Help Plant Wildflowers, Grasses and Sedges Around Long Lake

Learn about flowers, sedges and grasses with strange names like Monkeyflower, Prairie Dropseed, Foxglove Beardtongue, Steeplebush and Hoary Puccoon at a planting event at Long Lake Marsh Saturday, June 5 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Participants of all ages will have an opportunity to:
• Help improve biodiversity, ecosystem functions and water quality of the marsh.
• Help serve their community.
• Help beautify the area.

Bring a trowel and gloves; and wear sunscreen and bug spray — and stay as long as you can. Meet where Diana Rd. intersects with Diana Ct. Organizers of the event include Susan MiHalo from the Ogden Dunes Environmental Advisory Board and Gerry Lehmann from the Beautification Committee.

An RSVP would be appreciated, but is not required. Contact Susan MiHalo at 763-4871 or via e-mail at smihal763@verizon.net.

Following is a list of some of the plants that will be planted as small plugs ordered through JF New, Spence Restoration Nursery and the greenhouse of Save the Dunes. Different species have been selected that are adaptable to wet, moist as well as dry conditions.

• Blue Flag Iris (Iris virginica shrevei):
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/blueflag.htm
• Bluejoint Grass (Calamagrostis canadensis):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CACA4
• Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOCA2
• False Aster (Boltonia asteroides recognita): http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/false_aster.htm
• Field Oval Sedge (Carex molesta):
http://eol.org/pages/1123889
• Foxglove Beard Tongue (Penstemon digitalis):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PEDI
• Heath Aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SYER
• Hoary Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens): http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/hry_puccoonx.htm
• Marsh Blazingstar (Liatris spicata):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LISP
• Monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens): http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/monkeyflower.htm
• New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliaeh): http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SYNO2
• Prairie Alum Root (Heuchera richardsonii):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HERI
• Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SPHE
• Purple Love Grass (Eragrostis spectabalis):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ERSP
• Spotted Joe Pye Weed (Eupatoriadelphus maculates): http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/sp_joepye.htm
• Steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa rosea):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SPTO2
• Stiff Goldenrod (Oligoneuron rigidum): http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/stf_goldenrodx.htm
• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnate): http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/sw_milkweed.htm
• Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos): http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/sw_rsmallow.htm
• Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris): http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/tl_coreopsisx.htm
• Wild Bergomot (Monarda fistulosa): http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/wld_bergamotx.htm
• Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata):
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RAPI

Native seeds were planted around the marsh on Wednesday, May 26. Included in the mix was a cover crop of Annual Rye that will sprout first. The full benefit of the seeding and planting will not be realized until Summer 2011; however some species should bloom this year. The native plants will not only beautify the area, they will also help filter stormwater run-off before it enters the marsh, improving ecosystem functions and biodiversity.

The long roots of some of the plants are also much more effective at holding soil in place, and the plants are more resistent to climate change than traditional grasses and plants. Finally, the height of some of the plantings will help discourage geese from populating the area.

This project is being undertaken with a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Additional funding has been provided by the Ogden Dunes Community Fund and the Indiana American Water Co. Save the Dunes and the Ogden Dunes Volunteer Fire Department are also partners in this project.

ODEAB Sets 2010 Goals

Continuing its mission to advance the health and quality of life of residents through improved water, land and air quality, the Ogden Dunes Environmental Advisory Board (ODEAB) established goals for 2010 at its February 9 meeting.

Assessment of the environmental impacts of the Burns Waterway Small Boat Harbor dredging project will be undertaken at the April 6 meeting. Board members plan to meet at a particular location and walk the beach to see if there is any residual garbage or other impacts from the dredging project. Any residual impacts will be documented for future reference. The company contracted by the Army Corp of Engineers to conduct the dredging project is also required to survey the beach for any residual impacts.

Recognizing that residents and visitors also contribute to litter problems on the beach, the ODEAB also plans to undertake a litter education initiative before the beach season begins. ODEAB member John Morris, who retired several years ago from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has offered to look for stock materials at EPA that could be adapted to our needs. Special emphasis will be placed on reminding beach-goers to clean up after July 4.

Expanding recycling opportunities for residents, the ODEAB is now offering cell phone recycling at the mailboxes west of the Town Hall, and plans to coordinate e.waste (electronic waste like TV's, computer monitors, etc.) recycling at the town clean up day scheduled next fall.

ODEAB members also plan to continue responding to citizen complaints about pollution, including coordinating issues with area industries and tracking down pollution sources.