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Healing the land has not been easy work. The Earth Center still wears the effects of decades of human abuse, namely in the form of litter and invasive species. In the first year of the Earth Center's existence, volunteers removed over two dumpsters full of trash and 75 tires from the Earth Center. While we have removed most of the trash, we occasionally still find remnants of the past such as glass pharmaceutical bottles and clay water pipes as well as more modern litter like car doors, plastic bottles and potato chip bags. Litter removal, although difficult, is straightforward: find a piece of litter, remove it and you are done. Invasive species pose an entirely different problem.
Invasive Species
Most of the vegetation at the Earth Center is made up of exotic species. Exotic plants are plants that are not growing in their native habitat. Usually, they have been brought over from other parts of the world by people who value their aesthetics or because they serve a purpose, such as a groundcover or food producer. In fact, most of the plants growing in yards or gardens are exotic or nonnative species. While most exotic species are harmless to the natural ecosystem, a few will propagate beyond a yard or a garden and become a nuisance. When an exotic species dominates a natural ecosystem it becomes an invasive species. Invasive species are often characterized by a long growing season, high rate of reproduction, and an absence of natural predators. With these characteristics invasive plant species can quickly overcome a natural area and push out native plant species. The loss of native plants leads to a loss of native animals that depend on the plants to survive. The presence of an invasive plant species can cause drastic effects to the entire food chain and a dramatic loss of biodiversity. The Earth Center has three particularly noxious invasive plant species:
Amur honesuckle (Lonicera maackii)
Amur or Bush Honeysuckle grows as an upright shrub reaching heights of 15 feet. It is the dominant plant in many of Southwest Ohio's natural areas. The bush grows so thickly that it shades out native wildflowers and tree saplings preventing them from receiving enough light to survive.
Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)
This groundcover is our most persistent invasive species. It grows in dense mats choking out native wildflower and tree species. It is extremely difficult to remove and control.
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Garlic Mustard was introduced into the United States from Europe for herbal and medicinal purposes. It is a low growing biennial that can quickly overcome any disturbed land, pushing out native plants within 10 years. Its seeds are viable in the soil for 7 years and are easily spread by wind, water, and animals.
Habitat Restoration at the Earth Center
Part of the mission of the Imago Earth Center is to create and manage healthy natural ecosystems. This calls for the removal of invasive plant species. This is difficult, frustrating work, requiring numerous hours of pulling and chopping. Often times a site has to be cleared several times before invasive species are controlled. While removing invasive species is hard, it is also gratifying. A site cleared of wintercreeper in one winter will show a remarkable increase of native plant biodiversity the next spring. This increase in plant biodiversity naturally leads to an increase in native animal biodiversity.
Habitat restoration happens at the Earth Center in chunks called plots. Each plot is about 40 - 60 square feet and undergoes a regimen of care, which involves removing litter, pulling invasive plants, and planting native plants.
How You Can Help to Create Healthy Ecosystems at the Earth Center
The work of habitat restoration is possible only through the dedication and energy of volunteers and the support of donors. Visit the Volunteers page to find out how you or your group can adopt a plot and help bring it back to a more natural state. In addition, you can contact the Earth Center about making a donation to support the effort. Your donation will be used to purchase tools, materials, and native plants.
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