Vegetating With Native Grasses In Northeastern North
Vegetating with Native Grassesin Northeastern North AmericaUSDA-NRCSDucks Unlimited CanadaJohn Dickerson*Dave BurgdorfTony BushChris MillerBrent Wark*Ron MaherBill Poole***Senior Authors**EditorInformation in this manual may be reproduced, provided credit is givenrespecting the source of the information.The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,disability, political beliefs and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternativemeans for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice andTDD).To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250, or call 1-800-245-6340 (voice) or(202) 720-1127 (TDD).
PrefaceThis document was originally published many years ago; while the represented data is stillrelevant and applicable, the original Senior Authors noted on the preceding page have bothretired. For questions or comments, please contact:USDA-NRCSPaul Salon, Plant Materials Specialist3266A State Route 352Corning, NY 14830Email Paul SalonDucks Unlimited CanadaT. Glen Koblun, CCA, Manager,Native Plant SolutionsUnit A-1238 Chevrier Blvd., Winnipeg, MBCanada R3T 1Y3Email Glen KoblunThe appendices in this publication have been updated to reflect up-to-date available varieties andseeding rates.USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Program would like to thank Ducks Unlimited Canada for theuse of this manual and permitting the posting of this publication to thePlant Materials Program website.
AcknowledgmentsThe information contained in this document was assembled from cited references and from personal experience in thefield establishing native grasses on the landscape. We have also drawn on the experience of colleagues in DucksUnlimited Canada and in the USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Program. Their willingness to share that experience hasimproved this document.The format and approach follows the previous manuals jointly published by the NRCS and DUC; Revegetating withNative Grasses (1995) and the Native Grass Seed Production Manual (1997). Information contained in the 1995revegetation manual was especially useful during the preparation of this publication.Encouragement and support for the initiation of this project was received from Dr. Terry Neraasen, then chief biologistwith Ducks Unlimited Canada, from Dr. Rick White, program leader, NRCS Plant Materials Program and from Dr. BillyTeels, director, NRCS Wetland Science Institute.The senior authors also wish to acknowledge the singular efforts of Lynne Miller - who spent countless hours typing themany drafts which preceded the document you now hold - and Bill Poole, who edited the text and combined the input ofsix authors into a useful publication.Finally, we would like to say "thank you" to the following companies who provided financial support for the printing ofthis manual: Ag Renewal Inc. Blight Native Seeds Newfield Seeds Pickseed Canada Inc. Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration Truax Inc. Wind River Seeds
Table of ContentsLIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ivLIST OF TABLES . .ivLIST OF APPENDICES . . . . .ivIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Background . .2Planting Objectives . . . . .4Recent history . . . . . . . . . .4What is native? . . . . . . . . . . . 6Plant/cover types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Cool season and warm season plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Sculptured seeding . . . . . . . . . 7Geographic Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Geographic considerations for cool season grasses . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Geographic considerations for wann season grasses . . . . . . 13Site Selection Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Planting Considerations . . . . . . . . .2 1Seed . . . . . . . . . . 24Preparing a Seed Mix . . . . . . . .32Pure live seed . .32Seed processing . . . . . . . . . . . . .32The seed mix . . . . . . .32Seed importation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36Prcplanting Preparations . . . . . . .38Planting Year Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Planting date . . . . . .44Seedbed condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Preseeding weed control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Planting equipment . . .45Seeding rate and equipment . .47Fertilizing . .47Special considerations . .49Stand evaluation . 50Satnpling techniques . . . . 50Postplanting Weed Control . 51Planting year . .5 IPost-establishment Management. . .56Stand evaluation . .56Stand maintenance . . . . . . . . . . 58LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . 60SUPPLEMENTAL READING .62APPENDICES .63III
