€¦ · decisions in the field 8 vegetative plantings take hold 11 cultivating remedies to stem...

www.lacoast.gov

April 2005 Number 28

Please address all questions, comments,suggestions and changes of address to:

James D. AddisonWaterMarks EditorNew Orleans DistrictU.S. Army Corps of EngineersP.O. Box 60267New Orleans, LA 70160-0267(504) 862-2201E-mail: [email protected]

WaterMarks is published threetimes a year by the LouisianaCoastal Wetlands Conservationand Restoration Task Force tocommunicate news and issuesof interest related to theCoastal Wetlands Planning,Protection and Restoration Actof 1990. This legislation fundswetlands enhancementprojects nationwide,designating approximately$60 million annually for workin Louisiana. The statecontributes 15 percent of totalproject costs.

For more information about Louisiana’s coastal wetlands and theefforts planned and under way to ensure their survival, checkout these sites on the World Wide Web:

www.lacoast.gov www.americaswetland.comwww.btnep.org www.crcl.org

ABOUT THIS ISSUE’S COVER . . .Plants are the foundation of wetlandecosystems, stabilizing soil, buffering windand waves, and providing vital habitat.Hand plantings jump-start plant growth infragile environments, such as this barrierisland south of Terrebonne Parish.

Photograph of Pat Murphy of Black LakeMarsh Inc. courtesy of the LouisianaDepartment of Natural Resources.

SubscribeTo receive WaterMarks, e-mail [email protected]

For current meetings, events, and other newsconcerning Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, subscribe to

the Breaux Act Newsflash, our e-mail newsletter, at:

www.lacoast.gov/newsletter.htm


WATERMARKSLouisiana Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration News

3 Root, Stem and Leaf, the Wetlands’Vital Tissues

5 NRCS Plant Materials Center,a Proving Ground

7 Scientists Provide Basis forDecisions in the Field

8 Vegetative Plantings Take Hold

11 Cultivating Remedies to StemWetland Loss

13 WaterMarks Interview with Gary Fine

16 Coastal Roots Teaches Hands-onLessons in Wetland Restoration

Photo CreditsArticle Thumbnails: Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Wetlands Research Center, Louisiana Department of Tourism

WATERMARKS April 2005 Number 28

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lthough wetlandplants may seem tolack allure, profes-

sionals like Caffey insistthat they are the founda-tion of coastal restoration.And with good reason whenyou consider the signifi-cance and scope of plants’four basic functions:

• Plants build and stabi-lize soil. Trapping par-ticles of waterbornesediment among theirroots, stems and leaves,plants slowly accumulate

Root, Stem and Leaf,the Wetlands’ Vital Tissues

the thick mud of themarshes and keep soilfrom washing away.Vegetative cover protectsexisting soil substratesfrom erosion and nutri-ent loss, while dead anddecomposing plant bio-mass further increasessoil volume and improvessoil structure.

• Plants create habitat.All organisms in thewetlands, from microbesto alligators, depend onplants or plant-eating

animals fornutrition. Aswell as sup-plying food,wetlandvegetationprovidesshelter,breedinggrounds andnurseries fora profusion ofmarineorganisms,waterfowland terres-trial wildlife.

• Plants purify water.Plants contribute toaquatic health by absorb-ing large quantities ofnutrients and chemicalsfrom water and sediment.By diminishing thenutrient load and immo-bilizing toxins, plantsreduce contaminationboth in groundwater anddownstream.

• Plants shield infra-structure. The physicalbarrier of a single stemappears negligible, butthousands of acres ofplants effectively absorbdestructive wave energyand reduce damagingstorm surge. Plants area living shield againstthe sea, protectingLouisiana’s coastal infra-structure as well as itsnatural environment.

Lending a Hand to NatureBecause the ecosystem ofLouisiana’s marshes is sodestabilized, plants needhelp to save the wetlands.Many projects funded bythe Coastal WetlandsPlanning, Protection andRestoration Act (commonlyknown as the Breaux Act)involve engineering, suchas designing water controlstructures to regulate tidalflow, stabilizing shorelines

Versatile, hardy and fast-growing, smooth cordgrass is a popular choice forholding soil and stabilizing land. The Chandeleur Islands Restoration Project,shown here, planted smooth cordgrass to stabilize more than four miles ofbarrier island shoreline.

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“WHEN WE TALK ABOUT a land-loss crisis in coastalLouisiana, we’re really talking about a plant-loss crisis,”says Rex Caffey, wetlands and coastal resources specialistat Louisiana State University. “Land loss is just the inevitableconsequence of losing vegetation.”

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or directing the correctplacement of dredgedmaterial to create newmarshes. Even so, typicallythe mark of these projects’success is the emergence ofa thriving plant community.

