Site Preparation. What to Look for in a Vegetation Implementation Plan. Plant Community Goals (restoration checklist) Plant Community Goals

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1 What to Look for in a Vegetation Implementation Plan Plant Community Goals (restoration checklist) Defining Project Goals Goals Site Preparation Mixes and Plant ing/planting Zone Map ing/planting Methods Schedule of Activities Minnesota Wetland Restoration Guide and Guidelines for Restoring and Managing Native Wetland Vegetation as a resources Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources Plant Community Goals Defining project goals Types of wetlands and uplands to be restored Acres to be restored Wildlife goals Invasive species control Performance Standards -Hydrology -Vegetation Establishment -Invasive Species Control Site Preparation What information should be included? -Transition from agriculture or other uses -Invasive species control methods (herbicide application, prescribed burn, etc.) -Soil and seedbed preparation plans (disking, raking, clearing or grubbing, mowing, cutting etc.) -Will temporary cover crops be used? -Schedule for site preparation

2 Mixes and Plant What information should be included? The seed mixes and plant materials to be used for the project or plant supplier and origin of materials -Local seed sources is encouraged Plant materials should correspond to information on the seeding/planting zone map Mixes and Plant Wetland Temporary (Mix WT1) Upland Temporary (Mix UT1) Emergent Zone/Edge of the Water (Mix W1) Fringe & Saturated Soil Zones (Mixes W2, W3, W5, W6) Upland Zone (Mixes U1-U7) Local/regional ecotype, No cultivars Pure-live-seed (PLS) Cleaning Requirements to achieve target seeds/ft 2 Vendors don t all clean seed the same way Mixes and Plant Prairie Pot-hole Wetland Communities Upland Seasonal flooded basin (Type 1) Upland Sedge/wet meadow (Type 2), Plants, PVM s Shallow marsh (Type 3), Plants, PVM s, tubers Deep marsh (Type 4) Plants, PVM s, tubers Shallow open water (Type 5) Plants, PVM s, tubers Mixes and Plant Pool elevation - seed a narrow band of Mix W1 (3-6 feet wide) straddling pool elevation. will germinate and plants will grow into shallow emergent zone Pool elevation to plus 1-2 feet (saturated soils) - seed W2, W3, W5 or W6 Pool elevation plus 2 feet and higher - seed one of the upland mixes (U1-U7) Adapted with permission from: Wetland Plants & Plant Communities of Minnesota & Wisconsin, 1997, 2nd Edition. Eggers, Steve D., & Donald M. Reed.

3 Mixes and Plant ing/planting Zone Map Coontail (aquatic zone, installed as floating plants) Bur-reed (Planted as plugs) Mix W1 (emergent zone) Mix W2 Mix U3 (sedge meadow) (upland prairie) What should be shown on the planting zone map? Existing trees, areas of vegetation to preserve Intended location of seed mixes Location of other plantings Planting zone table ing/planting Zone Map ing/planting Zone Map Planting Zone Table Planting Zone Area Planted (Acres) / Plant Mix ing/ Planting Method /Plant Rate (PLS seed/acre) Total Required Cost Deep Marsh Plugs / Mats Hand install 100 plugs/acre 2 mats/acre 1052 plugs 21 mats Shallow Marsh 6.05 W1 Hand seed 8 lbs 50 lbs 3 - Sedge Meadow 9.82 W2 Broadcast 8 lbs 80 lbs

4 ing/planting Methods Implementation information to include: What is the implementation sequence How will seed/plants be installed for each planting zone Planting rates How will mulch be applied ing/planting Methods Wetland species Broadcast seed. Most species require light to germinate and seeds are very small. They cannot be buried. Many species have seed that floats Upland species May be drilled or broadcast. Generally, forbs should be broadcast and grasses drilled or broadcast (1/4 inch deep) Fall installation is stratified naturally over winter and will germinate in spring Spring installation Many species may not germinate until the following year Mid-summer installation - is worst time to seed ing/planting Methods 0.5 cm of sediment will reduce 90 percent of wetland seed emergence * Should mulch wetland seeding zones Should mulch adjacent steep slopes Pay attention to water level control Many small seeds need light to germinate The smaller the seed, the greater the impact of sediment ing/planting Methods Use of temporary cover crops Temporary mix installed in the spring Invasive species monitored over summer Cover crops harvested or clipped late summer/fall Light disking in fall Dormant seeding of native mix (no additional mulch needed) * Gleason, Robert A Effects of Sediment Load on Emergence of Aquatic Invertebrates and Plants From Wetland Soil egg and Banks, Wetlands, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp 26-34

5 What information should be included? Activities that will be used for 5-year establishment Species to be monitored and controlled How will problem species be controlled? When will activities be conducted? How and when will site inspection occur (inspection schedule)? Contingency plan for any corrective measures WCA - Five year vegetation management plan required to ensure establishment of desired vegetation Routine - post planting mow upland 1 st and 2 nd yr Threshold levels for invasive species is variable - tolerance for reed canary grass is very low, hybrid cattail and eastern cattail tolerance is somewhat higher but may change Maintenance Schedule BWSR Bank Site Kanabec County Mowed 1 st Year Year 1 Mow upland areas and wetland fringe (when moisture levels allow) to 6-8 inches through September as needed to prevent seeding of annual weeds. Spot treat invasive weeds in wetland and upland portions of the project. Year 2 Etc.

6 BWSR Bank Site Kanabec Co. 2 nd Yr Saturated Zone Spring BWSR Bank Site Kanabec Co. 2 nd Yr Emergent Zone Spring BWSR Bank Site Kanabec Co. 2 nd Yr Emergent Zone Late Summer Schedule of Activities What should be included in the schedule of activities -Schedule for seeding, planting and maintenance practices -Practices shown by month or season

7 Schedule of Activities Schedule of Activities (Area 1A) Early May 2008 Late May 2008 Early June 2008 June-August 2008 August 2008 Sept./Oct October 15 th May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 Continue for at least first five years Herbicide application of area 2 nd Herbicide application Tilling, then seeding of temporary cover crop Monitoring of area for invasive weeds. Spot spraying if needed. Clipping of temporary cover crop Disking and harrowing of areas Permanent seed installation Monitoring and spot treatment of reed canary grass and other invasive species. Monitoring and spot treatment of reed canary grass and other undesirable weeds. Monitoring and spot treatment of reed canary grass and other invasive species. Examples of Corrective Actions Maintenance activities that effectively control invasive species Starting over with invasive species dominance Re-seeding following invasive species control