitat, wetlands filter contaminants from runoff, buffer flooding events, and are a great place for outdoor education.”

Brent:                                                                                                                                          “Wetlands improve the quality of surface water through numerous means.  Wetland plants aid in the uptake of excess nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus that are found in runoff from agricultural fields and lawns.  This can help to reduce the occurrence and severity of harmful algal blooms.  Sediments found in runoff are able to settle out in wetlands, which helps clarify the water.”

When I think of wetland services, two aspects that immediately come to mind are important habitat and functions that protect the basis of all life — water.  Numerous species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds rely on wetland habitat for breeding, foraging, and cover, in addition to using them for stopover during migration, as Jenny mentions.  Many threatened and endangered species, such as the blue-spotted salamander and black-crowned night heron require wetlands during their life cycle for activities ranging from breeding to hibernation.

As well as the water purification values that Brent describes, almost all wetlands provide flood protection by slowing the velocity of excess runoff from the spring thaw and storm events.  Wetlands do not prevent flooding, but peak flood heights are reduced by the temporary storage of water in wetlands, which act like a sponge, holding water in shallow pools and in the saturated soils.   Aquifers and groundwater are replenished and stream base flows are maintained by this stored water that seeps into the ground.  Wetlands connected to groundwater systems or aquifers are important areas for groundwater exchange.  Since water flows slowly through the wetlands, it allows time for the water to seep into the ground and enter aquifers.  Without wetlands, naturally clean drinking water sources would be difficult to find.

As efficient as wetlands are at providing these functions, they do have their limits.  Wetlands are not indestructible; in fact these diverse ecosystems are quite fragile.  A degraded wetland cannot meet its potential for flood control, groundwater recharge, or fish and wildlife habitat.  If we expect wetlands to continue performing their critical ecological functions, then we have to do our part to identify, protect, and restore them, and educate our communities on their profound importance to our shared environment.

-Luke Soposki-                                                                                                                         Environmental Scientist and Wildlife Specialist                                                                         MAD Scientist & Associates

 

New Prairie Plan takes aim at rebuilding grasslands, wetlands

By Tom Landwehr, commissioner, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; John Jaschke, executive director, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources

When Minnesota pheasant hunters go afield starting Saturday, they will head to prairie country, where tall native grasses provide food and shelter for this fast-flying and fine-tasting bird.

Unfortunately, Minnesota’s prairie country isn’t what it once was.

Long ago, Minnesota had about 18 million acres of native prairie. Today, that number is closer to 235,000 acres. Much wild was lost as society found ways to tame the land in the name of a noble pursuit – growing food for America and the global community beyond our borders.

While no one can turn back the hands of time. We can look to new ways to build a strong agriculture and prairie conservation partnership in the future. Forging a better future for prairie conservation and crop production is the right thing to do to help slow flooding, clean the state’s waters, shelter wildlife, provide for recreation and support our strong agricultural community.

Fortunately, there is a new tool to do this. It’s called The Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan. It was finalized this past summer and identifies common goals among conservation organizations for the next 25 years. It will serve as a road map for protecting, restoring and enhancing prairies for the state’s primary conservation organizations, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, DNR, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Nature Conservancy, the Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society, The Conservation Fund, Audubon Minnesota, Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited.

The DNR, BWSR and other partners look to work with landowners, agricultural interests and others to protect and enhance Minnesota’s prairie legacy.

The plan proposes to achieve conservation goals by:

• Permanent protection of grasslands via easements and acquisition of critical lands from willing sellers.
• Restoration activities including buffer strips, native plant seeding, wetland restoration and water level management.
• Enhancement of prairies and grasslands through prescribed fire, conservation grazing and invasive species control.

Minnesota is at a crossroads. We have already lost 99 percent of our original native prairie and 90 percent of our prairie wetlands. In the next five years, nearly 800,000 additional acres of restored grassland is at risk due to expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts, and the current congressional stalemate on the next Federal Farm Bill prevents processing any new enrollments after Sept. 30, 2012. This leaves agricultural producers unable to predictably forecast and plan key aspects of their business.