In many instances thatplant community willcolonize a project areanaturally; other sites ben-efit from humans interven-ing with plantings. Inter-vention is advantageous inplaces• that could erode before

natural colonizationtakes hold

• where there is no naturalseed bank

• where water flow fails todeliver seeds or plant-generating bits of root

• in which foraging wildlifedeplete the availablestore of plants and seeds

• where exotic plant spe-cies are likely to invadeand prevent the succes-sion of desirable plants

“Plantings can facilitate therestoration process,” saysRebecca Howard, researchecologist at the NationalWetlands Research Center.“They can establish condi-tions that foster the wet-lands’ capacity to regener-ate themselves, and thenlet nature design andsustain their performance.”

Planning for Plants“Think of sediment in anew CWPPRA project as

lumber,” says Caffey, “andplants as the nails that holdthat lumber in place. With-out the nails of vegetation,the new land will collapseand be swept away.”

To make the best use ofthe nails, Caffey supportsincluding plans for plantsin the initial design ofBreaux Act projects thatrequire revegetation.Projects can encourage thegrowth of desirable speciesby creating conditionsunder which they flourish.For instance, seashorepaspalum grows best at lowelevations in slightly saltysoil. If limited in height,ridges built from dredgedmaterial become placeswhere paspalum readilytakes hold and thrives.

Since the science of usingplants for restorationpurposes is relatively new,Howard cites the need for

continuing research todetermine what plantswork best for specificlocations, and why. “Wewant to select plants withknown growth characteris-tics and match them toconditions at restorationsites,” she says.

For example, plants withdensely clumped stems cantrap fine sediment, whilethose with sparse stemsmay capture only coarserparticles. One species’bulbous root system mayhelp aerate the soil, whileanother’s slowly decompos-ing fibrous root contributesbiomass. By studying bo-tanical attributes andselecting plants for specificrestoration purposes,scientists can build onnature’s capabilities toprotect and restore thewetlands.

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Plants provide food and shelter to wetland creatures from microbes to mammals. Exoticnutria eat marsh plants’ stems, leaves and seeds, sometimes destroying thevegetation’s regenerative capacity. In such instances, hand planting can give nature aboost by re-establishing plant communities.


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NRCS Plant Materials Centera Proving Ground in Struggle for Coast

researcher dressedin rubber boots andslicker stoops to

inspect the base of the‘Vermilion’ strain ofcordgrass, and then moveson toward the maincomplex of the NaturalResources ConservationService’s Plant MaterialsCenter (PMC) in Galliano,Louisiana.

Of the 26 plant materialscenters in the nation, this isthe only one that concen-

trates on developing plantsto use in the struggle tosave Louisiana’s coastalwetlands. According tomanager Gary Fine, thecenter is a living laboratoryin which Louisiana’s nativeplants are rigorously evalu-ated for characteristicsimportant for wetlandsrestoration. “We need tounderstand how a plantstrain will react to condi-tions like salinity levels,land elevations and tidal

flows. We can’t investyears in plantings only todiscover that a strain issusceptible to drought ordisease,” says Fine.

Opened in 1989, the PMCsits on a 90-acre plot ofland consisting of ponds,research plots, greenhousesand a laboratory. Its mostvisible contributions to thescience of coastal wetlandsplants are six plantreleases — ‘Vermilion’smooth cordgrass (Spartinaalterniflora), Brazoriaseashore paspalum(Paspalum vaginatum),Pelican black mangrove(Avicennia germinans),Fourchon bitter panicum(Panicum amarum),Caminada seaoats (Uniolapaniculata), and ‘GulfCoast’ marshhay cordgrass(Spartina patens). Thesestrains have proven effec-tive in limiting soil erosion,reducing the conversionof marsh to open water,and promoting there-establishment ofemergent vegetation.

Furnishing the seeds,propagules and foundationplant material that privatenurseries use to raise thesestrains, the PMC is alsoproviding a readily avail-able supply of plant materi-als for restoration efforts

Scientists at the NRCS Plant Materials Center test strains of native species that areparticularly adaptive to changing conditions in the wetlands. Only after careful,thorough testing is a superior strain identified and released as a proven performer.

AA HARD RAIN IS FALLING and the red-tinged stems of smoothcordgrass are deeply bent under the weight of the downpour.

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‘Vermilion’ smoothcordgrass(Spartina alterniflora)The stiff, high-density stems ofsmooth cordgrass bufferwaves and collect sediment.

The species thrives in areasfrequently inundated, such asshorelines and barrier

islands.

Brazoria seashorepaspalum(Paspalum vaginatum)Seashore paspalum spreadsrapidly in wet, slightly saltysoil, preventing sediment loss

by covering land quickly. It’salso a “pioneer species,”creating conditions for other

plants to colonize readily.

Pelican black mangrove(Avicennia germinans)The Pelican black mangrove

stabilizes soil with itsextensive root system andreduces wind and wave

action in shoreline areas. Theevergreen shrub alsoprovides habitat for the

brown pelican and otherbirds.

