Marsh Burn Conducted

Conditions were finally right yesterday for the Ogden Dunes Volunteer Fire Department to try to burn Long Lake Marsh. Fire Chief Eric Kurtz indicated that they started out doing the burn as a test, and then decided to continue since the conditions seemed to be right.

While the result may not be as dramatic as a burn of a prairie or forested area, this is a significant first step in our restoration project. The burn helped eliminate a lot of the dead cattail material, which will allow us to more effectively apply herbicide this summer. Burning the marsh will certainly not prevent the cattails from coming back, however. They may come back even denser, providing even more surface area for the herbicide to cling to.

Another advantage of the burn is that we can utilize the value of the equipment and volunteer time as in-kind match, bringing us that much closer to meeting our $15,700, 1:1 match on the project. As of the end of the last quarter, we were $4,985.63 away from meeting our grant match.

This project is funded under the Coastal Zone Management Act by NOAA and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Lake Michigan Coastal Program. Project partners also include the Ogden Dunes Volunteer Fire Department, the Ogden Dunes Community Fund, the Save the Dunes Conservation Fund, and the Indiana American Water Company.

What's Your Carbon Footprint?

In honor of Earth Day, please take this quiz to determine your own personal carbon footprint on the earth. Then take a minute to think about how you can make adjustments in your lifestyle to help the earth!

http://green.yahoo.com/calculator/

Rain Barrels Available for $10!

Would you like to do more to improve water quality and save money at the same time? Think about installing a rain barrel -- or two -- or more. By storing rain water that runs off of your rooftop, your rain barrel will reduce the amount of runoff entering our roadways, storm drains, ground water -- and ultimately Lake Michigan. It will also help reduce erosion, conserve water; and will provide a convenient and free water source for your garden.
Save the Dunes Conservation Fund (SDCF) has recently announced a Porter County Community Rain Barrel Program that would allow you to purchase a rain barrel for $10. That's right, $10! (One per household -- additional barrels may be purchased for $70 each.)

How is that possible? They are able to provide this service through a grant provided by Indiana Department of Environmental Management funded by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Water from rain barrels is better for plants because it contains no chlorine. One rain barrel can typically store 55 gallons of water. Each barrel will come with fittings, an overflow valve and a wire mesh screen to prevent mosquitos from breeding in it.

For further information on the program, please send an e-mail right now to Jen Nebe at SDCF at water@savedunes.org or call 219-879-3564. SDCF will contact you this summer with more ordering information.

April 26: Come Help Pull Garlic Mustard Invader!

During the town's Clean Up Weekend, April 25--26, join the Ogden Dunes Environmental Advisory Board in a "Garlic Mustard Pull" along the Sand Tracks. Meet at the Tennis Courts on Diana Rd. at 4:00 p.m.

We'll show you how to spot and pull first-year sprouts of this alien biennial invader that crowds out native species and harms the soil. See the previous posting for more information on this noxious weed. We'll also show you how to properly dispose of it. The event will officially end at 5:30 p.m. -- that is unless you wish to keep at it!

As you can see from the photos above, first-year and second-year Garlic Mustard looks remarkably different. If you can manage to get most of the first-year sprouts out of the ground, the invasion won't be as bad the next year.

So wear some old clothes and come join us! Gloves and paper bags will be provided.

Pull It!

Your help is needed to control an alien plant that impacts native species and even future forest growth. Garlic Mustard, characterized by its garlicky smell, especially when crushed, aggressively monopolizes light, moisture, nutrients, soil and space, outcompeting native plants. In turn, wildlife species that depend on plants for their foliage, pollen, nectar, fruits, seeds and roots, are deprived of these essential food sources when garlic mustard replaces them.

A single plant can produce thousands of seeds, which scatter as much as several meters from the parent plant.

Making matters worse, Garlic Mustard also emits nasty chemicals that inhibit the growth of mycorrihizzal fungi, a symbiotic fungi that supports the growth of young saplings. In turn, this may impact the growth of our forests in the coming years.

As with many invasive species, control requires a long-term commitment. This is because the seeds can remain viable in the soil for five years or more, according to the Alien Plant Network.

If your yard is only lightly infested, hand removal may be your best option. You will need to carefully try to remove the entire root system because new plants can sprout from root segments. Grasp low and firmly on the plant, and tug gently until the entire plant pulls out. Heavier infestations can be controlled by careful applicatin of Round Up or similiar herbicides. If you wish to use a more earth-friendly solution, visit http://www.planetnatural.com/. Unfortunately, no biological controls are yet available.

Some people chose to throw these noxious weeds on the ground after they pull them. That will not help control the infestation! Pulled plants could be composted, if there are no flowerheads. Otherwise, they should be placed in a paper bag and burned.