List of ortheastern North America . . . . . . . . . . 3Effect of elevation change on plant material selection . . . . . . . . 8Effect of soil type and internal drainage on plant material selection . . . . . . . . . 9Effect of aspect on plant material selection . . . . . . . . 9USDA plant hardiness zone map (for North America) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Soil testing locations to sample two different soil types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20US Certified seed tag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Canadian common seed tag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25US seed analysis report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Canadian seed analysis report . . '. . . . . . . 27Planning and obtain ing a seed mixture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Prcplanting year removal of invasive perennial plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Preplanting year tillage and herbicide summerfallow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Preplanting weed control in a preceding small grain crop . . . . . . . . . 42Preplanting weed control in a preceding field corn crop . . . . . . . . . . . 43Grass seedling root morphology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Planting year weed control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53List of Tables1. Levels of release for manipulated and natural plant material . . . . . . . . . . 292. Native and naturalized herbaceous species in selection anddevelopment processes at northeastern Plant Materials Centers . . . 303. Native herbaceous species and cultivars selected fornorth·eastem conditions at Plant Materials Centers . . . . . 314. Varieties of warm season grasses with potential value as wildlife cover in southern Ontario . . . . 315. Approximate numbers of secds per pound of native grass species . . . . . . 356. Linear feet of row per furrow opener equal to one square foot at various row spacings . , . 367. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada contacts for seed importation . . . 37List of AppendicesAppendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63A. Cross reference of common names and scientific names of plant species . . . . . . A- IB.C.D.E.F.G.Sculptured seeding: an ecological approach to revegetation . . . . . . . . . B- 1Native grass cultivars adapted for use in the northeast . . . . . . . . . Co lExamples of seed mixtures suitable for use in the northeast . . . . . . . . . . 0- 1Drill calibration methods . . . . . . . . . . . E-lNative plant material species descriptions . . . . . . . . . F- lSeed suppliers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G- IH. Crop protection products cross reference . . . . . . . . . . . H- I,.
IntroductionDucks Un limited Canada (DUC)Grassland islands existed in theNRCS and Ducks U nlimited haveand the Natural Resourceseastern forests when Europea ncollaborated again IO'produce IhisConservation Service (NRCS) ofsettlers arrived. These becamereference: Vegetating With Nativethe United States Department ofknown by many local namesGrasses in Northeastem NorthAgricult ure jointly releasedinclud ing mountain "balds".America. It is intended to meetRevegetating With Native Grassesmeadows. coastal sloughs.the information needs of resource"openings", and oak savannas.conservation professionals inlong recog nized need toThough dwarfed by thegovernment and insummarize the lessons bothsurrounding forests, thesenongovernmental organizations, asagencics had learned aboutgrasslands were recognized bywell as landowners and operatorssuccessfully planting nativeNative Americans as havingthroughout the northeastern Unitedgrasses in the westernoutstanding attraction and benefitStates and eastern Canada (Figurein 199522 Thatmanual fu lfilled aprairie/plains region of theto wildlife. They used fire to1). For ease of reading, only thecontinent. The developmcnt of thatimprove habitat by reducingcommon names of plant speciesinfonnation had begun with thcwoody plant encroachment. Manyhave been used in the text.establishment of the NRCS -of these openings were the resultAppendix A cross-references thosefonnc rly {hc Soil Conservationof activities by the originalnames to one or more of theScrv ice - in the d ust bowl days ofinhabitants. One interestingscientific names used in Norththc 1930s. Recently. governmentexample was a grassland ofAmerica.sponsored programs such as theseveral hundred thousand acres onUSDA's Conservation ReserveLong Island which supported goodThere are some distinct challengesProgram and private efforts suchpopulations of prairie chickens. Ato success with native grasses inas DUC's upland nesting habitatsixty acre rem nant of this oncethe east, as well as unique rewards.improvement activities havegreat grassland still exists j ustThis handbookgrown closer in fu nction. Thisacross the road from Nassauboth .common interest also exists inColiseum where the NY Islandersgrasslands and wetlands habitats inplay hockey. Tall grass prai riethe eastern climax forest region ofreac hed well into southwesternthe conti nent.attempt. to captureO ntario, where several hundredacres o f prairie rem ain on WalpoleIsland in the St. C lair River delta.This information is provided as a public service and constitutes no endorsement by the United States Department of Agricultu reor the Natural Resources Conservation Service of any supply, service or equipment listed. While an effort has been made toprovide a complete and accurate listing of services, supplies and equi pment, omissions or other errors may occur and,therefore, other available sources of information should be consul ted.Introdu ction
