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.

Lyme Grass May Assist in Beach Erosion

Residents need to be aware of an invasive species that is capable of causing erosion of foredunes on the beach. John Ervin, Regional Ecologist, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), recently discovered an invasion of Lyme Grass (Leymus arenarius (L.) Hochst.(= Elymus arenarius L.) on Ogden Dunes' beach.

According to Gerould Wilhelm, Conservation Design Forum, Elmhurst, IL, this plant's clumping nature promotes greater erosion, and it will eventually surplant Marram Grass, which is native to the Indiana Dunes. The Marram grass' root structure supports the establishment of foredunes, which are just important to protecting homes on Shore Drive.

While this ornamental grass is not noted federally as an invasive species, the State of Wisconsin is very concerned about an invasion in that state, where it appears to be spreading quickly and outcompeting native flora. Following is a link to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources information about this grass:http://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/herbarium/invasive_species/leyare01.htm

According to John Ervin, this grass can be distinguished from Marram Grass by its height, which is around 4 feet. If the Town of Ogden Dunes is able to sign an Memo of Understanding with IDNR, he may be able to control the invasion by applying a herbicide treatment to it this fall. (Thanks to Noel Pavlovic from the Indiana Dunes National Lakshore for the photo at the top of this page. He also found Lyme Grass back in 2004 in Miller.)

It is also important that all residents refrain from planting this type of ornamental grass in their yards. In the place of non-native grasses, many of which may be invasive to the Indiana Dunes, consider instead planting native grasses such as Prairie Dropseed (http://plants.usda.gov/java/largeImage?imageID=sphe_004_avp.jpg), Big Blue Stem (http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSearch), Little Blue Stem http://plants.usda.gov/java/largeImage?imageID=scsc_003_ahp.tif and Indian Grass (http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SONU2&photoID=sonu2_014_ahp.tif).