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Is it ok to dump lawn clippings and chopped leaves in a restored wetland?
Is it ok to dump lawn clippings and chopped leaves in a restored wetland?
Well, no.
Some reasons:
They bring excess nutrients and potential invasive seeds to an area that was restored to provide a natural riparian buffer.
They bring residual lawn chemicals (if used)
They do nothing to hold the soil - in fact quite the opposite - they choke vegetation that would otherwise be providing that critical function for a riparian buffer.
Better solutions might be to use a mulching mower, or ask a neighbor if they want the leaves for mulching or composting, or ask the local municipality what options they can suggest for these yard wastes.
How to mulch a tree
How to mulch a tree
Among the ecological purposes of mulching trees, stabilizing soil moisture and controlling weed germination and growth are key.
But one practice is counterproductive: Piling up mulch against a trunk softens the tissue, making it more vulnerable to disease. The practice stimulates girding roots, which can slow growth and may kill the affected tree in due course. Where mulch is too thick, the near-surface roots can no longer perform their gas exchange function. While many trees may appear to tolerate these stresses for a time, they may not thrive.
The tree pictured here has been freed of the four inches of mulch placed against it above its planting depth.
The International Society of Arboriculture and Penn State Extension provide more information about mulching.
SS
3 good reasons to not build more dams in the creeks
3 good reasons to not build more dams in the creeks
Even small stone dams, built for fun, can trap floating debris and create larger backups that interrupt natural flow. The diverted flow can carve further into already unstable stream banks, causing more soil to end up in the creek.
Little dams can increase sediment deposition upstream of the dam. Not great for critters with gills.
Poor conservation-minded folks have to remove your dam, to help return to a more natural flow. We tire easily. Be kind, and give us a break!
PD
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