native plants – Aquarius-Systems

Native Plants Part of Flooding Solution

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 17:09:35 +0000

The City of Cape Canaveral, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Stetson University, along with city and county partners are working on a solution to help stop flooding and improve water quality in Cape Canaveral.

Researchers say plans include designing and building special channels called bioswales that to redirect stormwater that would cause flooding.

Native, water-friendly plants will also be planted to store and to treat a lot of the stormwater that otherwise is running down the street and would go off into the lagoon.

Hand Pulling Starry Stonewort Helps Protect Native Plants

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 22:03:03 +0000

Heidi Bunk, a water resources management specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said while the long-term effectiveness of hand pulling the invasive species starry stonewort is still being evaluated, it can be advantageous because it allows for the removal of starry stonewort without harming native species in the way chemical treatments might.

She said lakes that are over-managed with chemical treatments, which can kill native plant species, can actually increase the spread of some non-native species. She said while the treatment may temporarily reduce a starry stonewort population, it also opens the door to future spreading by potentially killing native plants that would otherwise compete with the invasive species.

How to Reduce Shoreline Erosion With Native Plants and Buffer Zones

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 09:19:25 +0000

High water levels leading to eroding shorelines have been front-page news in recent months. Shoreline erosion is a concern for property owners with homes located on a Great Lakes or an inland lake. While we can’t control how Mother Nature effects our water levels there are steps that property owners can do to minimize shoreline erosion on their property.

How to Improve Your Properties Shoreline:

Install a buffer zone – Leave or plant a buffer of natural vegetation can reduce erosion, maintain water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife

Native plants. Leave or plant native aquatic plants to help support lake wildlife and minimize erosion

Limit turfgrass- turfgrass has shallow roots and requires lots of maintenance

Minimize impervious surfaces such as concrete or asphalt- this will decrease the amount of run-off containing chemicals from getting into the lake

Leave fallen trees- fallen trees in the water will provide habitat for fish and wildlife

Use minimal sand- minimize the size of your sandy beach to allow for more natural vegetation onshore and in the water

Practice bioengineering- also known as lakescaping, is a method using native plants, biodegradable products and other natural materials (rock) to provide a stable shoreline

Water Gardens Can Spread Invasive Aquatic Plants

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:39:44 +0000

Penn State | News April 18, 2013

When you look at lovely water gardens in backyards and at businesses — and feel soothed by the serenity they convey — you would not guess that they represent troubled waters for ecosystems in the mid-Atlantic region.

The explosion in popularity of water gardening has resulted in the proliferation of aquatic invasive species, according to Diane Oleson, a Penn State Extension educator based in York County, who created an educational program that shows water gardeners how to avoid giving aquatic invaders a free ride.

Invasive plants tend to displace native plants over time and create an unhealthy ecosystem because a lot of them form huge, dense, one-species stands in which other plants can’t grow. “Animals don’t eat them because the species that would control them are back in Asia or Europe or wherever they came from,” Oleson explained.

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