Cooperative Agreement F23AC02461

THE HARDWOOD SWAMP RESTORATION PROJECT PHASE 2 IS A 2.5-ACRE EXTENSION OF A 4.1-ACRE INITIAL PROJECT AT SCHLITZ AUDUBON NATURE CENTER UNDERTAKEN IN 2019. DURING PHASE 1, CENTER STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS RESTORED A FORMERLY DEGRADED AREA TO AN ECOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT HARDWOOD SWAMP AND ASSOCIATED SOUTHERN WET HARDWOOD FOREST HABITAT, THROUGH INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL AND SITE PREPARATION WORK FOLLOWED BY PLANTING OF 725 TREES, 250 SHRUBS, AND 24,000 HERBACEOUS PLUGS.EXPANSION OF THE HARDWOOD SWAMP RESTORATION EFFORT IS A KEY PART OF THE SCHLITZ AUDUBON CONSERVATION PLAN, AND WILL BE ACHIEVED BY: PLANTING 350 TREES THAT ARE WELL ADAPTED TO THE SITE AND TRADITIONALLY FOUND IN HARDWOOD SWAMPS, SUCH AS SWAMP WHITE OAK, BUR OAK, HACKBERRY, AND AMERICAN SYCAMORE PLANTING 125 SHRUBS, INCLUDING SILKY DOGWOOD, WINTERBERRY, ELDERBERRY, AND NANNYBERRY, THAT WILL GIVE THE DESIRED 10 SHRUB COVER THAT IS TYPICAL OF HARDWOOD SWAMPS PLANTING 15,000 HERBACEOUS PLUGS, INCLUDING A WIDE VARIETY OF SPECIES THAT WILL PROVIDE CONTINUOUS FLOWERING THROUGHOUT THE GROWING SEASON, AND SPREADING TWO POUNDS OF SEDGE MEADOW SEED MIX THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT AREA TO SUPPLEMENT THE HERBACEOUS PLUGS AND ADD TO THE OVERALL DIVERSITY.ADJACENT TO AND IMMEDIATELY WEST OF THE ORIGINAL PHASE 1 RESTORATION SITE, THE PHASE 2 PROJECT SITE IS ALSO A SEVERELY DEGRADED AREA THAT DOES NOT REACH ITS SIGNIFICANT ECOLOGICAL OR EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL. DYING ASH TREES AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES DOMINATE THE ENTIRE LANDSCAPE. IN WETLAND SECTIONS, REED CANARY GRASS HAS OUTCOMPETED NATIVE SEDGES, AND IN UPLAND SECTIONS, SHADE FROM BUCKTHORN HAS PREVENTED GROWTH IN THE UNDERSTORY.EXPANDING THE HARDWOOD SWAMP PROJECT AREA WILL INCREASE HABITATS AT THE CENTER THAT SUPPORT MANY POLLINATOR SPECIES, INCLUDING RUSTY PATCHED BUMBLE BEE AND MONARCH BUTTERFLY. COASTAL PROJECT SURROGATE SPECIES, INCLUDING PINE WARBLER, WOOD THRUSH, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, AND NORTHERN FLICKER, WILL ALSO BENEFIT THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF KEY FOOD SOURCES, COVER, AND A BREEDING HABITATS. IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PHASE 2 PROJECT AREA IS A POND PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SPRING STOPOVER HABITAT FOR BLUEWINGED TEAL, WOOD DUCK, AND MALLARD, SPECIES THAT WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM THESE HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS.AN ADDITIONAL FOCUS OF THE PHASE 2 PROJECT IS CREATION OF HABITAT FOR NORTHERN LONG-EARED BAT, A SPECIES PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED AT SCHLITZ AUDUBON NATURE CENTER VIA ACOUSTIC MONITORING. LONG-TERM, BOTH PHASE 1 AND PHASE 2 OF THE HARDWOOD SWAMP RESTORATION WILL PROVIDE MATURE TREE SPECIES THAT CREATE IDEAL SITES FOR SUMMER ROOSTING. OPEN SEDGE MEADOW WILL SUPPLY PRIME FORAGING HABITAT FOR BATS, AS NATIVE INSECTS BREED IN THE SEASONALLY WET GROUND. TO PROVIDE SHORT-TERM ROOSTING HABITAT AS NEWLY PLANTED TREES CONTINUE TO GROW, 20 OF THE DYING ASH WILL BE LEFT STANDING AS SNAGS. BARK SPLITS AND CAVITIES IN THE DEAD AND DYING TREES WILL ENSURE THE AREA REMAINS SUITABLE TO BATS THROUGHOUT THE SUCCESSION PERIOD.WITH THIS HABITAT ESTABLISHED AS AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR NORTHERN LONG-EARED BATS, THE CENTER WILL CENTRALIZE ACOUSTIC BAT MONITORING EFFORTS IN THE HARDWOOD SWAMP TO PROVIDE IMPORTANT DATA ON THE PROGRESS OF THIS FOCUS SPECIES.THE SECOND PHASE OF THE SCHLITZ AUDUBON NATURE CENTER HARDWOOD SWAMP RESTORATION PROJECT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE CENTERS CAPABILITY TO SUPPORT WILDLIFE BY FURTHER INCREASING ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY, FUNCTION, AND PRODUCTIVITY. RESTORING A HARDWOOD SWAMP HABITAT WILL ENCOURAGE NATURAL, SELF-SUSTAINING POPULATIONS OF ENDANGERED AND FOCAL SPECIES, AND PROVIDE FOOD, COVER, AND BREEDING HABITAT FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO ACT AS AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH AND VISITORS OF ALL AGES WITHIN THE MIDWEST REGION COASTAL PROGRAM URBAN OPPORTUNITY AREA.