Ecotourism (N. America) with native habitat restoration theme?

John_Blakeman

20 years ago

I do professional prairie restorations in Ohio. The problems are these.

1)Amateur volunteers cannot distinquish weeds from native plants,especially in non-flowering periods.

2) Pulling weeds out of a prairie means that the restoration was poor to begin with -- never should have been any to start with (if site prep and planting was done properly).

3) Planting of prairie restorations requires complex prairie seed drills and other mechanical devices amateurs can't use.

4) Planting cannot be scheduled ahead of time. One must usually plant when weather and soil conditions are perfect, and that can change after one rain period.

5) Seed collection is often done by hand, but again, amateurs often collect the wrong seeds and aren't available for the varying 4-6 day period when seeds are available. And this varies (and seldom coincides) for each species.

6) These activities are usually spring and fall events, not the summer vacation period when most want to participate.

And need I mention the training needed to conduct prescribed prairie fires?

Wish it were easier, but it isn't.

Judy_B_ON

20 years ago

The Ontario Federation of Naturalists has vacation length trips and some are done in prairies. See the link below, although a lot of the trips are full now.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nature Volunteer Trips

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Thanks for all the thoughtful and informed replies so far, I appreciate the various view points, as well as the devil's advocate/resident cynic notes as well. I originally posted this thinking that there were so many posts lately asking for for literal help with the garden design, but few giving a designer's perspective when starting a new project, and some of the issues that come up when it is not a garden for yourself. I don't think the neighbor LA's comments were meant as a dig or expressed resentment, but were purely his thoughts on what he sees as appropriate. There is no overall character to the houses or landscapes in the neighborhood beyond the fact that it is a fairly expensive, homogenous neighborhood tucked in amongst fantastic large boulders and lots of Live Oak Trees, thereby the name Thounsand Oaks is highly appropriate. There are no large boulder outrops on this lot, although the neighbors to either side have them. Native wildlife is primarily based on the abundance of the native Oaks, and the deer are dependent on the gardens for forage, as there just isn't much native browse left in neighborhood. Philospophically, it would seem that Kat is advocating for a restoration approach to such an urban garden, with I assume a focus on native indigenous plants, and an attention to garden layout that would not rely on supplemental summer irrigation or chemical fertilizers and such. I can't deny that this is also a valid approach for some, but it is not my focus for this garden. I'd be curious as to how Kat approaches garden designs, (assuming he/she is a designer), and are you willing to open your thought processes and approaches up to scrutiny as well? Some of the most highly respected native plants people here in the San Francisco Bay Area have said that it makes more sense to them to save existing intact habitat in the wild, rather than try to recreate it in a home garden setting, as being the best way to protect and preserve diversity. I tend to agree with this, and think that sustainable and diverse landscapes should be as much concerned with balanced use of resources such as water and less chemically based landscape maintenance, as issues being as important to preserving local flora and fauna. I do often use some local California native plants in almost any design I do, but am not a purist about all native gardens. I once followed this trend back in the drought years of 1977/78, while still a landscape architecture student, and designed and installed several mostly native gardens without irrigation, and still occasionally do gardens that are meant to survive with limited once a month watering in summer. I have a harder time with the purist concept of not watering a garden at all in summer, and accepting that summer and early fall should be a time of complete plant dormancy under our climate regime. I can appreciate the beauty of fallow hillsides contrasted against the deep greens of live oaks on hillsides, and ravines cloaked in green; but it is not a style that lends itself to recreation in small suburban gardens. Wellspring brings up the modern issues of gardens not meant to invite use, but for status. I am sure that this occurs here in California as well, but our lack of insects and humidity in summer, as well as our fabled light and generally mild year round weather have given us a local culture that inherently seeks being outside, and wants that indoor/outdoor contact. Even for clients who are not gardeners at the start, I always strive to create something personal and beautiful that will get the client out into the garden and start them on their own discovery of the pleasures of the garden. Sometimes all this takes is providing a utilitarian reason as including a lemon or avocado tree, or a beautiful flowering passion vine that also gives edible fruit, or some favorite cut flower varieties. At other times it might be more subtle, as in placing a scent releasing plant such as Breath of Heaven/Coleonema pulchrum or Corsican Mint where it will be brushed against or stepped on, releasing its fragrance and imprinting an experience every time one goes out into the garden. As I have often had clients who are musicians, or hearing impaired and even blind, it is always about multiple sensory experiences, but always with some sense of architectural order showing it is not a wild garden, but a created one. I also like to make such gardens look their best at mid fall into winter, when we get some of our best outdoor weather, and so many subtropical plants from high altitude tropical locations reach their peak here, and are plants that can't easily be grown in the rest of the country. As such, I think it helps define our local garden vocabulary which utilizes plants from around the world that reflect our multicultural population as well. This would all be harder to justify if we had a coherent, defined and more static design tradition to work with. In this specific neighborhood the houses vary from Maybeck brown shingle to classic bugalows to spanish/moorish to french provincial, and most all was built since the last devastating wildfire passed through this neighborhood in the late 1920's, and gave many homeowners a fresh start. I should post some photos of homes and gardens in the neighborhood, to give people a feel for the setting. For anyone living locally, the neighborhood setting can be experienced easily by taking the drive along The Alameda from its intersection with Solano Blvd to its most northerly end. Another drive along the Arlington from Marin Circle to Kensington would also show the range of gardens and houses. For those not familiar with the San Francisco Bay Area, it might come as a surprise how garden centric the town of Berkeley has become, and how many serious gardeners and garden designers there are in this area. It might also horrify some to see how closely jammed in the houses are, how densely overplanted many of the gardens are, and the prices of property for the amount of square footage. All of these factors conspire to create some unique conditions for creative garden design, along with our climate of mild winters and dry summers, that only exists on 1% of the earth, yet seems to imprint itself on people all over the world as an ideal place to live and garden. 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This is going to be an odd question, but I told my sister in law about this. She said she would like to get in on it, too. HOWEVER, she does not have access to the internet & unable to have an account here. I told her I could just request to have a little extra seed thrown in for her. Does this seem alright with y'all?

