Page 68 - parks-master-plan

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prime areas for wetland creations. Low-lying areas along streams and creeks that are prone to erosion and flooding should be considered for mitigation by creating wetland habitat.

Wetlands can be in areas of partial shade to full sun. In addition, detention basins can be maintained as intermittent wetland space.

This process must include the following steps and considerations:

• Refer to ecological assessments and past history of the land for

information about the pre-existence or potential for prairie or wetlands sites.

• Bioremediation details and site grading should be left to professional contractors with knowledge of wetland construction. Contractors should be consulted to include varying topography to mimic kettles and flats in the underwater topography.

• Remove existing vegetation when necessary. The only herbicides that should be used are those

recommended for use around wetland sites. Invasive species such as phragmites and purple loosestrife may take several treatments to remove.

• Perform seeding and planting as soon as practical after site work has been completed.

• Select plant species, plugs, seed and plant stock according to site and soil type for wetland plantings. The selections should be native to the region.

• Introduce genetic material from locally derived resources when available. Shrub grass, reed, rush, sedge and other wetland forbs in plug or seed are readily available from several reliable resources. A combination of seed and plugs is a good start, as seed is relatively inexpensive but can be slow to show results. Most seeds take one to two years to germinate, while more expensive plant plugs are usually one to three years old and produce faster results.

• Use hand seeding, broadcast spread, hydroseeding, slit or drill seeding for planting retention pond basins and borders of wetlands.

• Avoid seeding and planting in areas where water is more than 2 inches deep or where flooding is likely to occur before germination.

While the wetland is being established, several considerations should be followed: