Preserving and Propagating Native Plants Diana Alfuth Horticulture Educator, UW-Extension
Why Preserve Native Plants? • Aesthetics • Maintenance • Wildlife
Why protect Native Plants? • Possible medicinal and therapeutic, or agricultural attributes yet to be discovered especially with DNA analysis and genetic engineering now available. • Aesthetic connection to our history
Why Protect Native Plants? • Native plants create a sense of “place” and uniqueness • Natives are part of the ecosystem with each one playing a role
Why Protect Native Plants Larger areas of an ecosystem, such as a prairie, can help preserve soil, harbor soil microorganisms, plants, insects and animals, sequester carbon, and more – some benefits may not yet be known!
Characteristics of Native Plants • Adapted to the area • Supports native wildlife • Checks and balances • Less water, fertilizer, maintenance • Aesthetics • Provides more diversity over common “overused” landscape plants.
Native Plant Communities Prairie Woodland Savannah Wetland
Plant communities Groups of plants that are adapted to the same conditions, including soil moisture climate
What does “native” mean? A plant common in a region prior to European settlement. Yet, Native Americans moved plants around long before.
What does “native” mean? It depends! Some believe a true “native” plant must have been present within 50 miles of the site. Others use 200 miles as a range.
Native Plants Wisconsin has many different native ecosystems, often very close to each other.
Native Plants We tend to be “phytobigots”, meaning we LOVE some of our native plants, but dislike others! Box Elder Violets Sumac Prickly ash
Native Plants Even those natives we love, many are doing great, and are relatively plentiful, despite our human impacts. Their habitat should be protected, preserved and maintained.
Definitions The Wisconsin Natural Heritage List defines: Endangered Species Threatened Species Special Concern Species
Definitions Endangered species are threatened with extinction in an area Smooth Phlox Butterwort Dotted Blazingstar
Definitions Threatened species are likely to become endangered. Kitten Tails Prairie Indian Plantain Dwarf Milkweed
Definitions Species of Special Concern are those not currently endangered or threatened, but have a unique or highly specific habitat requirement that needs monitoring. Pale Beardtongue Sheathed Sedge Marsh Ragwort
Wisconsin Law “No one may process or sell any wild plant that is a listed species without a valid permit.” DNR issues “Endangered or Threatened Species ‘Scientific’ Permit or an Incidental Take Permit” under certain conditions.
Collecting from the Wild • If a native plant is on your property, you can do what you want as long as the plant is not “listed”. • If it’s not your property, get permission or it’s theft! • Always collect only a small portion of what’s there • Do what’s necessary to ensure plant survival
Where to find specifics • Get current information on endangered, threatened and special concern species at: – www.dnr.state.wi.us/org
Native Ecosystems How do you know what was in your neighborhood 200 years ago? • Folklore • Maps • Diaries/stories • Government surveys
Wisconsin Land Survey The survey of Wisconsin was conducted between 1832 and 1866 by the federal General Land Office. http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/Surve yNotes/
Spring Lake Twsp. Pierce Co.
Spring Lake Twsp. Section 13
Native Plant Location Info Wisconsin herbarium “The University of Wisconsin-Madison Herbarium, founded in 1849, is a museum collection of dried, labeled plants of state, national and international importance . . .” http://www.botany.wisc.edu/wisflora
Native Plants • UWSP Freckman herbarium • NRCS soil maps • Local historical associations or libraries may have pioneer diaries or other documents
How do we help Native Plants? • Preservation of existing plants and sites • Incorporate native plants into our gardens and landscapes • Re-create ecosystems where native plants can thrive.
Preservation The goal of preservation is to maintain populations of endemic flora and fauna and to enhance their long-term viability. Many sites can’t sustain themselves because of their limited size, invasive species, or human activity.
Role of MGVs • Learn to identify native plants • Identify locations in your area that contain native plants • Inventory natives, especially “listed” species
Plant Selection Start speaking Latin! Use botanical names to be sure you have the right plants.
Role for MGVs Bring the existence of these natives to the attention of others Research needs of the species to better educate municipal authorities (i.e., if in a ditch, how will mowing affect the plant)
Role of MGVs • Stay aware of development projects in your area • Look for native plants (rare ones) in the path of development – Educate developer of existence – Organize plant “rescues” and get any necessary permits
Role of MGVs Remove invasives to maintain sensitive sites and to reduce competition with existing natives.
Role of MGVs Go searching for rare/endangered plants in sites that, based on what you know about communities, would support them. Often these plants are small or ephemeral
Landscaping with Native Plants Another way to preserve native plants is to incorporate them into our landscapes. Natives can serve the same purposes as exotics such as: Ornamental Screening Seasonal interest Windbreak Etc.
Are Natives Always Better? Yards and landscapes are not always “native” conditions. Soil conditions/compaction Heat islands Hydrology changes Other vegetation including exotics
Native Landscaping Create your native landscape to be as authentic as possible, within your existing conditions. Choose your plants based on * Design principles * Site conditions * Wildlife benefits * Overall goal
Design: Authenticity Will you use species only? Are varieties or cultivars acceptable to you?
Landscaping with Natives Not everyone appreciates natives! Respect differing opinions. Consider the location when deciding which native plants are appropriate. One person’s wildflower is another person’s weed!
Landscaping with Natives – Choose native plants to design attractive beds the SAME way you would chose exotic ornamentals – Use paths to access different areas and plants.
Inform Neighbors To keep neighbors happy, • Grow lower growing prairie species • Choose plants for color and nectar/pollen sources • Plant in groups and masses, less randomly than in an actual prairie
Native and Natural Design Provide plenty of variety to attract the most types of wildlife
Remnant vs. Restoration Remnants were areas never disturbed, such as: Railroad rights-of-way Pioneer Cemetaries Steep hillsides Rocky sites Some pastures Restorations are man-made
Definitions • Reconstruction = reestablishment of an ecosystem on a former site where native species have beeen mostly or wholely extirpated. • Restoration = returning an existing site to it’s original condition. – May be as simple as removing exotic and overbearing plants to help the site recover
Plant Community - Woodland It’s difficult to plant a native woodland community. – More likely to do a restoration – Reintroduce natives to an existing woodland – Remove invasive species, such as buckthorn and garlic mustard which outcompete native plants
Plant Community - Woodlands Woodlands – – Often native plants can come back from seed bank or the few natives that have survived – Can supplement existing plants by planting specific natives into existing plants
Woodlands • Woodlands consist of deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs, with understories of herbaceous plants • Woodland flowers typically like less than 2 hours of sunlight/day
Plant Community - Wetlands • Usually talking about a restoration. • ALWAYS work with DNR before doing any kind of restoration or work with native plants in wetlands.
Plant Community - Wetlands • Many forms, including marshes, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, each with it’s own collection of species • Provide habitat for LOTS of species, filter ground water, and protect major water bodies • Wetlands previously drained for farming – can be easy to restore • Lakes need buffer zones, including shoreland and submerged plants
Plant Communities - Wetlands • Sometimes the hydrology needs to be restored first. • In some cases, natives will reappear depending on how long the area was dry • Some wetlands need removal of invasives
Savannah • Typically called “oak savannah”, because fire would destroy other woody plants • Savannah means 1-2 trees per acre in a prairie setting • Savannahs provide perching and nesting sites for bids who eat insects in the prairie. • Native savannahs are more rare than native prairies!
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