Transcript Slide 1
Watchmakers and Ecological Restorations Greg Hoch, Prairie Habitat Team Supervisor Pieces and Parts Take a watch > disassemble into component parts good watchmaker can take those parts, reassemble, and make a fully functioning watch Take an ecosystem > disassemble into component parts can we add those component parts back in and create a functioning ecosystem? History and future goals Brome or brome/sweetclover Native grasses (early CRP days) – seed origin? Add a few forbs 40-80 forbs/grasses in seed mix Local ecotype high diversity mixes Game species models – older, quick and cheap Dense nesting cover (DNC) – will raise mallards Add some forbs – will raise pheasants Ecosystem models – newer, expensive and hard Try to recreate the full diversity and ecosystem processes Starting from scratch (bare ground) Use RU ready soybeans – GMO controversy prepares seedbed little chemical holdover / fewer weed seeds / bare ground Alternatives use pre-emergent herbicides the year before restoration long residence times in the soil (24+ months for some) chem would kill all the prairie seed use no herbicide would add large amts of weed seed to the soil long-term management headache Often we farm for a couple years after acquisition breakdown of pre-emergent chemicals in soil before acquisition often related to seed availability we need more seed (and more seed vendors!) we’d rather do it right than do it fast It’s a fast-changing world Next Steps?? - Speculation Cover crops as site prep? use up excess N rebuilt soil C reduce herbicides habitat? Need to move cautiously kudzu, multiflora rose, crown vetch, etc introduced with the greatest of intentions today cost us millions/yr to control Diverse seedings cost more are we getting the bang for our buck? are we raising more wildlife? what is the goal for each restoration? should there only be one goal? evidence that diverse seedings have fewer weeds – more competition less post-seeding management – cost savings increased pollinator habitat – services to surrounding ag lands increased structural diversity – more nesting / brood rearing niches more fruit/seed production - fall/winter food more inverts - inverts closely tied to many plants Where do we get our seed? hire local contractors to harvest DNR, FWS, TNC lands native prairie or well-established restoration purchase custom seed mixes from vendors agency staff – DNR roving crew volunteers! Seed on the Ground Seeding existing vegetation to enrich diversity too much competition knock back existing veg to give seedlings a chance mowing herbicide before seeding light discing grazing each one of these has good/bad issues Overhead view of imaginary prairie dots are plants, colors are different species each has 100 individual plants and each has 10 species 91 + 1+ 1… 10 + 10 + 10 … Old ways and New ways What works and what still needs work What we do really well with late season species – aster and legume family What we lack early / mid summer species usually not in mixes expensive / low availability disturbance dependent species get outcompeted and crowded out heterogeneity Minnesota is a leader U Minn Cedar Creek Diane Larson – USGS Sue Galatowitsch – she wrote the book! Ruth Shaw many others DNR Plant Material Standard (local ecotype) Op Order 124 Pollinator Op Order 130 USFWS Monarch Initiative Prairie Reconstruction Initiative TNC Glacial Ridge project – landscape level restoration We’re still learning There’s new information we can get from every restoration we do use that to inform the next restoration We have changed out methods, philosophy, etc dramatically just in last couple decades We’re doing a lot better, but still a long way from understanding everything soil biota, invertebrates We aren’t watchmakers yet Questions?