Wildlife Photograph

From the Ground, Up: Ijams Get WHIPped Into Shape

Friday December 08, 2006
From the Ground Up is the monthly contribution from Ijams' Park Manager. It's a look at what's really going on at the park.

We are excited to receive a $5,000 grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service Wildlife Habitat Improvement Project (WHIP).  The funds will be used to administer the wildlife habitat plan recommended by NRCS officers to improve Ijams Nature Center.

  The removal of invasive exotic shrubs and trees from designated areas of the park is already underway.   Invasive exotic plants are introduced from one continent to another, usually by people.  Plants such as kudzu vine, Chinese river privet, Amur honeysuckle, Mimosa tree and White mulberry were introduced to this country as ornamental plants planted around homes.  Over time they escape into the landscape through seeds and vegetative growth.  These plants grow and reproduce rapidly and out-compete our native plants, especially in disturbed areas.  This results in negative impacts to plant communities, forests and on the animals that rely on specific native plants for food and cover.

Ijams staff and volunteers have been pulling privet and bush honeysuckle shrubs along the South Cove trail.  We are cutting and stump treating Mimosa trees in the forest and meadow areas on the Will Skelton Greenway and the River trail.

  At Mead’s quarry we are clearing exotic trees and mowing the meadow areas.  The City of Knoxville is donating 6,000 cubic yards of alluvial soil from the Third Creek Restoration project.  Alluvial soil is soil that is deposited as silt along river and creek valleys and is usually very fertile. We will spread the soil around the quarry site and on it we will seed an annual grass cover crop to prevent erosion.  In the early Spring we will sow native warm season grass seeds.  The warm season grasses common to East Tennessee are little blue stem, Indian grass, broom sedge, purple top, love grass, and plume grass to name a few.  These species provide habitat for wild birds and animals.

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