BackgroundMany of the native wann seasonwork, wildlife habitatin southem Ontario has lead to thegrasses - the prairie grasses - areimprovements, and forageformation of a tall grass prairiealso native in the northeast.production. They have capabilitiesrou ndtable. lltis diverse group ofCoastal slands of easternwhich the introduced grasses (coolagenc ies and individuals isgamagrass are locally common inor warm season) do not possess.promoting the use of native plantsConnecticut and south. Prairiefor prairie restoration, revegetationcordgrass can be found milled withThe NRCS, through its Plantof roadways and fragileAmerican beachgrass within a foolMaterials Program, has studied,agricultural land, biomass forof the high tide line in Maine andselected and used these nativeethanol production and forage. ToMassachusetts. Switchgrass asplants on a wide variety of sites.date, they have initiated activitieswell as big and little bluestem lineThis work is ongoing and hasfor local seed collection andrailroad grades and rivers.helped spark a growing interest inproduction, tested switchgrassHalfway up the gorge al Watkinsthe use of native grasses in thevarieties for biomass productionGlen. New York. the aware hikernortheast. Grassland establishmentand tested a variety of mixes inwill see a stand of indiangrass.will be occurri ng within 1996roadside plots.Farm Bill titles such as theRemnant stands of prairie grassesWildlife Habitat ImprovementOne cannot usually transferarc scattered across the southernProgram (WHIP), themidwestern native plant cultivarsparts of eastern Canada. InConservation Reserve Programand procedures directly tosouthern O ntario, a long growing(CRP), the Wetlands Reservenortheastern conditions. In theseason coupled with averageProgram (WRP) and thenort heast, introduced cool seasonannual precipitation of morc thanEnvironmental Qualitygrasses can pose strong30 inches (762 mm) results inImprovement Program (EQIP).competition to native grassremarkable stands of warm seasonseedlings. Wetter, cooler soi lgrasses. Prairie cordgrass andDucks Unlimited Canadaconditions may hinder seedlingswitchgrass are common in lower.recognizes the habitat value ofdevelopment. Frost heaving onmoister areas. Switchgrass is alsonative grasses, particularly forheavy soils can destroy afound on beach ridges and alongearly season nesti ng waterfowl. Inpromising stand during the winterabando ned railway beds. BigOntario, tall warm season speciesafter planting. The climate favorsbluestem, indiangrass and littlearc used to provide long livedthe encroachment of woodybluestem are present along manynesting cover that requiresspecies into idled grasslands.roadsides.minimum maintenance. EffortsElevation and aspect becomeover the past several years haveimportant considerations as oneIn some parts of the northeast,shown excellent results with amoves north and east.cooler temperatures do not allownumber of warm and cool seasonwarm season grasses to produce asspecies. Future work will examineThe state o f knowledge aboutmuch biomass as they do in thethe use of native forbs and shrubsrevegetation with native species ismidwest. In spite of that, theywith these grasses.not as well-developed in thehave proven to be very useful forrevegetation and reclamationBadt&roundnortheast as it is further west.A growing interest in native plants,There is, however, mueh that is
known. The infonnation presentedThis work should not be confusedapproaches may fade. For now,here is mostly based on practicalwith prairie restoration which isactively choosing to use nativeexperience. with an emphasis onexceedingly difficult andgrasses, forbs and legumestechniques for large scaleexpensive to attempt on a largerepresents a fundamental step inrevegetation plantings. Much of itscale. As time goes by and seedthe right direction.was derived from efforts in landavailability for more species andstabilization . reclamation andeastern ecotypes improves, thesehabitat restoration andd istinctions in goals andenhancement on multiacre siles.oQUEIIECNEW YORKPENNSYLVANIAMISSOURIRHODE ISlANDCONNECllCVTKENTUCKYVIRGINIAFigure 1. Northeastern North AmericaJ
