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.

Local Media Covers Summer 2013 Restoration Work

The Oshkosh Scene dedicated a full page to the shoreland restoration efforts of summer and fall 2013, opening with the following quotes from Anne and David Ruby, who live across the street from the restoration site:

"I am so pleased that this kind of work to improve native habitat and improve water quality is happening in my neighborhood,” shared Miller’s Bay neighbor Anne Ruby. Ruby volunteered in April 2013 to help out at the shoreland restoration site at the northern edge of Menominee Park. 

“I love how the site has become a learning tool for me and my daughter. On severaloccasions in the last year, my daughter and I have walked past the area, and we’ve observed and identified songbirds, butterflies, and blooms that we don’t see nearby.” 

Ruby is one of over 200 community volunteers that have helped out at the site sincework first began October 2011, joining park neighbors, high school and UW Oshkoshstudents, Boy Scouts, city counselors and the mayor, local nature and gardening organizations, and many others who together have made this project possible."

The article ran in the August 2013 edition of the Oshkosh Scene. Founder and Director of Growing Oshkosh Dani Stolley was also quoted in the piece, voicing strong support for the restoration efforts.

Local boy scouts complete some hands on work at the site, planting native Iris plants along the shore