Only 13% of land and waters in the United States enjoy some level of protected status, far short of the Interior Department’s goal of 30% by 2030. Current and potential conservation lands are fragmented, islands surrounded by human-dominated landscapes that limit movement between protected areas and across regions. Activities adjacent to protected areas can have significant impacts on the plants and animals of conservation concern. Land stewardship organizations, including the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, will continue to advocate for the expansion and enhancement of conservancy lands, but conservation can’t stop at the park boundary; we need to take a closer look at what we are doing in our lawns and gardens.
Remove Invasive Species
Invasive species are plants or animals that outcompete native species when introduced to a new area, leading to an overall decline in diversity and habitat health. The Friends spends considerable money and volunteer-hours working to remove invasive plants in the Conservancy, many of which were first introduced to the region as ornamental plants and may still be cultivated by homeowners around PBC. Invasive plants can easily move across the landscape, dispersed by wildlife, wind, and mowing.
Call to Action: Check your property for these problematic species and make a plan to remove them!
Hint: smartphone apps, such as SEEK by iNaturalist, can be super helping with plant identification.
Go Native!
Native plants are adapted to local conditions, requiring less fertilizer and watering than introduced ornamentals. Pollinators have evolved with native flowering plants and are co-dependent. Adding native plants to our residental landscapes can provide habitat corridors, connecting larger conservation areas.
Call to Action: Add native plants to your garden to support pollinators and other wildlife and to reduce water and fertilizer use. (Our midwestern native plant nurseries have tons of resources for helping you choose native plants for your site.)
Lawns: Less is More
Shrink your lawn! Lawn grasses are non-native monocultures and do not support diverse animal communities. Lawns also require significant inputs - water, fertilizer, fossil fuels, and labor - to maintain them. Consider shrinking your lawn in areas you don't need turf grass and adding or expanding a native planting!
One approach is to create a Pocket Prairie. Pocket Prairies are small areas restored with diverse native pollinator plants. They can be a modest initial commitment, and you can expand their footprint over time.
Call to Action: Take a critical look at your lawn. Imagine how "pocket prairies" could reduce your yard work, enhance your landscaping, and benefit local wildlife.
Adopt-a-Garden!
Are you an apartment or condo dweller, without an opportunity to influence landscaping at your residence?
Many municipalities allow residents to adopt a street median or traffic circle, or to manage a flower bed in a city park. These are great places to cultivate native plants, improving resilience and supporting native food webs!
Call to Action: Check with your municipality to see if there is public space available for a pocket prairie makeover!
Rain Gardens
Rain gardens are shallow depressions that help manage rainwater run off from downspouts and impermeable surfaces. They allow the runoff to slowly enter the ground rather than carry excess nutrients and pollution into our lakes. They are planted with native species, providing habitat and food for birds and insects.
Municipalities are working with property owners during street reconstruction to install rain gardens in the street terrace to better manage stormwater. During the planning phase of roadwork is a great time to advocate for rain garden installation!
Call to Action: Check out Ripple Effects for rain garden ideas - or contact your municipality if road work is planned in your neighborhood!
Problematic Ornamentals
Many of us recognize the challenge invasive species like Buckthorn, Honeysuckle, Garlic Mustard, Dame’s Rocket, and Reed Canary Grass pose for the restoration and management of Pheasant Branch Conservancy and other conservation areas across the region. But our land managers are starting to see other non-native plants beginning to get a foothold in PBC. These have the potential to also become invasive, yet are still viewed as desirable ornamentals in neighboring gardens and sold by garden stores.
Learn more about these problematic ornamentals and replace them with native species!
Burning Bush (Euonymus spp.) | https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/Euonymus
Eulalia/Zebra/Silver Grasses (Miscanthus spp.) | https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/graminoid/missin/all.html
Amur Maple (Acer tataricum ginnala) | https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/AmurMaple
Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) | https://www.invasive.org/weedcd/pdfs/wow/japanese-yew.pdf
Common Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) | https://www.invasive.org/weedcd/pdfs/wow/european-privet.pdf
Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davisii) | https://gardenforwildlife.com/blogs/learning-center/why-to-avoid-butterfly-bush
Resources
SEEK app | https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app
Useful mobile app for identifying plants and animals.
Plant Dane | https://www.ripple-effects.com/Plant-Dane
Dane County program organizing a discounted group purchase of native plants for residents and community groups every Spring. They also have native garden planning resources.
Agrecol Native Plant Nursery | https://www.agrecol.com
Native plant nursery in Evansville, WI.
Two Ferns Native Nursery| www.twofernsmadison.com
Women-owned and operated native plant nursery on the east side of Madison. Athena is super knowledgeable and happy to help with projects large and small!
Prairie Moon Nursery | https://www.prairiemoon.com
Native nursery in Winona, MN (mail order only). Great online resource for researching and planing your native garden.
Prairie Nursery | https://www.prairienursery.com
Native nursery in Westfield, WI (mail order only). Great online resource for researching and planing your native garden.
Ripple-Effects | https://ripple-effects.com
Dane County program with information about rain gardens, downspout gardens, native plants, and how to manage stormwater on residential properties to protect our lakes.