Planting ObjectivesRecent HistoryRemnants of the tall grass prairiesparticularly in conjunction withthe prairie areas, such aspivot irrigation systems, and whenmeadowlarks, bobolinks,used as a snow barrier.dick.cisse1s, falcons and foxes,have reintroduced themselves 'l .and savannas that once doltedeastern forest regions are nowWarm season grasses are beingThis should not be surprising, asmostly limited to pioneerintegrated into grazing systems tothese areas are complexcemeteries, wasteland pastures,increase beef production duringecosystems. As reclamationroadsides, railroad beds and beachthe summer months when coolprojects increase in size and plantridges in parks and natureseason forage production declines.diversity, animal populations willpreserves. In recent years there hasUnlike the cool season grasses thatalso increase and become morebeen a resurgence of interest in thehave their greatest growth duringdiverse.use of native prairie grasses andcooler temperatures, warm seasonforbs . Many arboretums, naturepreserves, parks and privategrass production peaks at higherWaterfowl, pheasants, songbirds,temperatures. Utilizing thesedeer, rabbits and other sma1llandowners are dedicating areas 10contrasting patterns of yieldmammals use these areas forthe reestablishment. preservationdistribution helps to ensurenesting, food and shelter. Nativeand observation of these plants. Inadequate feed throughout thograsses - particularly warm seasonaddition to lheir beauty andsummer months and enhances thespecies - resist lodging because ofheritage value, they can fill aforage pnxluction of cool seasonsnowpack. and maintain a one tonumber of useful roles.grasses in late summer and fall.three foot ground cover throughoutWann season grasses in particularEven urban landscapes are reapingimportant to many wildlifeare very effective for erosionthe benefits of native prairiespecies. Also, in addition to thecontrol. Known for their extensivespecies. Their use as a waterplant parts and seeds that providefibrous root systems that hold soilconserving alternative to thefeed, insect populations develop inand slow ru noff, their use has beentraditional lawn eliminates thethese areas and provide anothersuccessful along roadsides.streambanks. on landfills,need for expensive irrigationimportant food source for manyequipment. Additionally, costswildlife speciesabandoned mines and bum areas.associated with maintenance andBecause of those root systems,chemical applications areFor these reasons it is Iiule wonderwarm season grasses are notabledrastically reduced.that many reclamation agencies,the winter that provides shelterLI groups and individua1s aresoil builders and help restore soilhealth. They have also provenFollowing the planting of nativeembracing the use of native planteffective as windbreaks,species, many fauna common tospecies. However, there is a widearray of native and introducedspecies available, each withattributes and limitations that mustbe considered.PlantInJ ObJtcthu
Warm season grassesmake most of theirannual growth duringsum mer and earlyautumn.Cool season grasseshave their majorgrowth peak in latespring/early summer.They may have asma ller growt h peaklate in the seasonwhen tcmperaturescool.Thi s switchgrasspasture in centralNew York provideshigh qualitysummer grazing.;l'lan!ing OlJje :!i,·es
What Is Native?When applied to plant species, thebrought into an area may be overlyonly be available in sufficientcompetitive to other desirablequantity from the producer of anplants. Either of these situationsadapted cultivar.word native ofleo means differentcould be costly and timethings to different people. In thisconsumi ng to correct Experiencemanual, nalive is used to refer tohas shown that ecotypes movedthe species indigenous to a regiontoo far north tend to haveat the time of European settlement.The grasses brought to NorthAmerica by our forefathers werePlant/Cover TypesThe discussion in this manual willhardiness problems, while thosefoc us primarily on large scale,moved too far south are likely tolo ng- lived plantings which createhave d isease problems.d iverse, easily managed cover thatis attractive to a wide range ofimported pri mari ly for agriculture.A cultivar, or variety, is anwildlife. This objective is oftenThese plants were so highlyecotype that has been selected forbest accomplished by revegetationadapted to northeastern conditionsspecific characteristics such as ratewith native grass, forb and shruband planted so extensively thatthey have outcompeted nativeof growth, d isease resistance,species. Unlike introduced species,forage yield or seedling vigor.adapted native species are virtuallygrasses in many of the ecosystemsMost are developed throughpermanent - given effectiveof the region. Those grasses haveplanned breeding programs withmanagement - making itlong been naturalized in theselections from diverse in itialunnecessary to reseed after severaleastern regions of North America.plant collections. As with otheryears. The additional cost ofA naturalized plant is onc that isecotypes, cultivars have specificreseeding is avoided as is the riskknown 10 have originated outsideareas of adaptation.of exposing the land to furthererosion during subsequent standof a particular region, but currentlyexists in the wild in self-The selection of species forperpetuati ng populations.reclamation plantings should bereestablishment.based on a combination of criteriaFor sites where