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Wetland Restoration
Wetlands encompass a wide range of sites and water features. A wetland can be manmade or artificial, it can be tiny or cover many acres, it can hold water year round or only seasonally. Water and saturated soils is the one feature common to all sites. Wetland restoration includes such diverse sites as: riparian areas, marshes, swamps, retention ponds, ditches, swales, poorly drained areas, farm ponds, shorelines and low lying areas.
Beautiful wetland vegetation.
Restoring wetland vegetation to a site is crucial if the wetland is to achieve its design function. The vegetation on site will determine how ecologically attractive a wetland is to wildlife. The plants will create habitat for numerous species of insects, amphibians and birds. A combination of shrubs and perennials creates the greatest diversity.
Wetland restoration can be used to achieve aesthetic goals as well as ecological objectives. Shrubs and perennials can be selected that look nice but are also valuable wildlife plants. Many wetland plants have colorful flowers that provide nectar for butterflies and insects as well as having interesting foliage.
Wetland just after planting bareroot plants and plugs.
Vegetation can be established from nursery grown plants or by introducing seed. It is more desirable to choose the plants you wish to establish. If you do nothing something will grow but it often is the least desirable species.
Same wetland one year latter.
New plants quickly begin to produce seed and spread providing food and cover for wildllife.
All ponds new and old need to be planted with native plants for the pond to achieve its full beauty and ecological potential.
Without deliberate planting usually only aggressive cattails or alien phragmites will grow, as shown hear, overrunning the shorlline and degrading the usefullness of the pond.
Strategic placement of native shrubs and wetland plants will enhance the beauty of your pond. Beautiful flowers, foliage and fall color will reflect in the waters surface. A backdrop of trees and shrubs will create focal points for viewing the water.
The boundary between water and land is very rich in the habitat qualities that support an abundance of wildlife species. Naitve shrubs and wetland flowers provide important cover and food resources
at the waters edge. Native shrubs and trees flourish at the waters edge and produce an abundance of fruit, because they have easy access to water and good exposure to the sun.
Birds will use the shrubs for nesting, wildlife will use the cover to safely approach the water and numerous insects and amphibians will be attracted to this shorline vegeation.