Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

As can be said for most students pursuing a career in conservation, ecological restoration and the preservation of our natural areas are things I care about deeply. I believe that if you care about something that benefits a good cause, a person should be active in whatever that is. Last year, an opportunity presented itself that I decided to act upon. The landowner of a farm near my home in Northern Illinois granted me permission to do some restoration work on her property after I identified part of it as a high quality natural area that was quickly degrading. It consists of a roughly 20-acre calcareous sedge meadow/wet prairie with several regionally rare plants, including slender cottonsedge, snowy campion, and sweet Indian plantain. Wildlife includes the rare Baltimore checkerspot butterfly, wood ducks, sandhill cranes, whitetail deer, and (I suspect) smooth green snakes.

After discovering a remnant of what has become an increasingly rare ecosystem in Illinois and wanting to preserve it, I conducted a summer-long inventory of all plant species present. Following my inventory of the wetland, I came up with a rough management plan to preserve what was left, and to begin restoring degraded sections. The main threats to this site are the encroachment of exotic invasive species, and native shrubs taking over due to the absence of fire, which historically would have kept them in check. To combat these issues, I began to (and continue to) strategically apply herbicide to invasive species, chainsaw and remove invasive brush (primarily amur honeysuckle and European buckthorn), collect and spread native seed onsite, and monitor the results.

As described above, my initial action was to do a floristic inventory the site. Once a week, I meandered through the wetland, taking pictures and identifying plant species, while taking care not to trample existing vegetation. In total, I found 98 species, 91 of which were native. Using Flora of the Chicago Region (Wilhelm and Rericha), I found the coefficient of conservatism to be 4.6 for all species, and 5.2 for natives only--both high numbers for the region and indicative of a remnant natural area. Based on satellite imagery, I was also able to estimate the total acreage of the floristically intact sections, and pinpoint areas most in need of work. My findings were both encouraging and disappointing. The good news was that about 4 acres of high quality wetland remained. However, the remaining 16 acres had succumbed to invasive species pressure and contained few remaining native species besides some old growth bur oaks on an upland section and the occasional wetland plant barely hanging on. The two main culprits were (are) reed canary grass and invasive brush.

In addition to my floristic analysis, I wanted to determine whether two animals in particular were present: the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly and the smooth green snake. Both are known to utilize sedge meadows for habitat. In the case of the Baltimore checkerspot, it hosts on a specific plant (turtlehead -- Chelone glabra), which is abundant at this location. Typically, they can be spotted flying around their habitat in July. This is also around the time when you can spot webbing on turtlehead plants, with checkerspot larvae inside--I found this in July of this year, confirming at least a small population at the site. With the green snakes, I have not yet confirmed a population, but a voucher from less than a mile away gives me hope that they could be there. With the help of a peer who specializes in herpetology, I have set out cover boards for monitoring which I regularly check and hope to confirm this species in the future.

In the late summer and fall of 2018, I collected seed from 24 of the more desirable plant species found onsite. My plan was to compile two seed mixes (one for a more upland section, and one for a more consistently wet area) to aid the progress of restoring areas I planned to clear of brush. Being that invasive brush, once established, prevents most sunlight from reaching the ground, areas that once were sedge meadow had become mostly bare ground beneath a sea of buckthorn and honeysuckle. Without replacing the vegetation I was removing with natives, my worry was that the recently cleared ground would be overtaken by invasive reed canary grass. By November, I had completed my seed mixes. They contained a high proportion of pioneering wetland species, to create a cover crop of sorts while the slower-establishing perennials took root over the next few years. I spread the seed in early December, to allow for the stratification required for the germination of many native plants. At present, the annuals and biennials have established satisfactorily, and I hope the perennial species with follow suit in the future.

As late fall came around, I found the time and resources to do some herbicide application. My target was reed canary grass, which if left alone, can completely overtake wetlands and choke out native plants. I used grass-selective herbicide to reduce off-target kill. I also had to wait until there was no standing water, since it was not a wetland-approved herbicide. I focused primarily on the areas surrounding the highest quality portions of sedge meadow, in an effort to preserve the remaining biodiversity. While the initial results of the herbicide application were discouraging, it was clear it had been effective by springtime. There was a clear boundary between sections I sprayed and sections I did not. Although some reed canary did come back, killing much of it allowed for the remaining sedges and forbs to fill back in and more effectively compete with the invasive grass. Due to money constraints, I was not able to follow up with herbicide this summer, but I hope to be able to next year.

When the ground froze in late November, I began cutting and burning brush, and herbiciding stumps to prevent regrowth. My initial goal proved to be a bit ambitious because I had to spend most of my time at school or work. However, I did manage to remove about half of what I had planned to that winter. I opened up an area between two of the biggest sedge meadow fragments, making them one continuous area once again. I also cut a "ring" around the northernmost section, and I hope to push the brush back even further this winter. When spring arrived, I was not disappointed. The area I worked in was much more open. Even more exciting, I observed many species not included in my seed mix coming back from the seed bank! By July of this year, the cleared areas had filled in entirely with tussock sedge, winged loosestrife, blue flag iris, and many other plants. Great water dock, a biannual, and cinnamon willow-herb, an annual, filled in the gaps where bare ground was, preventing many invasives from coming back. It seems that the presence of a biological legacy in what appeared to be ecologically devastated habitat will make restoring this site infinitely easier. Unfortunately, wild parsnip also made an appearance, and will be a management issue in the future. I pulled what I could this summer and will continue to do so in the years to come. Late this summer I resumed removing brush, which I am continuing now that my winter break has begun (with the help of a couple of restoration friends).

Overall, this has been an extremely rewarding learning experience, and I am grateful for the help I have received on this project. Although I have put the majority of hours in myself, I have had some help cutting brush, identifying plants, and monitoring reptiles and butterflies. In the future I hope to be influential in setting this land aside as a conservation easement (or something similar) in order to protect this ecologically important and rare site. I will continue my work in the future and I look forward to how this site will look in 1, 5 and even 10 years.