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I actually teach horticulture, so one of the best principles I teach is "right plant right place." Plants aren't all ubiquitous. Native or not, they are adapted to certain types of growing conditions and if you plant them in the wrong spot they won't give you the performance you may be looking for. Also they have growth patterns and a lot of people are dissatisfied with a plant because it doesn't stay the same over time. As a plant matures, it might be very different from the way it looks as a cute baby at the plant nursery. On the flip side, that small sapling will often take off and grow gangbusters out of its bigger non-native cousin if you put it in its happy place. I work with native plant nurseries all the time, many native landscape designs are stunning, but just as in decorating, for most folks the nuts and bolts of using native plants gets watered down and sold over simplistically to the public with the latest "hot" trends. Native or non-native tells me nothing particular about a plant in terms of how it will perform in the garden . . . kind of like "organic" which has totally become overused and meaningless. But I'm a details gal so it doesn't bother me, just background noise. Ironically, there are some wonderful native plants that never get planted or used just because they haven't had their "hot" moment in the sun, and other plants that are absolute crap (I'm talking to you Bradford Pear!) that everyone loves. But everyone loves them just because they are seeing them all over the place. When I was younger, I loved the native river birch tree, but you never saw it in any plant nurseries, European white birch was all the rage. Everyone had a decorative birch in their yard. Enter birch borers and all kinds of other diseases that this non native was susceptible and people grew to dislike them as they matured. European birches were only more popular than our native paper birch because the native takes a while to develop the papery bark, unlike the European and Asian species that are white early on. But then they peter out and end up looking sadder than sad just when the natives are coming into their glory. So river birch got discovered and now it is ubiquitous in suburbia. Another example is shademaster honey locust. Honey locust was a scraggly, pretty unattractive tree that one would consider a "weed" tree growing in the back or along an old fencerow, etc. But when the modern aversion to having to rake up a lot of fall leaves, and people wanting fast growing shade trees with almost no debris, the breeders got busy and now these trees are everywhere. Piet Oudolf is hot right now in landscaping, he creates gardens evocative of native grasslands, he's done a lot to popularize grass plants as a landscaping element, something you almost never saw mainstream 20 years ago. But his style is not for everyone, nor every situation, nor should it be. Much like "open concept" the question is what makes sense for your needs and the functionality you need for your home. LOL Jo, I feel your pain. I double dug my small SE PA yard garden with topsoil and peat. Suburban PA clay is a challenge, but it takes well to amending. Well, all soil does. Long live compost.

lycopus

20 years ago

We have a large volunteer stewardship network here in northern IL and the people who lend their time do an excellent job. Obviously most have some background or interest in nature, so it is not difficult for them to learn to identify an undesirable species. The presence of exotic species doesn't necessarily mean a restoration is bad since we spend some time during the year targeting a few weeds that show up in prairie remnents. White sweet clover is particularly bad because it thrives under a normal fire schedule.

Volunteers are out working in the forests preserves every weekend throughout the year. We have seed collection days and there is a place where volunteers can go to help with the cleaning of the seed. At many locations the seeds are collected individually. At others sites seed is collected randomly simply to replant areas that have been reclaimed like old building sites or parking lots.

