Prairie Works is the source for ecological and landscape services in Northwest Illinois. Prairie Works can assist on projects large and small ranging from prairie and woodland restoration, invasive species control, controlled burning, bio-engineered erosion control and landscaping through the use of native plants. Prairie Works offers an environmentally friendly and dynamic solution to traditional land use practices and strives to connect people to the natural history of the area.

Cory's Blog: A cyber bulletin containing information, inside dope, statements, news, reports, observations and ramblings. Please browse the archives at you leisure.

Archive for the 'invasive species' Category

Emerald Ash Borer

Published
by
Cory Ritterbusch
on July 30, 2008
in Blog, invasive species and woodland
. 0 Comments

EAB Info.As of late the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has slowly crept its way into our vocabulary. Many of you may have seen the purple traps set up throughout the county and the greater northern area of the state. The media and our govermental entities have given EAB a lot of attention here in the Midwest, and for good reason. Since its discovery in the Detroit, MI area in 2002 it has killed an estimated 100 million Ash trees in Michigan, Otnario, Indiana, and Ohio. It is now creeping into neighboring states. We are currently in the midst of the largest invasive species awareness campaign in Midwest history.

The Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) attacks trees in the Ash (Fraxinus) genus only, a genus that comprises roughly 30 percent of our woodlands here in Northwest Illinois. The Ash trees found in this area include White Ash (F. americana) found in upland habitats, Green Ash (F. pennsyvanica) found in low lying areas, and Black Ash (F. nigra). If you have any of these species please let me know. The White Ash is used for making baseball bats and Green Ash is utilized by guitar makers due to its tonal properties. 

EAB is native to Asia and arrived here in packing material or in pallets, similar to how the Asian Longhorn Beetle arrived in Chicago in 1998. Unlike the Asian Longhorn Beetle, EAB has the ability to alter the composition and character of the countryside in the Midwest. This can effect fall color change, plant life on the woodland floor, and will create a new market for Ash wood. Ash trees are also a popular street tree due to their ability to withstand poor soil conditions and salt. Their disapearence will alter the appearance of nieghborhood streetscapes.  The residual effects of this disease can be astounding.

As scary as it sounds it has two comparables. Both in recent memory, both equally destructive and both accidentally introduced. Dutch Elm Disease was first reported in the United States in 1928, with the fungus-carrying beetles believed to have arrived in a shipment of logs from the Netherlands. The disease spread slowly from New England westward and southward, reaching the Detroit area in 1950, the Chicago area by 1960, and Minneapolis by 1970. Chestnut Blight arrived in America around 1900 and by 1950 had killed almost every Chestnut tree in existance, mainly on the East Coast and Appalachia where the tree is most common. Emerald Ash Borer will cause similar destruction if not contained.

Please refer to the websites listed below to see what you can do to identify the disease and prevent the spread.

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/ USDA Forest Service

http://www.agr.state.il.us/eab/ IL. Dept. of Agriculture’s Site

http://emeraldashborer.wi.gov/ The Comprehensive Wisconsin Site

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_ash_borer The Complete ’skinny’

Native Plants on NPR

Published
by
Cory Ritterbusch
on May 29, 2008
in Blog, invasive species and native species
. 0 Comments

National Public RadioLast week there was a segment on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered featuring native plants. This 5 minute feature titled Local Plants Give Sense of Place, Character discussed the many benefits of native plants. Moving beyond the usual advantages of no watering and increasing value to wildlife Washington D.C. gardener, Lisa Caprioglio, discussed the great sense of place that native plants can provide to display a sense of regionalism rather than using the same set of plants from state to state.

They also discussed a problem that is not frequently discussed: The accessibility to purchase native plants. Unfortunately the push to use natives is not matched by the ability to purchase them. 

A nice little story that hopefully reached a large audience.  

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90645101&sc=emaf Listen to the story here.

Invasive Species in WI Legislation

Published
by
Cory Ritterbusch
on April 14, 2008
in Blog, invasive species and law
. 0 Comments

The Lovely Dames Rocket Gracing Stagecoach Rd. with it’s PresenceThe state of Wisconsin has long been a leader in the protection of natural areas. Their forward-thinking approach towards nature began 100 years ago and is still strong today. It makes great sense since their 12.8 billion dollar tourism industry relies on it and hunting and fishing is steeped in tradition there. Last week the Wisconsin State Journal had a cover story about a major push to stop new waves of invasive plants in the future. A new bill to reach the Capitol floor will give the state the power to fine individuals for selling, transporting or spreading a long list of invasive species ranging from Parrots to Maple trees. This is a major step in the right direction.