This is important inpreventing indiscriminate,large-scale harvest ofplants from alreadyvulnerable coastal habitats.

Another key role of theNRCS Plant MaterialsCenter program is develop-ing plant technology. “Rightnow we’re experimenting

with numerous techniquesfor propagating, producing,managing and establishinga variety of plants forapplication in diversecoastal habitats,” says Fine.“The PMC is devisingmethodologies to increasethe success of planting forcoastal restoration.”

PMC’s ‘Vermilion’ is often planted in areasaccessible only by boat.

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Fourchon bitter panicum(Panicum amarum)In sandy environments, bitterpanicum provides vertical

structure, blocking wind totrap and keep sand in place.The sand stimulates root

production as it covers theplant’s stems.

Caminada seaoats(Uniola paniculata)Tolerant of salt spray, wind-driven sand accretion, and

storm surges, seaoats helpstabilize coastal beach dunesand barrier islands. This

perennial grass reproducesprimarily through rhizomes.

‘Gulf Coast’ marshhaycordgrass(Spartina patens)In marshes, along coastal

beaches, and on barrierislands, marshhay cordgrasscomprises one-fourth of the

vegetation in Louisiana’scoastal wetlands where itbuilds soil by

contributing biomass.

PMC’s Releases Offer Benefits to Diverse Coastal Conditions

Photo Credits: Gary Fine, USDA, NRCS and USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA


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National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC)Scientists Provide Basis forDecisions in the Field

cientists working innumerous disciplines— biology, geography,

genetics, ecology — areexamining every aspect ofLouisiana’s complex coastalenvironment, from feedingpatterns of microscopicorganisms to land losstrends tracked throughsatellite imagery.

And the frequency withwhich the center’s scien-tists author these publica-tions indicates the leadingrole they play worldwide inthe field of wetland ecology.Their research not onlycontributes to academicscholarship, but also findsapplication as the scientificbasis for environmentalactions in the field. Forinstance, the center might• identify plants with the

genetic characteristicsmost beneficial to aproject area

• determine how changingwetland conditions affect

plant growth andsurvival

• monitor a project’s long-term influence on thecoastal environment by

surveying habitat andtracking changes

Begun in 1975 as part ofthe U.S. Fish and WildlifeService, in 1992 the centermoved to the University ofLouisiana’s research parkin Lafayette. Today theNWRC is one of 18 sciencecenters in the U.S. Geologi-cal Survey’s BiologicalResources Discipline.

Top: Research in the labs and greenhouses at NWRC not only helps Louisiana fightwetlands loss, but also contributes to understanding the complexities of wetlandecosystems worldwide.Bottom: In this study, greenhouse conditions are controlled to test the effects ofdifferent nutrients, salinities and water depth on a species’ performance.

From microscopic examination of cells tomapping with satellite imagery, scientistswork together at NWRC to unlock thewetlands’ secrets.

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SURVEYING THE TITLES IN ITS LIBRARY, a reader is struck bythe breadth of subject matter under study at the NationalWetlands Research Center (NWRC) in Lafayette, Louisiana.

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Successful Projects Reclaim WetlandsVegetative Plantings Take Hold

s a means ofstemming that lossand reclaiming

marsh habitat, vegetativeplantings offer a solid basisfor hope.

“Vegetation is one of the

easiest coastal restorationprojects to do,” says Ken-neth Bahlinger, landscapearchitect with the Louisi-ana Department of NaturalResources (DNR). “You’vejust got to get out therequick and plant.”

Revegetation mayoccur naturally, Bahlingerexplains, but in manyinstances that won’t hap-pen before tides, storms,boat wakes, and other

forces of erosion wash awaysediment. Hand plantingscan jump-start naturalvegetation growth, creatinga more stable home forplants and animals.

Three recent projects —

on Queen Bess Island, inthe Sabine National Wild-life Refuge and at BostonCanal/Vermilion Bay —illustrate this premise andthe potential plants havefor holding on toLouisiana’s land.

The Greening ofQueen BessThe success of Queen BessIsland, Bahlinger says, iseasy to see: “Just count the

birds. That island is full ofpelicans.”

Twenty years ago thebrown pelican, Louisiana’sstate bird, had vanishedfrom Louisiana’s coastalwetlands as DDT pollutionendangered its young anderosion claimed its habitat.Following a national ban onthe use of DDT, the statereintroduced pelicans fromFlorida and began

Thanks to habitat restoration projects in coastal Louisiana, the brown pelican is nolonger on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s endangered species list.

Between 1956 and 1989, Queen Bess Island had lost under the Breaux Act and the Louisiana DNR increasedsediment within them. Plantings by the DNR and Breausays Kenneth Bahlinger. “The plants change that as the

WITH THE STATE LOSING LAND at the rate of a football fieldabout every half-hour, the news about Louisiana’s wetlands isoften dire.