Many volunteers undertake midwest ecological prescription burn training so that they can work on burn crews. I have done this myself. Maybe our situation is unique here but the thousands of free hours that people dedicate to the nature preserves in invaluable. Don't know how well it would work as "ecotourism" though. People are dedicated to their preserves because they are part of the community. I participated in a workday at a naval base one time where a good portion of the volunteers didn't do a bit of work. The particular location is closed to the public and they only used the workday as an opportunity to do some birdwatching there. Personally, I think if we could get the average tourtist to our national parks and local natural areas to simply respect the resource a little more, that would go a long way towards preserving them.

froggy

20 years ago

jeeze!
its hard enough for me to get jobs. now u wanna get ppl that are willing to PAY to do my job.

oy! burger king here i come.

froggy

lrobins
Original Author

20 years ago

Thank you for interesting comments on this topic. John Blakeman, I had not thought about the particular features that would make it especiallly difficult for "amateur" volunteers to contribute to a prairie restoration project. Invasives removal in an Eastern woodland setting, in contrast, is usually very easy to teach to amateurs (for example, in late winter, instruct volunteers to "pull out the tangles of vines with little green leaves" (Japanese honeysuckle) when few other plants have any leaves, and even the most naive amateur is unlikely to start digging up a Holly tree by mistake!).

Judy, I looked at the Ontario Federation of Naturalists web site, and they do have many trips with a native plant restoration component (from 1 to 10 day duration), so it seems like other organizations could learn from them.

Finally, Froggy, to cheer you up, isn't it true that the more volunteers there are for a given type of project, the more **paid, professional** volunteer coordinators are required to instruct and supervise the volunteers?

MikeB

20 years ago

There are plenty of organizations that would point you in the right direction; however, if you are looking to become a travel host, not sure. Here is a good project I think is deserving of your inspection: Just click on the link:

http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/indiana/preserves/art2375.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Kankakee Sands Nature Conservancy project

froggy

20 years ago

ok here is my problem with this.

why is a doctor and lawyer not need 'eco doctorism or volunteers lawyersism'?

why is the ecology put in the relm of 'only worth it if ppl do it for free'? what...im not a pro? what...the earth isnt worth anything but free? u can pay ppl 25-30$ hr to put in roads but to take them out = free?

the more i hear about these kinds of projects, the more i think that the earth's ecology isnt worth squat to anyone.

im sorry but in my very honest opinion...this is a recipy for disaster. the road to hell is paved with good intentions. and i think with 40 years of real grass roots conservation, it doesnt seem to be moving in the right direction.

by the way...how are conservationists gonna attract the best and brightest into the fields with out proper pay? why would anyone in their right minds decide to go into restoration givin the fact they cannot make a living at it much less pay off student loans? how on earth are ppl gonna get into the habbit of realizing that the cost to live on the earth is more than u pay at the gas pumps?

i know how not to put value on something...make it valueless.

froggy

veronicastrum

20 years ago

froggy, why not take the "glass is half full" view of this?

An ecotourism approach would serve to make more people aware of the importance of ecological restoration projects. Participants would learn how restoration is done and where it is done; they would learn some interesting facts about the plants and animals involved, and they could come away with a better understanding of the importance of this work and the need for funding. As a result, the professionals would have more opportunites and therefore be better paid.

Back in 1988, my husband and I went to an outing sponsored by the local Nature Conservancy chapter. At that time, I was unaware of ecological restoration. As a result of that simple half-day walk in the woods, the following has evolved:

1. I became a volunteer at the site.
2. I took several classes, including a series of restoration classes taught by Steve Packard.
3. My husband and I eventually bought property with some natural areas worthy of restoration.
4. The payoff to froggy - we have hired some professionals to assist us!
5. I have become a board member of a local environmental group.

While restoration work does need to be overseen by someone who understands what they are doing, I think there are a lot of opportunities to train volunteers on specific tasks and then use them. Consider this: start the day with breakfast and a lecture on buckthorn - why it is a problem, what it looks like, how to control it. Then out to a wooded area for a few hours of buckthorn removal. After a lunch break, the group moves on to another wooded area that has been cleared of buckthorn, and they see the end results of their morning's work. That evening, a lecture by a rep of a non-profit group that supports such restoration efforts. This would be along the lines of educating the participants as to the group's mission, not a blatant pitch for dollars, but of course the appropriate info would be in their packets. Substitute your local ecosystem and restoration problem accordingly.

Some of those people will leave and become supporters of the cause, and eventually more professionals will be hired. Some of the people will go home and find similar projects in their own back yard, and still increase the opportunities for professionals. The more the word is spread, the better.

