Here is a Channel 3 news story of removing garlic mustard at the South Arboretum woods. It left out mention of PRI, the University and SSC, but it does have two NRES students speaking.
http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/local-news/plant-project-leaves-room-to-grow/684690600
Prairie Rivers Network, the Illinois affiliate for the National Wildlife Federation, is leading an effort to support monarchs in the local region. The are also working with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) on a plan for protecting monarchs in our state. IDNR is planning a statewide event in Springfield on September 9 to share the results of initial surveys.
The Champaign County Sustainability Network (CCNet) participated in the Pollinator Palooza on July 16: "Help plant milkweed at Firefighter Park, 305 S Randolph St, Champaign, Saturday July 16 from 9-12, bring gloves -- The Champaign Park District is transforming Firefighter Park (305 S Randolph) into a butterfly habitat. All City Staff are invited to help plant milkweed this Saturday from 9 am to noon. Champaign joined the Mayor's Monarch Challenge Leadership Circle to save the Monarch Butterfly. In the last 20 years, the Monarch population has declined by over 94%, shrinking from over 1 billion to just 60 million butterflies. Monarchs rely on Milkweed plants, the only plant that they can use to cocoon. The Midwest is an essential breeding ground for the annual Monarch migration from Canada to Mexico, and habitat loss has contributed to their decline."
CCNet also hosted the Pollinator Pocket Garden Tour on July 28: "Walking Tour Begins at Bresnan Center,706 Kenwood Rd, Champaign -- Moving beyond pollinator week in June and to keep the conversation ongoing, CCNET is hosting a tour with, Randy Hauser, Horticulture and Natural Areas Supervisor for the Champaign Park District to learn about "pocket gardens". This will be a great learning experience for people who love plants and want to help the pollinators and the Monarch, but only have small space for gardens."
The City of Champaign and other partners in the community such as the Champaign Park District, Prairie Rivers Network and many others have been working to preserve Monarch Butterfly habitat throughout the community. The City of Champaign joined the Mayor's Monarch Challenge Leadership Circle to save the Monarch Butterfly. In the last 20 years, the Monarch population has declined by over 94%, shrinking from over 1 billion to just 60 million butterflies. Monarchs rely on Milkweed plants, the only plant that they can use to cocoon. The Midwest is an essential breeding ground from the annual Monarch migration from Canada to Mexico, and habitat loss has contributed to their decline. The Champaign Park District hosted a number of Monarch Themed events throughout the summer focused on Monarch Butterfly education and habitat preservation.
City of Urbana staff have planted milkweed seed in landscapes at the Boneyard Creek. They have also designed a butterfly and pollinator garden to be installed south of the City Building next spring. Additionally, Mayor Prussing has signed the Wildlife Federation’s Mayors For Monarchs Pledge. In accordance with the pledge and the Mayor’s interest in supporting monarch populations, staff have assisted in the creation or enhancement of monarch and pollinator gardens with community groups at the Lierman Garden, Urbana Free Library Garden, and Downtown Garden.
The former forest research area south of the main Arboretum grounds (near Lincoln Avenue and Windsor Road) has been neglected for over 20 years and has largely been overtaken by invasive plantings that have forced out the native flowering forbs and bushes that normally occur in healthy woodlands – leaving instead honeysuckle, which is unpalatable to almost all native insects and mammals.
This project clears out the invasive species and begins the replanting efforts to restore native species to the area. Not only does this improve biodiversity around campus, but it also serves as an important educational opportunity for current students to witness the restoration process firsthand.
https://youtu.be/dcetof6KSXs is a link to a video interview a student did as a class project. It features the planting project and mentions SSC, SECS, Red Bison, and CIMN among others.
John Marlin (from Illinois Sustainable Technology Center) reported that the planting projects using SSC and ISEE grants are progressing well.
The majority of the large honeysuckle was removed from the South Arboretum Woods, mostly by the fecon machine at a cost of $20,000. Student workers (mainly NRES and ESE) are taking out the remainder with hand tools and chainsaws and finishing the resprouts and seedlings with limited applications of herbicide. The woods was actually a former research plot where many species of trees were planted in blocks very close together. A number of trees will have to be removed in order to allow for the others to grow well and to let light penetrate to the ground.
They also spent some time planting and weeding at plots at the Natural Resources Building, Burrill Hall, the Florida Orchard prairie and Lincoln Ave Residence (LAR) Hall. LAR contributed some funds toward planting.
A Boy Scout Eagle Project was conducted at the woods. They worked on three occasions removing garlic mustard and honeysuckle. The Master Naturalists have also put in quite a few hours.
Here are some useful references on Native Plants, Pollinators, and related topics.
Over the weekend student and community members put up 3 deer excluders at the South Arboretum Woods.
WE will be continuing with honeysuckle removal and general cleanup.
We also now have a decent shed with a lock on site thanks to the Natural History Survey. We can store items in it including red bison things.
John C. Marlin PhD.
Research Affiliate
Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
The University of Illinois Arboretum has historically showcased formal displays of annual ornamental plants and selected trees. There is increased interest in developing plots and displays of native plants, especially those that are beneficial to pollinators. This project will introduce a variety of such native plants into several settings at the Arboretum. The Arboretum intends to use the plantings as an outdoor laboratory that will be used for formal and informal education about the role of native plants in provision of ecosystem services such as pollination adn improving soil quality. The experience gained will lay the ground work for future expansion of the concept including large plantings within selected locations and patches of clearly labeled plants that will allow visitors to learn their names and characteristics.
The plantings will also provide physical examples of how small plantings can be used in personal and commercial landscapes. The use of perennial native plants will help the Arboretum assess the potential to save money and other resources by using more plants that do not have to be repurchased and replanted annually. The native plants along with improved habitat conditions will support a large number of local pollinators and other insect and bird species that are increasingly threatened by loss of habitat, and provide an instructional resource for university classes and local schools.
Here is the layout of the 4 prairie plots just west of the pollinatarium building and wooded area. They are designed to give decision makers and homeowners an idea of how prairie plantings of different heights can look.
The plant mix is good for pollinators and will have something in bloom most of the growing season, it was however limited by what we could get late in the late spring.
~John C. Marlin, PhD, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
There are native plants throughout the Arboretum and in concentrated paces around the ponds - wetland and mezic. There is also a prairie just south of the Polinatarium, maintained by John Marlin and volunteers.