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re-establishing theirhabitat. In the BaratariaBay Waterway WetlandCreation project, sedimentdredged from the waterwaywas placed on Queen BessIsland. This small island inthe Barataria-TerrebonneEstuary System had lostnearly two-thirds of itsland due to storms, erosionfrom boat wakes, and lackof vegetation.

One factor in thepelican’s remarkablerecovery — from just

675 nests in the BTES in1990 to more than 6,500 in2001 — was the “greening”of Queen Bess: the handplanting of two plant spe-cies. Black mangrove treesnow provide nesting areasfor the pelicans, whilesmooth cordgrass collectssediment and serves ashabitat for fish andcrustaceans.

“What we’ve plantedthere has spread andcovered Queen Bess,”Bahlinger says. “Those

plants are actually helpinghold sediment on theisland. The plants arethriving, and so are thepelicans.”

Marsh MakersThe Sabine NationalWildlife Refuge — anecotourism attraction andeducational resource thatdraws some 300,000 visitorseach year — is part of avast ecosystem between theCalcasieu and Sabinerivers. But the constructionof the Calcasieu ShipChannel in the 1960s, alongwith natural forces such ashurricanes, increasedsalinity in much of themarsh, killing its nativeplants and convertingportions of it to open water.

To re-establish Sabine’swetlands, one recentproject (Sabine RefugeMarsh Creation, Cycle 1)created marsh from openwater areas by buildingtemporary earthen contain-ment dikes, then filling theareas between them withmaterial dredged from theCalcasieu Ship Channel.The perimeter of the areaand the edges of trenasses— man-made bayouspermitting the naturalmovement of water andwildlife — were plantedwith smooth cordgrass,which holds the sedimentin place and helps create afunctioning marsh as itspreads to the interior ofthe dredged material.

28 of its 45 acres to subsidence, erosion, and storm-induced overwash. In the 1990s, projectsd the island’s size to 34.6 acres by building rock containment structures and depositing

ux Act partners followed. “The material deposited on the island was very silty, soft, mucky soil,”ey trap sediment, accumulate biomass and help the soil consolidate.”

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Original islandOriginal island

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Saving the ShorelinePartnerships can bring impres-sive results to coastal restorationprojects. That’s especially trueof Soil and Water ConservationDistricts (SWCDs), alongstanding partnershipbetween landowners andgovernment agencies. Over thelast 15 years, this cooperativeeffort has used vegetativeplantings to stabilize over400 miles of Louisiana’sshoreline—roughly the distancefrom New Orleans to Memphis.

Unique in that they’re man-aged by local landowners, notgovernment agencies, SWCDshave the authority to select sitesfor revegetation projects andhire area residents to completethe plantings. Planted sitesinclude public and privateproperty and occasionally onecomplements a larger state orfederal restoration area.

SWCD planting projects arefunded through the DNRVegetative Planting Program andreceive technical assistancefrom the NRCS and LouisianaOffice of Soil and WaterConservation.

“Vegetation wouldprobably have eventuallycovered the created areasnaturally,” says Leigh AnneSharp, coastal scientistwith the DNR. “But handplantings made it happenfaster because it kept thesoil in place.”

Four more cycles ofpumping of dredgedmaterial are planned forother areas in the refuge,but results are alreadypositive.

“The plants filled inreally quickly and arebeginning to create themarsh habitat,” says Sharp.“This area is ripe for resto-ration. The cells of marshwe’re building should helpsave the entire refuge.”

Reclaiming the ShorelineFor decades, wind-drivenwaves pounding the shore-line of Vermilion Bay andwakes from boats traveling

into Boston Canal scouredaway soil and plants fromthe fragile wetlands border-ing the bay.

“Once the shorelineeroded back far enough, theopen water areas withinthose wetlands wouldbecome part of VermilionBay and the interior marsh-land would be lost,” saysCindy Steyer, coastal veg-etative specialist with theNatural Resources Conser-vation Service (NRCS).

As part of the 1995 Bos-ton Canal/Vermilion BayShoreline Protectionproject, the NRCS and DNRplanted 35,000 ‘Vermilion’smooth cordgrass trans-plants along a 14-milestretch of Vermilion Bayshoreline. The goal: todissipate wave energy toreduce the rate of shorelineerosion.

Ten years later, thecordgrass has not onlystabilized the shoreline, itis also collecting sediment,creating marsh that othernative plants have begun tocolonize naturally.

“We hoped the smoothcordgrass would just slowthe rate of shoreline loss,”Steyer says. “But it has

Above: A scientist conducts a sitevisit to monitor whether plantingshave met goals for growth,coverage, and species dominance.Left: When these smooth cordgrassplugs were planted in 1995, theVermilion Bay shoreline was erodingat a rate of 2.6 feet per year.Right: Today, the planted areas ofthe Vermilion Bay shoreline form acontinuous vegetative hedge andshoreline loss has been reversed.

