Fall 2014 Native Seed Harvest

Neighborhood youth joined us for a late October native seed harvest.  We collected two sets of seeds: a collection of low and medium growth plants and a second collection of high growth plants.  Both sets are native to the area, thrive there, and are excellent plants to achieve the goals of a restoration site.  The taller harvested seeds will be spread by the pump station building in spring 2015.

An estimated 250,000 seeds were harvested in the 3 hour session on an absolutely beautiful fall day.

Seeds will be stored over winter, and undergo a cold treatment in the early spring of 2015.

In April/May 2015, we will look to dig up some of the highly beneficial and healthy tall native plants at the request of the parks board and neighbors.  These plants will be transplanted to a small plot by the pump station near Webster Stanley Elementary School.

The seeds that we harvested will both be started as plants, as well as spread throughout the new plot and in bare areas in the established bed.
We harvested many of the cone flower seed heads, the wild quinine seeds, vervain seeds, milk weed seeds, and a dozen additional native plant species.

Overall, we probably harvest about 2% of the seeds at the thriving bed.


While working, over 10 couples stopped and commented on the beauty of the site.  Like the campaign to achieve an organized and transparent plan, members of the community overwhelmingly support and appreciate the work that we're doing to improve the park and the Winnebago Lakes System.

We will look to facilitate a meeting in partnership with city parks staff in early December 2014 to determine the next steps for spring 2015.  We will be looking to organize a large-scale transplant day that moves about 200-300 plants from the current bed south to the Pump Station bed.

Menominee South Neighborhood Association is also waiting to receive guidance and direction from the parks staff, as the group is planning to complete work on shoreland restoration in the neighborhood.

In addition to harvesting seeds, the group picked up garbage throughout the plot and from nearby locations.

City staff has been given the go-ahead to complete a mowing of the existing bed, which should facilitate spreading of the seeds.

UWO ERIC Supports 5-Year Plan

Today, the UW Oshkosh Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) provided a letter of support for the Menominee Park Shoreland Restoration 5-Year Plan, stating:

"This plan addresses important environmental impacts including reduction of pollutant loading from urban areas, increasing native shoreland plants to increase stormwater infiltration and decrease erosion, and promote selective wildlife at Menominee Park. Not only does this project improve stormwater infiltration, the vegetation deters geese from loafing along the shoreline and in nearshore water, which has been shown to negatively affect water quality."

Wild Ones Fox Valley Chapter Endorses Plan

This week, Wild Ones Fox Valley Chapter provided a letter of support for the shoreland restoration project and the 5-year plan.  According to Wild Ones:

"The plan for the Menominee Park Shoreland Restoration project generates and protects clean water, supports aquatic life, sustains the fragile water’s edge, deters unwanted animals, buffers extreme weather, supports pollinators and songbird life, is less costly to maintain, and provides beauty, interest and biodiversity."

Onterra Biologist Encourages Support for Restoration

Onterra, the firm responsible for the initial Miller's Bay assessment, provided a message of support for the current shoreland restoration efforts.  The Onterra Report concluded:

“Miller’s Bay shoreline is incredibly poor and provides no aesthetic, habitat, or buffering value to the bay. Turf maintenance along the bay’s shoreline leads to increased runoff of nutrients, sediments, and other pollutants to Lake Winnebago, while providing appealing loafing grounds to nuisance levels of Canada geese.”

Shoreland restoration was a recommendation made in the report, which can be viewed here.

On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 8:29 AM

City of Oshkosh Parks Department Staff and Common Council Members:

In June 2010, the Miller’s Bay, Lake Winnebago Aquatic Plant Management Plan finalized.  Within that plan, we recommended that the City of Oshkosh restore at least a portion of the Menominee Park shoreline to a more natural shoreland for several reasons:

·         Increased pollutant buffering (filtering) capacity of a natural shoreline over that of a shoreline composed of maintained turf grass.

·         Increased wildlife habitat value of a natural shoreline over a urbanized shoreline.