In recent decades invasive plants have increased by 1,300% and are costing taxpayers billions of dollars annually. To blame are short-minded individuals and corporations who have introduced plants, insects or fish for financial gain or for personal interest. There has always been a grey area on how to handle the issue and the exact introducer has been difficult to pin point (except when our federal government takes the blame). The new proposed rules establish a consistent classification and regulatory system for all listed invasive species. The rules will set specific restrictions on actions such as selling, transporting and planting or releasing certain species to the wild. It will allow the WDNR to work with local units of government and landowners to quickly contain new infestations of species likely to become problematic.

The list of species is broken into 5 categories: Terrestrial plants, aquatic plants, vertebrates, micro-organisms and aquatic invertebrates. In total, 187 species are on the potential list. Most already occur in Wisconsin but some are being included to be proactive, as with Emerald Ash Borer. Most interesting was seeing Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) included on the list. The famed beauty from the Meadow in a Can seed mixes sold at garden centers everywhere shows itself along the countryside of Northwest Illinois each May. Can I start issuing tickets?

It will be interesting to watch this bill transpire into law and, even more, how aggressively it will be enforced. I know the nursery trade may be scrambling to adjust profit margins as Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), Blackberry Lily (Belamcanda chinensis) and other perennial favorites are on the list. Stay tuned for more on this aggressive bill.

http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/classification/ The Skinny from WDNR

http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/280782 The Wisconsin Sate Journal Article

Brush Piles

Published
by
Cory Ritterbusch
on December 13, 2007
in Blog, fauna, invasive species, land management, seasonal and woodland
. 0 Comments

Typical Brush PileNow that snow has fallen and temperatures have dropped, the controlled burn season has ended and the brush clearing season has begun. Our woodlands are easily traversed now and the ground is solid, making invasive brush removal efficient and reducing disturbance. Invasive shrubs, low quality trees, and understory woody species that are crowding Bur and White Oaks are easily removed in the winter.  Invasive shrubs include species such as Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.), Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and Prickly Ash (Xanthium strumarium). Low quality trees include Box Elder (Acer negundo), Black Locust (Robinia psuedoacacia), Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) and Maples (Acer spp.). When spring begins the cleared woodland begins to recover from encroachment. Byproducts of this management technique are low quality firewood and brush piles.

Brush Piles for HabitatBrush piles are constructed by placing the cut materials into piles. Brush piles make for less labor hours, prevent machinery from entering the restoration area and provide habitat for a variety of fauna. Songbirds use the top branches for perching and the small dead peices for nest building. Mammals, such as fox, rabbit, bobcat, squirrel and coyote, will utilize brush piles for dens if they are remote or for shelter in inclimate weather. Many amphibians use them for those same purposes and countless insects utilize the decaying wood. 

Burning Brush PilesWhen brush is very dense there can be many piles created or piles can become very large. In this situation, specfic piles can be burned to eliminate the quantity and size of them. Blowers with cruise control settings are used to consume piles faster and to reduce the size of the burn scar that is created. An inexpensive and easy-to-establish seed mix should be planted on top of the burn scar to assist in healing and to provide a starting point for native grasses to spread.

 Newly constructed piles are sometimes larger than desired but they will usually decrease by 50% as gravity and snow weight compress them to a shorter stature. There are three options for managing brush piles: they can be lit on fire shortly after they are piled, they can remain on site as habitat or they can sit until a controlled burn is performed, at which time the piles are consumed. In very large restoration projects a pit us dug and several thick tree trunks are layed across the top. Piles are then constructed on top of that while air is injected into the cavity below. This pit fire method consumes piles very quickly and leaves the ash to fall in the hole, which is then filled with soil.

A seemingly simple task turned into a science by land managers. 

The Almighty Lawn

Published
by
Cory Ritterbusch
on November 26, 2007
in Blog, environmentalism, history and invasive species
. 1 Comment

“An old error is always more popular than a new truth.” -  German Proverb

In 2006 the American lawn reached a higher status among its citizens - it became the country’s largest irrigated crop. Between our golf courses, sports fields, town squares and residential lawns turfgrass now covers an amazing 40 million acres, or 80 percent, of non-farmed land. Once utilized by the rich as outdoor carpet and by atheletes for sport, turfgrass is now the norm for all residential lots, rural or urban, and the maintenance practices that come with it are now the standard protocol.