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exceeded our expectationsby actually promotingshoreline gain.”

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Natural Resources Conservation Service Natural Resources Conservation Service

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Cultivating Remedies to StemWetland Loss

nd there’s noassurance the hardwork will pay off: a

single high tide or unex-pected storm can undoentire plantings.

Despite the difficulties,many scientists areconvinced of the valueof plantings and areexperimenting with ways toovercome their drawbacks.Currently the entire pro-cess, from propagatingstock through root divisionto setting out each plant byhand, is time-consumingand labor-intensive.However, some innovativeideas for expanding the useof this restoration tool arein the works.

Looking forNatural Answers“Aerial seeding is theeasiest, fastest, most cost-effective method of plant-ing large areas of wet-lands,” says Mike Materne,plant specialist at Louisi-ana State University’sAgricultural Center. “It’sreally the only alternative

we have toplanting byhand.”

Unfortu-nately, aerialplanting has amajor draw-back — manywetland plantsproduce fewviable seeds,multiplyinginsteadthrough rhi-zome division or rootspread. Consequently,Materne and other scien-tists at the Ag Center aredeveloping strains of nativeplants that promise both ahigh seed yield and agreater rate of germination.They are also looking forcharacteristics conducive tomechanical harvesting, andanalyzing issues such asoptimal temperature andmoisture levels for winterseed storage.

But Materne isn’t limit-ing himself to seed. “We’reexploiting the plants’ ownstrong suit: vegetativepropagation. We’re chop-

ping the underground steminto small fragments foraerial distribution. Thiscould be a way to get veg-etation to large areas ofwetlands that are inacces-sible by boat or foot.”

Submersed VegetationTakes Root on MatsHaving done his share ofdigging in knee-deep water,Ron Boustany went back tothe lab to search for otherplanting methods. In arecent study he grew sub-mersed aquatic plant seed-lings on biodegradable matsin a greenhouse. He thentransplanted the seedlings

The unconsolidated soil of Louisiana’s wetlands can feel bottomless —in many places one can sink chest-deep in mud before there isenough solidity underfoot to arrest the plunge. The difficulty ofestablishing seedlings in such conditions spurs scientists to deviseother planting methods.

“PLANTING VEGETATION IN LOUISIANA’Swetlands is hard work,” declares RonBoustany, biologist with the Natural ResourcesConservation Service. “Keeping an eye out foralligators, you wade through murky water andsink up to your knees to dig hole after hole insoft, bottomless mud.”

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by pinning the mats to thebottom of marsh ponds.

“The mats provided adurable but temporarysubstrate,” Boustany says.“They helped young plantswithstand the destructiveforces of wind and wave.Also, the mats seemed tobolster natural colonizationby providing stability foradditional species. As welearn how best to site themats — how deep, how farfrom shore — we expect toincrease the resulting plantcover.”

Benefits Increasewith ChoicesAlthough the plants are

natural, wide-scaleplantings are not naturalelements in the environ-ment. Observers cautionthat, even as theirsuccesses are emerging,plantings may also bedeleteriously affectingthe ecosystems they aretargeted to save.

Materne acknowledgesthe concern. “An areaplanted in a single speciesis artificial,” he says. “As wesee the widespread use ofVermilion cordgrass inrestoration, we’re realizingthe benefit of plantingmultiple cordgrass strains.If one proves susceptible tochanging conditions —

drought, say, or a newinsect pest — therewould be other, moreresistant strains tomaintain the plantcommunity. The collapseof one strain would notjeopardize the entiremarsh.”

More varied plantingscould also alleviate fearsof genetic dilution, thepossibility that a singlecultivar crossbreedingwith wild strains coulddiminish the entirespecies’ genetic diversity.Using multiple strainsmight instead enrich thespecies’ genetic mix,while planting a blend, orsuite, of different speciescould enhance anecosystem’s stability andresiliency.

With Louisiana’simperiled wetlands at

Maritime Forest ProjectPoints to the FutureAs scientists develop a widerange of improved plantsand planting methods forcoastal restoration, onegroundbreaking projectshows exceptional promise.The 60-acre project will plantnative trees, shrubs andgrasses to restore a nearlyvanished maritime forestecosystem, once a prominentpart of Louisiana’s landscape.“This project will be the first tore-establish a forest, so we’ll beevaluating plant species thataren’t typically studied,” saysRichard DeMay, senior scientistwith the Barataria-TerrebonneNational Estuary Program(BTNEP). “We expect to learn agreat deal that will apply tofuture restoration efforts.”

The project is co-adminis-tered by BTNEP and theGreater Lafourche Port Commis-sion; partners include the EPA’sGulf of Mexico Program, Gulf ofMexico Foundation, LouisianaDNR, National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration,Plant Materials Center of theNRCS, and AmeriCorps.