nonpermanentWhile there are specificincludi ng the nature of the landcover is the objective, mixtures ofcharacteristics common to abase, purpose of seeding, likelyintroduced grasses and legumesspecies - regardless of place ofmanagement regimes, seedmay be more cost effective thanorigin - that distinguish it fromavailability, seed costs, longevity,native species. In addition, adaptedother species there are alsoease of stand establishment andnative species may not beadaptations wi thin a species thatthe attributes of available plantseparate it into eootypes. Onespeciesecotype d iffers from another incriteria are also likely to influenceboth of these cases, a list ofspecific morphological anddecisions regarding potential seedrecommended introduced speciesphysiological traits such as height,sources for each species used in ashould be obtained locally.hardiness or growth rate.planting mixture. Seed of a species15 Many of these samethat could be used in relativelyAn ecotype grown out of its areasmall amounts to increase theof adaptation is not likely todiversity of a planting may only beperfonn well and may not evenavailable from suppliers of locallysurvive. However, the oppositeharvested ecotypes. Conversely,may also be true; a speciesthe seed of another species may available to match the specificconditions found on some sites. In
Cool Season (C3) andWarm Season (C4)Plantsefficiently than do C3 grasses 7 .technique. called scul pturedThey also survive and adapt betterseeding'. can greatly enhance thethan m any C3 species underlongevity and diversity ofconditions of high water stress,recstablished grasslands.Native grasses are divided intohigh temperature. high oxygentwo main categories: cool seasonconcentration, low carbon dioxideSculptu red seeding (See Appendi xand warm season. They are alsoconcentration and high irradiance.B) is an ecological approach torevegetation based on knowledgereferred to as C3 and C4 plantsBig bluestem, ind iangrass andand understanding of the naturalphotosynthetic pathways. Coolswitchgrass are among thevegetation in the ecoclimaticseason grasses produce most o fdominantlall wann season grassesregion where the site is located.their growlh d uring the spring andof this region. They are best111e objective is to establish alate fa ll when the soil and airadapted to siles which have deep,diverse native plant communitytemperatures are cooler. Inmoist, fertile soils, but wi ll alsocapable of regeneration and longextremely cold climates. they aregrow well on many droughty sitesterm p lant succession. It isforced into donnancy by the coldin Ihe northeast. Good seedintended to match plant speciesweather. In temperate climatessupplies of these species arewith the site conditions underbecause of their particularthey generally go dormant oravailable. Many other warmwhich they are known 10 persist.nearly so in midsummer. For thisseason nalive grasses can alsoSeed mixtures are developed togroup of plants. the minimum airthrive on drier sites in this region.match soil and climatic conditionstemperature for active shootLocally importanl species withnot only within a region but alsogrow
USDA-NRCS Ducks Unlimited Canada. Paul Salon, Plant Materials Specialist T. Glen Koblun, CCA, Manager, 3266A State Route 352 Native Plant Solutions Corning, NY 14830 Unit A-1238 Chevrier Blvd., Winni
Introduction Native grasslands once covered vast expanses of North America, providing habitat that supported more than 800 native species of plants and animals. Native warm-season grasses were the dominant component of these prairie grassland ecosystems. Native warm-
sea grasses at some point in their lives. Sea grasses also help keep the Indian River Lagoon clear and healthy. 12. False. Seaweeds are algae. Now go to #9 13. True. High turbidity prevents sunlight from shining through the water to the sea grasses. Sea grasses need the sun’s energy to produce food. D
Interest in nonstructural carbohydrates in grasses began at Oregon State University in 2000. The overall objective was either to find varieties of grasses that had more energy than traditional varieties or to manage existing grasses for increased productivity. There was little data on natural variations in cool-season grass populations. The .
Warm-Season Grasses in the Mid-South, SP 731-D, for more information). In a grazing setting, stocking rates can be approximately 1,400 - 2,000 lb per acre, depending on species, under full-season summer grazing (see Grazing Native Warm-Season Grasses in the Mid-South, SP 731-C, for more information). High-Quality Forage
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Artificial intelligence is a new digital frontier that will have a profound impact on the world, transforming the way we live and work. WIPO Director General, Francis Gurry. Preface 7 Foreword 8 About the contributors 10 Acknowl- edgments 12 Executive summary 13 1 Introduction The past, present and future of AI: what research and innovation trends can reveal; the data used in this report and .
