Huron Pines to help residents plant native greenbelt
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ALPENA -- This spring Huron Pines would like Alpena residents to help them reach a goal. It would like to help plant 300 feet of native greenbelt to help control erosion and pollution entering Lake Huron.
"We're in the last year of the project. We've been working on a coastal restoration project that we've been working on a couple years," Huron Pines ecologist Jennifer Muladore said.
Muladore said officials would help Alpena residents who live along the shore and plant native plant species to improve the shoreline. She said the project is fully funded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Sustain our Great Lakes program and is at no cost to the property owner.
Other aspects of the project include working on Squaw Bay to fight invasive species and monitoring and improving habitats for turtles.
"Beyond that we have this part to work with landowners in City of Alpena is to plant native plants to stop pollution into the waters and in city streets," Muladore said.
This pollution prevention is done in a couple different ways. They partner with the North East Cooperative Weed Management Area to search for invasive species and if they're found discuss remediation steps. Then they plant native plants.
"Native plants are known to have much deeper roots than turf grass. Native plants especially beach plants can grow roots 10 feet deep," Muladore said.
Because of its root systems they can absorb and filter more water than other plants.
"We can come out and talk to landowners and make a plan of what they want to plant, where and even provide some labor to help them into the ground. Our goal is to plant 1,000 feet of shoreline. We need 300 more," she said.
Because shores tend to be so sandy, Muladore said they promote the growth of plants that grow well in a prairie situation.
"Black-eyed susans, purple cone flowers are good. If it's wet sand that's a wetland plant like Joe pye weed," she said.
Dune grass is a great single species because it has those deep roots and doesn't grow too tall. It's especially helpful in holding sand in place for those who are having trouble with beach erosion too.
When they plant, she said they help keep the owner's aesthetic goals in mind; colors, textures, plant heights.
One of the best things to do she said is to let the couple of feet near the shoreline grow and don't mow it down. All this is done with the goal to protect the water and the pollinators and animals that live within the ecosystem.
Jordan Spence can be reached via email at jspence@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5687.