The Use of Native Warm Season Grasses for Critical Area Stabilization

More documents

Recommendations

Info

wattles. Cape performed well for a few years until the willows eventuallydominated. This combination stabilized the slope by creating a favorablemicroclimate for seed recruitment from the adjacent native trees and.4. Soil bioengineering, tidal stream, Wells, ME, Plant Hardiness Zone 5.Emergency Watershed Protection planting in June 1993 following severe springflooding. Bank erosion within 8 ft from house foundations. Combination plantingof ‘Streamco’ purpleosier willow, ‘Bankers’ dwarf willow [Salix cottetii Jos. Kern],and ‘Cape’ American beachgrass were planted. Cape provided initial stabilizationthen was crowded out by willows. Homeowners expectations were exceeded bythe results of the planting which were preferable to rip-rap to the top of the bank.5. Warm season grass cover for landfill reclamation at Roxbury and Williston VT,and Cortland, NY, using mixtures of ‘Shelter’ switchgrass, ‘Niagara’ big bluestem,‘Atlantic’ coastal panicgrass, ‘Bend’ sand lovegrass, and ‘Osage’ or ‘Rumsey’Indiangrass. These sites have soils with low percent of fines, droughty capmaterials, especially in eastern NY and New England. The major obstacle tousing warm season mix was the relatively slow establishment and the resultingpossibility of erosion during the first summer. ‘Atlantic’ and ‘Bend’ provideimproved establishment during this process, then they are dominated by theother species over time. Due to winter injury, ‘Atlantic’ is only reliable for the first2 years in NY and northern New England. Other landfill sites such as Fresh Killson Staten Island and Pelham Bay in the Bronx are now using this approach toprovide long-term, low maintenance, high value wildlife cover.6. Warm season grass seeding at the East Corinth landfill in eastern Vermont.The native grass seed was tracked in with a dozer. Seeding was a success, butengineers insisted that the site had to be mowed. The cover struggled undermowing but has become well established since mowing was abandoned as amaintenance strategy.7. The Elizabeth copper mine tailings site in central Vermont. The site was bareand highly erosive for 40 years with no native plant establishment except forbroadleaved cattail [Typha latifolia L.] in a wet spot. Plantings of warm seasongrass plots in 1988 demonstrated the ability of the major species to tolerate theheavy metal concentrations and low pH at the site. A light lime (1000 lbs ac -1 )and fertilizer application (40 lbs ac -1 ) was made at planting and tracked in withthe seed. No soil was applied to the site.8. A titanium and iron mine in Tahawas, NY (eastern Adirondacks) Zone 4, 1500ft elevation. Warm season grass mix, 1000 lbs. of lime and 80 lbs. of N-P-K wereapplied per acre, then tracked in with a dozer.9. Sand bluestem is not native to the Northeast. Like sand lovegrass it is veryuseful in mixes destined for use on droughty, low-fines sites. ‘Goldstrike’ sand
luestem from Nebraska is performing well after 10 years at the Swanton Airportin extreme northern Vermont, a few miles from Quebec Province (plant hardinesszone 3).Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic1. Watershed Protection Project in Berkshire Mountains, MA (elevation 1800’)Indiangrass, big bluestem, and little bluestem were seeded in November 1997along with cool season companion grasses, redtop and Canada wildrye. Lightmulch was applied after seeding. The project site was fertilized in the earlysummer with a liquid fertilizer. By late summer 1998, seedlings of big and littlebluestem were present on the site along with a good cover of redtop andscattered stands of Canada wildrye. After the second growing season (summer1999), seedlings of all the native grasses seeded were evident throughout theproject area with some individuals producing seedheads. Only very localized rillerosion had occurred during the native grass establishment period.2. Hart-Miller Island, MD. This is a dredge containment facility for materialdredged to keep the Baltimore Harbor shipping channel open. The containmentdike is composed of unconsolidated coarse-textured sands and gravels. Thedikes have a 1:1 slope (45 degree) slope which preludes the use of any seedbedpreparation or seed drilling equipment on the slope. The grass mix composed of‘Atlantic’ coastal panicgrass, ‘Blackwell’ switchgrass, weeping lovegrass,partridge pea, and ‘Lathco’ flat pea [Lathyrus sylvestus L.] was hydroseeded ontothe slope. A chain was then dragged across the slope to improve seed to soilcontact. Also, a liquid fertilizer was added to provide some nutrients to the sterilesoil. A fully established stand was present after two growing seasons. Sevenyears after seeding the warm season grasses are persisting well.3. Hopatcong Civic Center northern New Jersey. Warm season grasses wereseeded on a barren, gravelly to cobbly outwash slope. Prior attempts to establishcool season grasses on the site were unsuccessful. The native seeds werebroadcast and tracked in with a bulldozer. A full stand of native grassesdeveloped within two growing seasons and is persisting five years after seeding.4. Coastal strip (NJ, DE, MD). ‘Atlantic’ coastal panicgrass was successfullyseeded in back dune areas between rows of beachgrass. Seeding has beendone with a simple garden seeder (Planter Jr.) set at a 1 1/2”-2” depth. Seedlingsemerging the first year generally ranged from 2”-8” in height. Within threegrowing seasons, the coastal panicgrass crowded out American beachgrass, apioneer plant, and dominated the site with the long-term cover.
Page 1 and 2: The Use of Native Warm Season Grass
Page 3 and 4: 4. Full sun with south, west and ea
Page 5 and 6: Optional additions to core seed mix
Page 7: Second Year ManagementThere may be

The Use of Native Warm Season Grasses for Critical Area Stabilization

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?