It is Minnesota’s good fortune to have a funding option in the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, which can be used to ”protect, enhance and restore” the critical parts of the prairie landscape. Additionally, we need to seek opportunities to incorporate conservation into “working lands” – like grazing lands — so conversation can contribute directly to local economies and agricultural lands.

Now is the time to act, before the crisis is upon us. Our fish and our wildlife, including game and non-game species, depend upon native prairie, grasslands and associated wetlands for survival. We don’t want to look back one day and ask ourselves what we should have done to preserve the state’s grassland heritage.

Rather, let us act now for a future where we can visit the Prairie Region and be proud to have saved our grassland legacy – and the economic and conservation benefits it supports – for many future generations.

The Minnesota Prairie Plan is available online.

 

Why is Wetland Delineation Important?

Wetland delineation requires a incredible investment in time, money, and effort, it also gives endless benefits to civilization. If wetlands were disturbed, plant and animal species may not stay alive. Wetlands also help to reduce flooding within an area, and act as a filter for stormwater runoff to help decrease air and water pollution levels. Finally, many wetlands act as carbon sinks, serving to trap carbon gases so they can’t escape into the atmosphere. Each time a wetland is disturbed, large volumes of carbon can be released in the form of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming.

 

MAD Scientist &  Associates – Wetland Delineation

MAD Scientist & Associates provides clients with a high level of expertise in wetland delineation, ecological site characterization, and environmental impact assessment. We deliver accurate, complete, and timely data that can streamline the environmental compliance process and allow clients to make better-informed and more sustainable land use decisions. MAD Scientist & Associates also helps clients understand and successfully navigate increasingly complex regulatory requirements and permit processes to meet project goals as efficiently as possible. We offer a variety of ecological consulting services in the areas of wetlands and streams, ecological risk assessment, and ecological studies.

• Environmental Consulting

 

National Helium Shortage Affecting Ohio Party Shops

So how did we get to this point? Back in the 1920s, when blimps and other airships seemed like a useful military technology, the United States set up a national helium program. In the 1960s, it opened the Federal Helium Reserve, an 11,000-acre site in the Hugoton-Panhandle Gas Field that spans Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. The porous brown rock is one of the only geological formations on Earth that can hold huge quantities of helium. And the natural gas from the field itself was particularly rich in helium — a relative rarity in the world.

• Environmental Consulting

By 1996, however, the Helium Reserve looked like a waste. Blimps no longer seemed quite so vital to the nations defense and, more important, the reserve was $1.4 billion in debt after paying drillers to extract helium from natural gas. The Republican-led Congress, looking to save money, passed the Helium Privatization Act, ordering a sell-off by the end of 2014.

There was just one small hitch. According to a 2010 report by the National Research Council, the formula that Congress used to set the price for the helium was flawed. Bingaman has dubbed it a “fire sale.” The federally owned helium now sells for about half of what it would on the open market.

And, since the Federal Helium Reserve provides about one-third of the world’s helium each year, this has upended the entire market. There’s little incentive to conserve, recycle or find new sources of helium. Instead, we’ve been frittering it away. And once helium escapes into the air, it can’t be recovered.

• Environmental Surveys

 

ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENTS (PHASE I)

An Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), also known as Phase I Site Assessment, is a “due diligence” study of a particular site which is usually required by lending institutions or current property owners. An ESA is needed to identify potential environmental concerns on properties which may be used as “collateral” for loans or has been under a leased agreement by a third party. The objective of an ESA is to identify obvious, actual and potential through visual observation, aerial photographs, historical review, review of regulatory agency information and the presence of absence of asbestos containing building materials.

Ohio Environmental Consulting Firm

MAD provides quality wetland and ecological consulting to clients in the public and private sectors. Clients include engineering and environmental consulting firms, universities, park districts, industries, and municipal governments. Clients have come to rely on MAD Scientist & Associates for full wetland services (delineation, permitting, mitigation and monitoring), stream characterizations and aquatic studies, ecological risk assessments, botanical surveys, threatened and endangered species andcritical habitat surveys, and other specialized ecological services.

• West Nile in Ohio