·         To act as a goose deterrent by reducing available loafing area in the park.

·         To bring the City in line with its own vision and resource management plan by buffering impervious surfaces near waterways and protecting sensitive resources such as water and shorelands.

Since the Miller’s Bay plan was finalized, the USEPA has released the results of the 2012 National Lakes Assessment.  Natural shoreland destruction was found to be the greatest factor degrading our lakes within the State of Wisconsin and nation.  Restoring shorelands to a more natural condition works to reverse that impact.

Finally, I was pleased to see that the City had moved in the right direction by allowing the restoration to occur.  The City set an excellent example for area residents, Winnebago shoreline property owners, and area municipalities by moving forward with the restoration.  By removing the restoration, the City would set an incredibly poor example and take a step backwards in its management of Miller’s Bay and Lake Winnebago.

Sincerely,

Tim Hoyman, CLM

Aquatic Ecologist

Onterra, LLC

City's Sustainability Advisory Board Endorses Restoration Plan

The city's Sustainability Advisory Board formally approved the Menominee Park Shoreland Restoration 5-year plan, adding, "The Oshkosh Sustainability Advisory Board strongly recommends that this plan be adopted for the health, vitality, and economy of Lake Winnebago and the City of Oshkosh."

Menominee Park Area Shoreland Restoration 5-Year Plan

The proposed Menominee Park Area Shoreland Restoration 5-Year Plan (2014-2019) is available online here.  The Final Draft is expected December 10, 2014.

Winnebago Lakes Council Commends and Endorses Shoreland Efforts

The Winnebago Lakes Council has provided an excellent letter of support for the Menominee Park Shoreland Restoration efforts, including: "The Winnebago Lakes Council fully supports the efforts to improve this waterfront resource and we are pleased to see the project has fulfilled every expectation."

Menominee South Neighborhood Association Endorses Plan

The newly formed Menominee South Neighborhood Association (MSNA), spanning the terrain between Irving and Washington and between Lake Winnebago and Broad St, has endorsed the Menominee Park Shoreland Restoration plan.  

Within the plan, MSNA plays an active role in leading the restoration effort near the water treatment facility.  Many members of MSNA have already been active members in the restoration effort.

Winnebago Audubon Endorses Shoreland Restoration Plan

In September 2014, the Winnebago Audubon provided a great letter of support for the Shoreland Restoration plan, adding, "What an outstanding, positive collaboration on a project that benefits the community as a whole and the environment!"

Rep. Hintz Endorses Shoreland Restoration

State Assembly Representative Gordon Hintz has endorsed the Menominee Park Shoreland Restoration project and five (5) year plan. Rep. Hintz played an important part in helping the city of Oshkosh secure the funds to complete the 2009/10 study of the Miller's Bay area.

 This study was highly critical of the city's shoreland management, suggesting that “Miller’s Bay shoreline is incredibly poor and provides no aesthetic, habitat, or buffering value to the bay. Turf maintenance along the bay’s shoreline leads to increased runoff of nutrients, sediments, and other pollutants to Lake Winnebago, while providing appealing loafing grounds to nuisance levels of Canada geese.”

Growing Oshkosh Lends Support to Restoration Plan

Growing Oshkosh, a group who has actively been involved in restoration efforts, has formally endorsed the Menomoinee Park Shoreland Restoration plan.

According to Growing Oshkosh director Dani Stolley: "As founder, farmer and CEO of Growing Oshkosh—a non-profit urban farm sowing, growing and sharing sustainable fish, food, flowers, jobs and hope in Oshkosh—I, along with my board of directors, staff and over 200 volunteers, whole-heartedly support the Menominee Park Area Shoreland Restoration 5-Year Plan (2014-2019)."

Oshkosh Bird Fest Committee Supports Shoreland Plan

The Oshkosh Bird Fest Committee has endorsed the Menomoinee Park Shoreland Restoration project, citing "The Menominee Park Area Shoreland Restoration project meets one of the criteria for Bird City Wisconsin recognition and has been listed as such on the annual renewal."

