Diversity Now Blooms at Pritchard Park
PRITCHARD PARK FOREST RESTORATION SHOWING RESULTS
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Back in bloom – buckthorn is gone and the native forest floor is returning. Photo credit: Eddee Daniels
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Buckthorn Removal Allows for Native Vegetation Explosion
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You have probably heard about the benefits of invasive species removal, but don’t often get to see the results happen so quickly. Today, we are stoked to share with you the visible proof of success. This spring,
Racine County
began removing the buckthorn from a nine-acre woodland inside
Pritchard Park
with a piece of equipment called a “brush hog”. It didn’t take long for a diverse mix of native plants to spring back.
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Just a year ago invasive buckthorn and honeysuckle dominated this area. Photo credit: Dave Giordano
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Have faith…the Jack-in-the-Pulpits are back after being smothered in buckthorn. Photo credit: Eddee Daniels
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Take a look at the forest today and you’ll see a range of native plants that grew only in trace amounts in the dark days of buckthorn and honeysuckle. From Jack-in-the-Pulpits to Mayapples to marsh marigolds to buttercups, nature’s corrective course has begun. The comeback was even awarded in
Milwaukee Magazine's
"13 ‘AWARDS’ FOR EARLY SUMMER WILDFLOWERS IN THE MILWAUKEE AREA"
this week!
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Seeing red – prairie trilliums delight in the warm sun. Photo credit: Eddee Daniels
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A few experts have even commented that they have never seen greater densities of prairie trilliums… anywhere. The prairie trillium, or blood trillium, is considered
rare or uncommon in Wisconsin
. Native plant diversity helps mitigate stormwater sheet runoff and provides habitat and nourishment for the rest of the food chain. It looks much better too!
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A new duck dynasty? Photo credit: Eddee Daniels
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In addition to the plants, some new ephemeral ponds re-emerged… along with the birds and the bees. A pair of mallards have a new home this summer. Give them some privacy if you are out there…
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With funding from the
Fund for Lake Michigan
, Root-Pike WIN will continue improving the diversity of the area by removing the regrowth of invasive species, creating additional wetlands, planting more diverse and woodland-appropriate vegetation, and monitoring success. As a result, runoff water quality and infiltration in this small part of the Pike River watershed should improve as well.
Over the last two weeks, invasive wild parsnip, dame's rocket, teasel, and garlic mustard were removed from the southwest forest and middle pond areas. Maintenance on the southeast wetland and pollinator swale will occur in the months ahead to include mowing and spot invasive vegetation treatment. Each year following, the areas should become richer and thicker with native flowers and grasses. A trail system is also being planned. Exciting stuff!
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Pritchard Park now draws a crowd – of new red trilliums. Photo credit: Eddee Daniels
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This week, we planted select areas in the woodland with native red baneberry (Actaea rubra), wild ginger (Asarum canadense), lady fern (Athyrium filix femina) and Goldie's fern (Dryopteris goldieana) to name a few.
Other cooperative master plan work with Racine County will include other select restorations in the park. Maintenance work will continue in the years ahead in the southwest wetland, middle pond, and pollinator swale. Our collective goal: make the native areas better than ever.
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Ecosystem Master Plan for Pritchard Park. Credit: Root-Pike WIN
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We would like to thank a range of people for their networking and initiative in bringing recreational diversity to Pritchard Park. Marilyn Kieman, Kay McClelland, Alice Thompson, Nan Calvert, Chelsea-Snowden Smith, Roger Chernik, Drew Ballantyne and Bill Sasse have all made valuable contributions. Most importantly, we appreciate the leaders, trustees and staff at
Racine County
for allowing us to help transform the park into a better place where people want to be. They believe ball fields and buttercups can coexist, and we do too.
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Channeling Georgia O’Keefe, a shagbark hickory on display. Photo credit: Roger Chernik
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Stay tuned for more exciting news for
Pritchard Park
in the days ahead. Until then, go out and find peace in this beautifully transforming park.
Contact me if you want to be part of the success.
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Dave Giordano
Executive Director
262-496-2199
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The Root-Pike Basin Watersheds
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Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network
Office: 800 Center St Room 118, Racine, WI 53403
Mail: PO BOX 044164, Racine, WI 53404
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