WMAbove: New propagation methods aim to reduce theexpense of growing material for transplanting andtransporting it to project sites.Below: Characteristics such as stem density and rootmass can be matched to conditions at planting sites.

stake, the quest for optimalplants and the best plantingtechniques is urgent.“Changes happen quickly inthe wetlands,” Materne says,“and we’re helping plantskeep pace. Drawing on theAg Center’s decades ofagronomic experience, we’redeveloping plants that willbecome the key element incoastal restoration.”

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WATERMARKS Interview with Gary Fine

WaterMarks: Compared to large-scale restoration projects likefreshwater diversions, puttingplants in the ground as a way tosave Louisiana’s coast doesn’tfire the imagination. What are wemissing?

Fine: When we talk about landloss in coastal Louisiana, wedon’t just mean we’re losingground, the stuff you walk on.We’re losing an entire ecosys-tem involving marine life,mammals, birds, reptiles and,of course, plant life. But it’s theplants that support all the restof the ecosystem. That’s whythey’re called the primaryproducer.

WaterMarks: And that means theydo a lot more than stabilize thesoil.

Fine: I wouldn’t underrate thatfunction, but yes, they do a lotmore. It’s easy to forget thatwe don’t build freshwaterdiversions for the sake offreshwater diversions. We buildthem to save and restore theplant community becauseplants define the marsh. Theybuild soil, improve waterquality and create habitat.

WaterMarks: How does your workat the NRCS Plant Materials Centerfit into all this?

Fine: The Plant MaterialsCenter isn’t some abstractresearch center. We’re here toplay a very specific role insaving Louisiana’s coast. Ourjob is to find the native plants

that will be themost effectivewhen used inwetlands restora-tion. That mightmean a plant thathas a high toler-ance for salinity,the ability to growin varying waterdepths, or acapacity to propa-gate quickly. Thenanother importantfactor is the plant’sability to surviveand persist in everchanging coastalenvironments.When we identify a plant thatmeets our standards bythoroughly testing and provingits performance, we make itavailable to commercialgrowers who produce it forlarge-scale projects.

WaterMarks: Obviously one plantwon’t work everywhere.

Fine: That’s right. A tidalenvironment requires a specieswith different characteristicsthan one that’s planted in aterrestrial environment at ahigher elevation. Our goal is tooffer a suite of plants that areperformance proven for specificconditions.

WaterMarks: Does your researchanticipate future problems likethe possibility of sea-level risedue to global climate change?

Fine: We don’t have any choicebut to look ahead because ittakes so long for a plant strainto prove itself — literallyevaluating hundreds of plantsover time in the case of a fullyproven species or cultivar.Sea-level rise is a goodexample. We’re searching forplants adaptable to rising sealevels and greater water depthsnow, even though its full effectsprobably won’t be felt for sometime.

WaterMarks: When you saysearching, do you mean thatliterally?

Fine: When we’re identifyingnative plant species that havethe characteristics we need, thefirst step is to search for andcollect samples of plant materi-als found growing in naturalplant communities. When we

Gary Fine is the manager of NRCS’ Golden MeadowPlant Materials Center in Galliano, Louisiana.

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find what we want, we start aseries of tests to determinehow well adapted to our needsthe strain really is. Sometimespeople will say that we’redeveloping a super plant. That’snot the case. Our focus is onsearching out native plants —plants that already exist in thewild and display the desiredadaptive characteristics.

WaterMarks: Some professionalsargue that it’s unwise to plant forcoastal restoration, that the bestoption is natural colonization.How do you respond?

Fine: Our work supportsnatural colonization; it’s not asubstitute for it. So I don’t seethis as an either/or situation.Part of our research involvesdetermining when to plant andwhen to let nature restorevegetation. I think plantingoffers the same results asnatural propagation, but at afaster rate. And often speed isimportant. The faster the plantcommunity is established, the

faster the entire ecosystem isstabilized.

WaterMarks: But what about thedanger of diluting the geneticbase by introducing a nurserygrown plant into the ecosystem?

Fine: Remember that we startwith a wild, native species,indigenous to Louisiana. We arenot introducing a super plantbut identifying a native one thatis tested and proven successfulfor an intended use. For ex-ample, the most common plantused in coastal restoration issmooth cordgrass and onespecific release widely used isnamed ‘Vermilion’. This is aclonal release that has beenplanted throughout the coastalarea of Louisiana and hasproven very successful.

Having said that, I think thequestion of genetic dilution isimportant. Because Vermilionsmooth cordgrass — or anyother single strain of a species— if used extensively inplantings, may dominate anarea or cross breed with adja-cent wild smooth cordgrasspopulations, possibly makingadjacent communities moregenetically homogenous. Withless genetic diversity, is aspecies more vulnerable to acatastrophic event? Possibly. Oris the Vermilion strain hybridiz-ing and improving local smoothcordgrass populations, makingstrains more adaptive to evolv-ing conditions? That’s alsopossible. Studies on this issueare ongoing.

