The project will control 51 acres of non native invasive brush on private property in tippecanoe county adjacent to permanently protected land held by other entities including niches land trust, the…

The project will control 51 acres of non native invasive brush on private property in tippecanoe county adjacent to permanently protected land held by other entities including niches land trust, the purdue research foundation, and the wabash river enhancement corporation. This project is phase i of III in the restoration plan for the 200 acre ross hills park and ross hills camp propertyimproving the structure and composition of this floodplain adjacent upland forest will benefit a variety of bird species including cerulean warblers, wood thrush, blue herons, bald eagles. Benefits to these bird species include enhanced nesting and foraging habitat along the wabash river corridor. The ross hills park property is part of a forested corridor along the river that provides important habitat to multiple threatened and endangered species. Maintaining a healthy forest ecosystem would benefit the northern long eared BAT and indiana BAT which have roost sites along the wabash river corridor. Autumn olive and bush honeysuckle are the main components of the non native invasive brush that is present. Autumn olive is a nitrogen fixing non native invasive shrub that could also act as a source of aquatic nitrate pollution thereby impacting water quality for the fanshell, rabbitsfoot, and sheepnose mussels found in this stretch of the river. Additionally, the bush honeysuckle has become thick enough to block sunlight from reaching the forest floor and inhibiting the native herbaceous plant community. This restoration project will help deplete the invasive species seed source and curb the spread of invasive species to the adjacent permanently protected lands. This project will result in 51 acres of upland habitat toward the restoration goals within the southwest river corridors focus area as identified in the indiana partners for fish and wildlife strategic plan. The partners biologist coordinated with the landowner, project partners, the contractor, and will provide 15,000.00 cost share to tippecanoe county parks department. The PFW cost share will be applied toward hiring a reputable contractor for the cut stump treatment and follow up herbicide application to control the non native invasive species. Cut stump treatment will take place during the winter months and the foliar herbicide application will be completed during the growing season. Tippecanoe county parks department will provide a total of 40,500.00 cash match via tippecanoe parks foundation and ROY whistler foundation funds to the contractor for the invasive species control.