Yes, there is a seasonality factor. But remember, tulip time in Holland is big, as is cherry blossom time in Washington. No one makes those trips in August. Seasonality does not mean it can't work; it just has to be scheduled.

V.

froggy

20 years ago

4. The payoff to froggy - we have hired some professionals to assist us!

a living wage?
a wage that will pay for the prof. results that u will be getting?
a wage that will pay off student loans and let ur raise a family?

or a wage of 8$/hr and no insurance?

the glass isnt half full, the glass is pretty much empty.

An ecotourism approach would serve to make more people aware of the importance of ecological restoration projects. Participants would learn how restoration is done and where it is done; they would learn some interesting facts about the plants and animals involved, and they could come away with a better understanding of the importance of this work and the need for funding. As a result, the professionals would have more opportunites and therefore be better paid.
^^^^
that is an assumption that i dont see playing out in the end.
the fact is...if ppl in an capitalist society puts 0 value on something...it goes away. period. and that truth is happening slowly but obviously as we speak. my greatest fear is that in 100 years...u will be volunteering at the last 4 acres of prairie left in the world, but oh u are so proud of urself.

one more comment...why dont u do ur job as a volunteer?
or maybe u could call ur local landscaper and ask if they would like to volunteer to redo ur lawn?
yet something as important as ecology is almost nuthing but volunteering...

froggy

veronicastrum

20 years ago

Okay, obviously your glass is empty. We did pay in excess of $20.00 per hour to the professionals that we hired. I don't have the specific $$ here in front of me, but yes, we paid professional level wages to these folks. And they didn't even whine when they billed us.

"the fact is...if ppl in an capitalist society puts 0 value on something...it goes away" So we won't bother to educate them on why the value should be other than zero?

Restoration ecology is in the realm of volunteerism because most of the large-scale projects underway are sponsored by government bodies or non-profit agencies, both of which are historically underfunded for these types of projects. But I said "most" not "all." In my neck of the woods over the last fifteen years I have seen an ever-increasing awareness of ecological restoration, and today individuals and a precious few corporations are beginning to do this work on their own lands with their own money.

So we can encourage this or we can give up.

If it's the latter, please remember that I don't like pickles on my whopper.

V.

froggy

20 years ago

And they didn't even whine when they billed us.

that's because they have one of the very few precious jobs because of so many ppl doing the work for free. im curious. how many paid hours there was to the whole of the project? 20$/hr x 50 hrs a year isnt a living wage. i dont know ur situation, this is not a critique of ur situation. this is a problem of priorities. and my contention is that if pay for it, it becomes important and a priority.

In my neck of the woods over the last fifteen years I have seen an ever-increasing awareness of ecological restoration, and today individuals and a precious few corporations are beginning to do this work on their own lands with their own money.

i agree with that statement but what does volunteering have to do with that. obviously it is starting to become a priority. they hire someone. they buy seed. they pay for mowing and landscaping. or they do it themselves with their own employees. great! that is what im talkin about. ppl doing real work for real wages. stepping up to the plate of capitalism. giving value to their land.

infact. u heard it first here. i propose there should be a 'tax' for NOT having natives landscaping on ur city and corporation lands. :)

froggy

veronicastrum

20 years ago

Okay, I guess I'm stubborn because I'll try this one more time. I'll address your second point first.

Encouraging volunteers for restoration projects is one way of increasing awareness of the need for and purpose of ecological restoration. "obviously it is starting to become a priority." This just doesn't happen in a void - it happens because the general public somehow, someway becomes aware of the need. John's scout troop puts in a service day at the local nature preserve, John comes home talking about what he learned and drags his parents back the next month, and several months later John's family begins restoration work on their own property. I have seen this very thing happen in my community.

On your first point - you're right, I didn't pay them a living wage for an entire year, but I paid them a living wage for the portion of time that they worked for me. Yeah, they had to go out and find other work for the rest of the year, but they seem to be actively engaged in the pursuit of more work. It is far easier to do one project for $100,000 than 10 projects for $10,000 each, but not all of us can afford to spend $100,000. I am speaking here as an individual land owner, not as a representative of a large corporation or government agency.

I guess being the eternal optimist, I think that every little bit counts.

And froggy, hold the fries, I'm doing that low carb thing.

veronicastrum

20 years ago

Just saw this t-shirt and couldn't resist passing the message on to froggy - "It ain't easy being green!"

lrobins
Original Author

19 years ago

I have a bit more information to add: someone on another discussion list suggested the Sierra Club national service trips. Sierra Club runs 70 (!) service trips per year, and many of these trips (probably increasing every year) feature invasive plant removal or related habitat restoration activities. The appropriate link is below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sierra Club service trips for native habitat restoration

Ecotourism (N. America) with native habitat restoration theme?

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