Lawns have their roots in the gardens of England but it was not until the post-World War II building boom that it reached its full power here in America. At that time, subdivisions sprouted up around major cities, forming suburbs. To match the prestigious look of larger estates, planners designed large lawns to attract clients. Thus, the goal of making private properties park-like began and fences were not erected to allow for open appearences in residential communities.

Although the 1/2-acre area of grass that is carefully manicured by its owner seams rather harmless, it is the large-scale ramifications of millions of such owners that prove to be devastating. In 2005 it took 238 gallons of water per person to irrigate 40 million acres of turfgrass, which are being mowed with 800 million gallons of small engine gasoline and kept green by 70 million pounds of chemicals.  All this costs an estimated 30 billion dollars annually (2005). The effects on water and air quality are staggering as are the 68,000 injuries sustained annually while mowing.  

Typical Lawn PracticeMartin Quigley, an urban landscape specialist with The Ohio State University states this about lawns: “Turf maintenance is unquestionably the single most labor intensive component of the constructed landscape. Lawn upkeep, though expensive, requires few decisions and little risk. It is not attuned to the peculiarities of individual sites.” Nationwide, the same grass types are used regardless of soil type, climate, topography or regional customs. The turf industry has developed stronger more desirable strains in order to please the 80% of adults that maintain turfgrass.

Oddly enough, lawn care advertising confirms that most residential lawn care is a losing battle against climate, pests, traffic and other variables, unless more efforts, including watering and chemicals, are applied to the cause. The 70 million pounds of chemicals applied to turfgrass annually represent a higher concentration of chemical input than any other form of agriculture worldwide. In Ted Stienberg’s book, American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn, he calls the rise of the lawn “one of the most profound transformations of the landscape in american history.” 

Today, we mow most land that is mow-able and any area that is not mowed is considered “weeds.” Dead spots in lawns are dyed green to disguise imperfections. We spend an average of 40 hours per year mowing or pay services an average of $1,080 to mow for us. We pay higher water bills during hot summer weather to keep the grass alive and we spend used car prices for lawn mowers. Lawn clippings represent the largest agricultural byproduct in the U.S., which could support 20% of our nation’s fuel demands if converted to ethanol (David Blume). The Scotts® Miracle Gro Company (SMG on the New York Stock Exchange) now sells bird seed to supply birds with food that the lawn lacks…Odd indeed.

There are many alternatives to battle this consumptive and environmentally un-friendly practice, including: planting areas with native grasses and flowers, installing ”no mow” turf species such as Buffalo Grass, reducing the amount of lawn that is mowed, or promoting urban planners to develop cluster housing which consolidates housing allowing for more open space. The long term cost savings of utilizing lawn alternatives are staggering and should be encouragement alone. The real benefit, however, lies in the increase of habitat, stabilization of soil, use of local materials and weekends that you don’t have to worry about the lawn.

http://www.cca.qc.ca/pages/Niveau3.asp?page=depliant&lang=eng Interesting article on the history of the lawn

http://ohioline.osu.edu/sc177/sc177_14.html A reported study about the lawn: An Unrequited Love

http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/wildones/handbk/wo8.html The EPA Statement on lawns

CNN News Segment

Published
by
Cory Ritterbusch
on July 18, 2007
in Blog, flora, invasive species, law, native species and news
. 0 Comments

A great segment on invasive species appeared on the CNN News website on June 29. This followed up a news story that came up in March on The Nature Conservancy’s website and magazine. It discussed how nurseries are agreeing with The Nature Conservancy to not sell invasive species, sometimes some of their biggest sellers. Starting with the big box retailers Meijer and Lowes, they have agreed to pull Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra italica) and Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) from their shelves in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois. Although many states, including Wisconsin, have their own laws concerning the sale of invasive plants this is the first full fledged effort by an environmental group to work with retailers. In general, there are about 20 plants that remain on the list that they eventually want garden centers to stop selling.

Last year the federal government spent 631 million dollars on invasive species removal. This does not count what state, county and local agencies are doing. Estimated numbers have reached the 5 billion mark when they look at its widespread effect. Illinoisians may be aware that Honeysuckle and Buckthorn were brought in by Chicago developers in the 1950s as an ‘economical hedgerow’ between houses during the baby boom. Now, an entire industry has been created in Chicagoland and beyond to control them.

This is a big step in the right direction. Lets hope that the nursery trade will continue to cooperate in the years to come so we can create regional landscapes rather than those which are boiler plate and instantly gratifying. Read the CNN article here: http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/06/29/plant.invaders.ap/index.html#cnnSTCText