What we do know is thatcoastal wetlands in Louisianaare in deep trouble. We don’thave the luxury of time; wehave to use all the tools we

have available, and right nowone of the best is vegetativeplantings.

WaterMarks: Plants cost fivedollars or more a container, andthat’s before they’re put onbarges and hand planted. Whenyou’re considering large projects,aren’t those costs often prohibi-tive?

Fine: That’s a common miscon-ception, but vegetative plantingsare a small part of the total costof most restoration projects.When you consider that restor-ing vegetation is probably one ofthe key measures of a project’ssuccess, plantings are highlycost effective. The fact is thatwe’re not trying to create mudflats — we want marsh, andthat means vegetation. If itoccurs through natural coloniza-tion, all the better. If not, or ifthe colonization will be too slow,planting is the logical alterna-tive.

WaterMarks: What’s the challengeahead for you?

Fine: Even among the profes-sionals in coastal restoration,the role plants play in thecoastal ecosystem is oftenmisunderstood and sometimesundervalued. But that’s not theprofessionals’ problem, it’s ours.We have to raise awareness bymaking a long-term commit-ment to communicating thework we’re doing, the advanceswe’re making and the possibili-ties we envision. This has to bedone because every tool, includ-ing vegetative planting, needs tobe used to its fullest advantageif we have any hope of savingLouisiana’s coastal wetlands. WM

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Under Fine’s leadership, the Plant MaterialsCenter has become recognized for its botanicalcontributions to protecting and restoringLouisiana’s wetlands.


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Current CWPPRA Vegetation ProjectsProject Name/ Lead Agency

Bayou LaBranche Wetland Creation Seeding/EPA

Black Bayou Hydrologic Restoration/ NMFS

Boston Canal/Vermilion Bay ShorelineProtection/ NRCS

Brady Canal Hydrologic Restoration/ NRCS

Chandeleur Islands/ NMFS

Dewitt Rollover Demonstration/ NRCS

East Sabine Lake Hydrologic Restoration/NRCS/FWS

East Timbalier Island Sediment Restoration,Phase 1/ NMFS

East Timbalier Island Sediment Restoration,Phase 2/ NMFS

Falgout Canal Demonstration/ NRCS

Floating Marsh Creation Demonstration/ NRCS

Four Mile Canal/ NMFS

Grand Terre Island/ NMFS

Grand-White Lake Land Bridge/ USFWS

Holly Beach Sand Management/ NRCS

Isles Dernieres Restoration East Island/ EPA

Isles Dernieres Restoration Trinity Island/ EPA

Lake Chapeau/ NMFS

Little Vermilion Bay/ NMFS

North Lake Mechant Land Bridge Restoration/USFWS

Oaks /Avery Canal Hydrologic Restoration/Shoreline Protection/ NRCS

Pecan Island/ NMFS

Perry Ridge West Bank Stabilization/ NRCS

Plowed Terraces Demonstration/ NRCS

Sabine Refuge Marsh Creation, Cycle 1/ COE/FWS

Sediment Trapping at “The Jaws”/ NMFS

SW Shore White Lake Demonstration/ NRCS

Sweet Lake/Willow Lake HydrologicRestoration/ NRCS

Thin Mat Floating Marsh EnhancementDemonstration/ NRCS

Timbalier Island Demonstration/ NRCS

Timbalier Island Dune and Marsh Creation/ EPA

West Hackberry Demonstration/ NRCS

Whiskey Island Restoration/ EPA

Whiskey Island Restoration/ EPA

Date/Description/ Plants Used

1994: Japaneese millet and soybean screenings

2002 & 2003: Hydrologic restoration, vegetative plantings/ California bulrush

1995: 13.5 miles shoreline protection/ ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

2000: Bayou bankline protection (maintenance only) giant cutgrass

2000 (test) & 2001: Barrier island restoration of 4.2 miles shoreline/ ‘Vermilion’smooth cordgrass

1994: 1.5 miles shoreline protection, sediment accretion /‘Vermilion’ smoothcordgrass

2005: 171,000 feet of terraces /‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

2001: Dune Vegetation, bitter panicum and marshhay cordgrass

2001: Dune Vegetation, bitter panicum and marshhay cordgrass

1997: 1,500 feet canal bankline protection/ ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

2004: Creation of floating marsh/ maidencane, other species

2003-2004: Terracing and sediment trapping/ ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

2001: Vegetative plantings/ ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass, ‘Fourchon’ bitterpanicum, marshhay cordgrass, Gulf cordgrass, ‘Pelican’ black mangrove

2004: 1,530 acres shoreline protection, terraces/ California bulrush, giant cutgrass,Brazoria seashore paspalum

2003: Dune creation/ Fourchon bitter panicum

1999: Dune and marsh vegetation, bitter panicum, marshhay cordgrass, ‘Pelican’black mangrove, ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass


