Transcript Establishment and Management of Native Grasses for Pennsylvania

An Ecologically Appropriate
Alternative for
Open Space
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Pennsylvania’s Grassland History
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What’s in Native Grasslands?
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Cool Season Grass
Warm Season Grass
Other Important Plants
Re-creating the Grasslands
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Similar, but different from, relic grasslands
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Sensitive Species Dependence
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Birds and Mammals
 Nesting
 Foraging
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Reptiles and Amphibians
 Residents
 Seasonal users
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Insects
 Pollinators
 Species Obligates
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Wildlife Habitat
Water Infiltration
Soil Improvement
Aesthetics
Reduction of Carbon Footprint
Workload Reduction
Biomass Production
Carbon Sequestration
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Location, Location, Location
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Size of Site
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Goals – Aesthetic, Ecological, Pollination, Wildlife
Wildlife Habitat Relationship
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Slope, Aspect, Shading, Moisture
Juxtaposition, Adjacency, Interspersion,
Connectivity
Education and other Values
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Accessible, visible, interpretation opportunities
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Equipment logistics and availability
Initiate Monitoring
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What is your measure of success?
Fall Mowing
Fall Spray
Spring Spray
Timing
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Equipment Needed
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No-till
Broadcast
Seed
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Species Selection
Seeding Rates
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Timing and Timeframes
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Upgrading and In-filling
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Overlap with goals
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Patience, Patience, Patience
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Crowd Control
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Educational Opportunities
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Containment
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Mowing
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Optional, but valuable depending on goals
Spraying
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Less is more
Burning
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Not an issue, non-conpetitive
Some selective options available
Other activities
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Plants
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Insects
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Pollinators, butterflies and moths
Animals
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Diversity, unwanted plants, volunteers
Breeding birds, casual observations
Goals – Success?
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First Year Establishment
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Aesthetics
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Hoping for about 5 tons/acre
Reduced Carbon Footprint
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For some people it takes “getting used to”
Carbon Storage
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Rapid response to wildflowers and seeds
The “Human Component”
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“Wild” look, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Butterflies, Bees and Birds
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Very successful, even with drought
Reduction in fossil fuels for mowing/fertilizer/lime
Reduced Workload
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No mowing, trimming, fertilizing, spraying
Our maintenance staff loves it!