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Establishment and Management of Native Grasses

Establishment and Management of Native Grasses. An Ecologically Appropriate Alternative for Open Space. What Grasses are Native to Penn’s Woods?. Pennsylvania’s Grassland History What’s in Native Grasslands? Cool Season Grass Warm Season Grass Other Important Plants

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Establishment and Management of Native Grasses

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  1. Establishment and Management of Native Grasses An Ecologically Appropriate Alternative for Open Space

  2. What Grasses are Native to Penn’s Woods? • Pennsylvania’s Grassland History • What’s in Native Grasslands? • Cool Season Grass • Warm Season Grass • Other Important Plants • Re-creating the Grasslands • Similar, but different from, relic grasslands

  3. Why are Native Grasses Important? • Sensitive Species Dependence • Birds and Mammals • Nesting • Foraging • Reptiles and Amphibians • Residents • Seasonal users • Insects • Pollinators • Species Obligates

  4. Why are Native Grasses Important? • Wildlife Habitat • Water Infiltration • Soil Improvement • Aesthetics • Reduction of Carbon Footprint • Workload Reduction • Biomass Production • Carbon Sequestration

  5. EstablishmentLandscape Context • Location, Location, Location • Slope, Aspect, Shading, Moisture • Size of Site • Goals – Aesthetic, Ecological, Pollination, Wildlife • Wildlife Habitat Relationship • Juxtaposition, Adjacency, Interspersion, Connectivity • Education and other Values • Accessible, visible, interpretation opportunities

  6. EstablishmentSite Preparation • Equipment logistics and availability • Initiate Monitoring • What is your measure of success? • Fall Mowing • Fall Spray • Spring Spray • Timing

  7. EstablishmentPlanting • Equipment Needed • No-till • Broadcast • Seed • Species Selection • Seeding Rates

  8. EstablishmentCompetition with other Plants • Timing and Timeframes • Upgrading and In-filling • Overlap with goals

  9. EstablishmentShort Term • Patience, Patience, Patience • Crowd Control • Educational Opportunities

  10. ManagementLong Term • Containment • Not an issue, non-conpetitive • Mowing • Less is more • Burning • Optional, but valuable depending on goals • Spraying • Some selective options available • Other activities

  11. Results/Monitoring • Plants • Diversity, unwanted plants, volunteers • Insects • Pollinators, butterflies and moths • Animals • Breeding birds, casual observations • Goals – Success?

  12. Case Study PA Game Commission HQ • First Year Establishment • Very successful, even with drought • Aesthetics • “Wild” look, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder • Butterflies, Bees and Birds • Rapid response to wildflowers and seeds • The “Human Component” • For some people it takes “getting used to” • Carbon Storage • Hoping for about 5 tons/acre • Reduced Carbon Footprint • Reduction in fossil fuels for mowing/fertilizer/lime • Reduced Workload • No mowing, trimming, fertilizing, spraying • Our maintenance staff loves it!

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