Another planting was undertaken at Paunacussing Preserve, and this time we really outdid ourselves! As part of an ongoing wetland restoration project, staff members installed over 15,000 plants over the course of two days in late April. That’s right, 15,000 plants! Fifteen species were selected including arrow arum (Peltandra virginica), duck potato (Sagittaria latifolia), white waterlily (Nymphaea odorata), and sweet flag (Acorus americanus). It was a challenging project! With the help of canoes and hip waders, we stayed somewhat dry. But getting stuck in mud up to our thighs and having to work out of it was a great workout!
Why so many plants? Why not let nature seed the area naturally? Our goal is to beat invasive species to the punch. With the mud flats being exposed for almost three-quarters of a year, invasive species have had more than a good opportunity to set their seeds. If we can establish native plants before the non-natives get a foothold, we can reduce the work it would require to remove unwanted invasives in the future, which means minimizing the use of herbicides and gas-powered mechanical tools.
Come by and see the site for yourself; it is a rare chance to see habitat restoration at its finest!
Contact Preserve Manager Ryan Hopkins (rhopkins@natlands.org) with any questions.
