Habitat Restoration Plants

Habitat Restoration Plants - One Of Natures Rare Treasures

Using Native Wetland Plants to Restore Wetland Areas
Imagine a pristine, natural wetland area, saturated for parts of the year, and providing the basis of life on the planet. Now, imagine a disaster that devastates the area and threatens the ecological balance of the planet. The situation may appear hopeless, but it isn’t. Reintroducing native wetland plants to the area can restore the wetland and heal the earth.

In order to reestablish wetland areas properly, the correct plants must be identified. It’s best if they're indigenous to the area. It’s a good idea to investigate healthy wetlands in the community to determine what plants grow naturally under local weather and soil conditions. Important questions to ask include:

• How long is the earth saturated or submerged;
• What’s the soil pH;
• What kind of climate is natural; and
• How much sunlight will reach the surface?

Sunlight will be dependent on tree covering, and the trees must be able to survive in the area all during the year whether the dirt is relatively dry or completely saturated with standing pools. Plants like cattails can thrive in a variety of environments, but water lilies and duckweed require a pond-like habitat year-round. Flowers and herbaceous plants that blossom in sunny bogs include blue flag iris, goldenrod, cardinal flower, and marsh marigold. Shady bogs are home to skunk cabbage, bee balm, and a variety of ferns. That’s why it’s critical to understand the natural habitat before selecting the appropriate plants.

Wetlands are the foundation of the planet’s ecology. They nurture a wide variety of insects, plant life, and animals. That’s why it’s important to select the plants that will provide the nourishment and shelter that are critical to a healthy wetland environment.

Whether you're restoring a damaged wetland or establishing a new one, selecting the right combination of native wetland plants is important to the continued success of the wetland. A healthy wetland ecosystem provides food, wood, and ingredients for many products including medicines. They cleanse the air and offer protection from floods. They're home to fish and numerous animals. When wetlands are protected and thriving, everyone and everything does better.

Restoring and rebuilding wetlands is more critical than ever. Reestablished wetlands could be instrumental in mitigating the negative effects of climate change. For instance, the wetland areas on the coast of Louisiana, in addition to offering protection from hurricanes, also extract carbon dioxide from the air. Plants store the carbon dioxide in their roots thus, safely, burying tons of carbon dioxide. This process is a critical part of a healthy earth ecosystem.

Protecting and nurturing natural wetlands will protect the future of the earth. If you have a “back forty” with nothing better to do, consider creating a new wetland. It’s easy to do and will improve the quality of life on the local and global level.

Habitat Restoration Plants Are Perfect For Natural Wildlife Restoration, Natural Areas and in Habitat Applications for Stream Bank Restoration

How Fascines & Brush Layers Are Used In Wetland Environmental Plantings
Wetland environments have a rich culture full of diverse plants and wildlife. Some of these plants are unique and can only be found in wetlands. Some of these are very interesting and just all around great plants if you are planning a wetland environment design, habitat cultivation, and/or restoration project.

These tree and shrub species have complex root systems that are well suited for wet conditions or very moist soil. Additionally, these plants are often used as a strategic way to strengthen streambanks and develop natural shorelines in the area. Let us now go over some of these special plants that you will be able to use in your wetland design.

Fascines

Fascines or as they are sometimes called "wattles" are a collection of branches that are naturally bundled together. They help prevent against erosion by trapping sediments within their thick web of branches. Typically, developers will lay fascines horizontally along the current stream-bank to restrict water flow before it gets to the new desired stream-bank. Fascines can also simply be used to slow water flow and help protect against erosion.

Brush Layers

Brush Layers are branches placed along stream-bank contours. They are typically placed in along with soil lifts, which are staggered levels of soil usually wrapped in blankets. The blankets help control erosion and are known as "erosion control blankets". This strategy will result in a completely redesigned stream-bank or slope with the help of brush layers.

Using Fascines and Brush Layers to Create an Ideal Wetland Environment

Soil erosion takes place soil is moved by water. This is especially true in wetland environments with or without hills. However, you can mitigate the effects of soil erosion by utilizing fascines and brush layers.

By implementing an advanced bio-engineered design, you can counteract the effects of increasing water damage from flooding streams. The combination of fascines and brush layers in your environment will give your setting a natural look and curtail soil erosion at the same time. Fascines and brush layers work in a close tandem to restore soils, repair areas and protect the newly established areas. Using these cutting-edge new techniques, you will no longer have to rely on eyesores such as retaining walls and sheet piles. These old traditional methods are ineffective, ugly, and very artificial for the environment.

Final Verdict

The truth is that fascines and brush layers can work wonders for erosion control in your new wetland environment. That is what these plants are known for, and they will surely stand out as the stars of the show.