2000: Hydrologic restoration and marsh creation/ ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

1999: Sediment trapping/ ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

2003: 8 miles shoreline protection ‘Vermilion’smooth cordgrass

2000: 5.1 miles shoreline protection/ ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

2003: Terracing/ ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

2002: 23,000 feet of terraces/ California bulrush

2000: 35,956 feet of terraces/ ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

2001: 200 acres marsh creation/ smooth cordgrass

2004: Sediment trapping/ California bulrush, giant cutgrass

1996: 5,300 feet shoreline protection/ California bulrush

2002: 83,625 feet terraces/ giant cutgrass

2000: Enhancement of thin-mat floating marshes to develop thick mat flotant/maidencane

1996: 7,390 feet dune creation (seven sites)/ marshhay cordgrass, Atlanticpanicgrass

2005: Barrier island restoration/ ‘Vermilon’ smooth cordgrass, ‘Fourchon’ bitterpanicum, marshhay cordgrass, gulf cordgrass, salt grass, ‘Caminada’ sea oats,matrimony vine, ‘Pelican’ black mangrove

1994: Shoreline protection, sediment accretion/ California bulrush


1998 : ‘Vermilion’ smooth cordgrass

Results

Good coverage

Established wave dampening; 70% survival rate, expansion ofplantings

Established wave erosion buffer, reversed land loss along shoreline

Established wave buffer

Success related to location — plants did not survive in very highenergy environments

Plants did not survive in very high energy environment

Under construction

Planted adjacent to dune sand fence to retain captured sand.

Planted adjacent to dune sand fence to retain captured sand.

Wave dampening structures ineffective; plants did not survive

First phase not complete

Terraces adjacent to canal fully vegetated; half of Little White Laketerraces maintained elevations conducive to plantings

Bayside cordgrass plantings very successful; other species andlocations showed variable results

Protected terraces from wave erosion

High rate of plant survival and cover

Plants installed adjacent to sand fence and along dune to trap sandand reestablish vegetation and on marsh platform.

Plants installed adjacent to sand fence and along dune to trap sandand reestablish vegetation and on marsh platform.

Reduced wave-driven erosion, although land loss remains high

Plantings increasing wetland acres

Good survival along Lake Mechant

80% survival and shoreline protection

Plantings established on terraces and expanding onto pond bottom

Excellent plant survival and cover

Terraces sustaining some erosion, plant survival low in some sections

Created marsh area protected from erosion; revegetation ensured

Plantings underway

Plants did not survive winter storms

Terraces sustaining erosion; plant survival low except in Willow Lake

Protocol developed to induce thick-mat flotant with protectionfrom herbivory

Created stable dune habitat at one site; others destroyed by storms

Results not yet known

Formed wave barrier, created emergent vegetation; damaged by1995 drought

Dune and marsh platform planted to trap sand and reestablishvegetation

Quick planting to protect containment berm

First Class MailPostage and Fees Paid

U.S. Army Corps of EngineersNew Orleans District

Permit No. 80

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMYNEW ORLEANS DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERSP.O. BOX 60267NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70160-0267

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

kids,” says DianneLindstedt, programcoordinator. “It makesthe importance ofwetlands much moremeaningful to them.We’re hopeful this willkeep students engagedwith wetland issuesfar into the future.”

Coastal Roots is adminis-tered by the Louisiana SeaGrant College Program andsupported by the LSU Agri-cultural Center, BTNEP,Louisiana DNR, NationalOceanic and Atmospheric

oastal Roots studentslearn firsthand aboutecology, horticulture

and wetland restoration asthey grow seedlings in schoolnurseries and plant them atnearby wetland sites. Since2001, over 2,000 elementary,middle and high schoolstudents have participatedin Coastal Roots, restoring19 acres at state parks,national wildlife refuges,wetland reserves, boatlandings and a zoo.

“This hands-on learningexperience is exciting for the

WATERMARKSLouisiana Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration News

Coastal Roots Teaches Hands-onLessons in Wetland Restoration


WM

Administration and the PlantMaterials Center of theNRCS, among others. Formore information aboutCoastal Roots, visitwww.lamer.lsu.edu/projects/coastalroots/index.htm.

CTHE KIDS WHO PARTICIPATE IN COASTAL ROOTS are notonly learning about the crisis facing Louisiana’s wetlands— they’re also helping to solve it.

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Left: At Baton Rouge Earth Day, community membersvisit the Coastal Roots booth to “plant a seed to savethe coast.” Coastal Roots’ ties to communities through-out Louisiana help to identify planting sites and raiseawareness about wetland issues.Above: Each fall or early spring, Coastal Roots studentstrek to wetland sites to plant seedlings started by theprevious year’s class.

€¦ · decisions in the field 8 vegetative plantings take hold 11 cultivating remedies to stem...

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