It’s hard to believe summer is almost at an end, but Friends of Rye Nature Center is already looking ahead to autumn! Our conservation efforts don’t always get as much attention as our education programs, so here is a look at what our dedicated conservation team will be working on this fall.
Invasives
Our conservationists and land stewards are continuing their campaign against invasive flora. One particularly insidious autumn invasive is stiltgrass, which seeds in September and can create a seed bank that lasts 3-5 years if left unchecked. Cutting out these seeds early reduces the seed bank.
New Plantings
Our staff will also be planting many native species to replace the invasives. Fall is an ideal time to plant: more water and less heat stress nurture new plantings, and as the weather gets colder, plants will go into dormancy and require less water.
Riparian Project
Another major project we are undertaking is our Riparian Restoration Project. The Blind Brook streambank, a major tributary of the Long Island Sound and a beautiful feature of our community, has suffered significant erosion and loss of quality habitat. Erosion and undercutting have destroyed many native habitats, while invasive species disrupt the floodplain’s water storage capacity and prevent trees from maintaining healthy roots. The brook is influenced by tidal influxes, severe storm surges, and regular flash flooding events which puts it at high risk of further erosion.
In 2021, the Westchester Community Foundation awarded us funds to gather baseline data and identify key project sites for intervention methods. We are awaiting a grant that will fund the next phase of this project which will include finalizing designs for restoration, applying for the appropriate permits, and ultimately constructing the infrastructural changes to the floodplain.
Our primary goals for this project are to:
Repair the riparian buffer to increase biodiversity.
Stabilize the streambanks to reduce erosion and restore habitats.
Lower the sedimentation rate to reduce pollution and improve water quality.
With this project, we will increase opportunities for more vegetative and aquatic life to prosper in the Blind Brook.
Our conservation work is made possible through your support. If you would like to support us year-round, please click here to become a FRNC member. If you want to stay updated on our projects, you can join our mailing list here.