Linked here (http://www.birdcitywisconsin.org/birdcities/oshkosh.htm) is information the city of Oshkosh submitted to Bird City Wisconsin.

Oshkosh Garden Club Support for Restoration

The Oshkosh Garden Club has fully embraced and endorsed the Shoreland Restoration Initiative in Menominee Park.

League of Women Voters Winnebago County Support

The League of Women Voters of Winnebago County offered their formal support for the shoreland restoration project and our five-year plan.

Winnebago County Endorses Shoreland Restoration Plan

Tom Davies, Director of the Winnebago County Land & Water Conservation Department, provided a strong letter for support for the Menominee Park Shoreland Restoration effort.

Interview on Shoreland Restoration

Eye on Oshkosh invited us on their television show to discuss shoreland restoration and the project in Menominee Park. Conservation Technician Melanie Leet from the Winnebago County Land and Water Conservation Department joined Justin Mitchell for the hour-long interview with host Cheryl Hentz.


 

Presentation on background for Menominee Park restoration

This presentation was shared with the Oshkosh Advisory Parks Board and members of the Oshkosh Common Council as a review of why restoration is needed, what the benefits are, and what has happened in the first three years.

Menominee Park Shoreland Restoration presentation 

Menominee South Neighborhood Pursues Shoreland Restoration

At its first National Night Out event in August 2014, the Menominee South Neighborhood Association unveiled plans to collaborate with the Friends of Menominee Park Shoreland and the Oshkosh Parks Department on the restoration of shoreland frontage areas located within the neighborhood borders - between Washington and Irving.

The committee shared this poster at the event, held in Menominee Park.  The poster utilized photos taken by the Friends of Menominee Park Shoreland. Over 100 neighbors, friends and park visitors joined in the evening at the park.

A view of the restoration mid summer 2014

Following a day of work at the site in July, this photo was captured as the sun began to set:

Photo by Mandy M.  A dense, colorfully vibrant natural setting teaming with life.

View of the unrestored shore

July 2014 view of the plot just north of the current restoration site:

Removing Tall Growth -- The Cup Plant

The initial seed mix listing did not include certain tall-growing plants that have shown up.  These plants, which are very beneficial and are native to the area, exceed the committee's commitment to low and medium growth plants that stay below 6 feet in height.  

Removing the cup plant from the restoration site.

While not all were removed this year, the largest and most aggressive of the them - the cup plant - was partially removed by digging them up, while many were cut back with the intention of transplanting them in early spring 2015 to a plot that is not located by any residential neighbors.

The cup plant is a coarse, sunflower-like native plant that grows on tough, erect stems to 4-8' tall and is distinguished from the other silphiums by its square/quadrangular stems and pairs of cup-forming leaves. Flower heads (to 3" diameter) featuring light yellow rays (20-40) and darker yellow center disks bloom in summer on the upper part of the plant. Rough, triangular to ovate, coarsely-toothed, opposite, connate-perfoliate, medium green leaves. Lower leaves (to 14" long) are united at the petioles. Middle and upper leaves lack petioles, and leaf pairs are united at the bases to envelop the stem forming a cup (hence the common name). Leaf cups will collect rain water. This species is also commonly called cup rosin weed because its stems (like those of all silphiums) exude a gummy sap when broken or cut.)

The cups catch and retain rainwater for insects and birds (see corresponding photo). Cup Plant is also considered "carnivorous" because it absorbs the insects that drown in its cups.

Standing tall at around six feet (more in wetter soils, less in drier soils), its yellow blossoms can be seen starting in July when the butterflies visit them, and then later when the birds begin to feed on its seeds.

Various birds, especially goldfinches, are very fond of the seeds, and drink water from the cups formed by the leaves. Because of the tendency to form dense colonies, this plant provides good cover for birds, which often lurk among the leaves during the heat of the day, searching for insects or pausing to rest.