More Native Plants and Trees Help Restore Dyke Marsh
Eldon Boes and Trudi Hahn prepared the ground for several new shrubs and trees, as Melissa Westbrook advised.
On May 31, 2017, eight enthusiastic FODMers planted another 30 native shrubs and trees along the Haul Road trail east of the “dogleg” turn along the trail, led by NPS staffers Melissa Westbrook and Colin Davis. This planting was in addition to the 40 plants put in on April 25, 2017.
| Tree and Shrub Species | |
| Eastern red cedar (Juniper virginiana) | |
| Sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis) | |
| Silver maple (Acer sacharinum) | |
| Red maple (Acer rubra) | |
| Red oak (Quercus rubrum) | |
| Black willow (Salix nigra) | |
| Black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) | |
| Silky dogwood (Cornus amomum) | |
| Smooth alder (Alnus serrulata) | |
| Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) | |
| Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) | |
| Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) | |
| Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) | |
| Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) | |
| Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) | |
| Black elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) | |
| American bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia) | |
| Common ninebark (Physocarpus oplifolius) | |
| Swamp rose (Rosa palustris) | |
| Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) |
The table at right lists the tree and shrub species that FODMers and NPSers planted on these two days this spring.
NPS horticulturalist Melissa Westbrook explained that most of the plants are facultative, which means they are plants that grow in wetlands but can survive in non-wetlands. These native plants can provide valuable habitat for native insects, birds and other critters.
The plants have blue plastic tags or flags. FODM invites everyone to help the plants survive and, for example, to stay on the dirt trail and keep pets on a leash and on the trail.
Thank you, National Park Service, and thank you to all of the dedicated volunteers: Eldon Boes, Glenda Booth, Larry Cartwright, Greg Crider, Trudi Hahn, Duncan Hobart, Patty McCarthy, Dorothy McManus, Ann Sibold, Robert Smith, Ned Stone and Jessie Strother and Toby Torla.
Photos contributed by Glenda Booth
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Friends of Dyke Marsh, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.