Native Plant restoration success on Grand Island NRA

By Deb Le Blanc on Aug 8, 2009

13,000 native wildflower plants were transplanted into a degraded opening on Grand Island NRA by youth and adults. The restoration effort was in the second year of a five year plan to restore the site

This year, the Hiawatha National Forest was awarded extra funding for native plant restoration through Native Plant Materials (NFN3) funding. This was the second year for this funding which has supported native plant restoration on the West Unit of the Forest. During the summer of 2009 Hiawatha National Forest west unit botany staff (Dan McConnell, Luke Langstaff & Deb Le Blanc) worked with YCC, Michigan Works, Grand Island Association members, TNC and many other volunteers to successfully transplant more than 13,000 native wildflower plugs into the administrative restoration site on Grand Island National Recreation Area's "old farm field".

In 2009 approximately 1.5 acres were treated with herbicide, 1 acre was mowed and 1/2 acre had NNIP hand pulled in order to reduce spotted knapweed seed spread into planned planting areas. Because non-native invasive plants such as spotted knapweed are well established on the site, a more aggressive approach for weed removal and control was taken in 2009.

After treating NNIP, the area was prepared for seeding and planting using a utility vehicle with a disc/packer purchased for support of the native plant program on the Forest. In addition, trails were pre-planned and laid out between planned clumps of native wildflowers. Over 13,000 native wildflower plugs were planted into these areas this year. All plants were raised at the HNF greenhouse located in Marquette, Michigan, where in 2009 more than 25,000 native plants were raised.

Thousands of wildflower plugs were planted as part of Michigan State University Extension's "Life of Lake Superior" program's Grand Island monarch education experience in 2009. Youth volunteers from Alger Parks and Recreation Day Kamp also helped transplant wildflower plugs as part of their educational field day on the Island. Both youth groups combined planted nearly 5,000 native wildflowers and participated in an education program on monarch butterflies. The final plantings were accomplished by YCC, HNF native plant program volunteers, Grand Island Association members and Moosewood Nature Center along with help from Michigan Works stimulus crew assigned to the HNF greenhouse. In addition to the transplanting that occurred solar panels were installed along with a 135 gallon rain barrel and a secondary 35 gallon overfill barrel which collected more than 300 gallons of water between June and mid August. All the captured rain water has been used to water the new seedlings as well as the area established with native plants in 2008. With the use of solar energy volunteers are now able to apply water to new seedlings and areas seeded without the aid of Forest Service staff.

Also completed in 2009 were interpretive pathways lined with wood chips from windfallen Island white pine. Four handmade pine benches were made, and two interpretive signs installed. Also all Island land transportation through Altran for this project was funded through the USFS Northern Research station out of Burlington, VT.

This year also marked the first establishment of monarchs at the site, which highlight the benefits of native plant restoration.