Article written by: Nealy Molhoek, Stewardship Supervisor
From the inception of the Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission (OCPR) in 1987, Parks properties have been managed with natural resources in mind. We are fortunate to live in a region that contains dozens of diverse ecological features, and as an organization we have taken on the responsibility to protect and manage them wisely. From the native wild rice growing at Stearns Creek Park to the Pitcher’s thistle and American bittersweet at Rosy Mound, and the monarch butterflies found throughout the Parks system, staff strive to protect rare and declining species.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 helped to codify protections for the most vulnerable of species and to bring attention to the plight of those in decline. Conservation status ranking is evaluated on a state, national, and even global level and the protections brought about by these designations have helped to conserve hundreds of species and slow extinctions. We have begun to realize, however, that conservation by species isn’t enough. One of the largest threats to declining species is habitat loss. If loss of habitat is not addressed this species conservation won’t be sustainable. Development and fragmentation of natural lands and proliferation of invasive species all contribute to habitat loss.
More progressive, modern approaches to conservation come from a landscape level perspective.
What is a landscape level approach?
Landscape level conservation focuses on protecting an entire ecosystem, and all the organisms that comprise that system, to encourage sustainability and diversity within the system. Why does this matter?
Biodiversity across an ecosystem acts like a shield, building resilience and protecting that ecosystem from threats and stressors.
A great example is a healthy wetland system vs. one heavily infested with invasive phragmites. A healthy, diverse wetland acts like a sponge, mitigating large rain events by storing and filtering stormwater it as it slowly infiltrates the soil to become groundwater. The health and diversity of the wetland not only impacts the water quality, but also reduces effects of flooding and improves shoreline stability. Invasive phragmites is a tall grass that tends to grow in monocultures in aquatic situations, aggressively taking up space for other types of aquatic plants. A wetland that becomes infested with phragmites loses these flood and water quality mitigation properties. The phragmites actually alters the hydrology and structure of the wetland by accumulating biomass and trapping sediment, disabling the ecosystem functions normally provided by an intact wetland system.
Wendell Berry said: “Community, then, is an indispensable term in any discussion of the connection between people and land. A healthy community is a form that includes all the local things that are connected…(1993).
Interconnectedness includes humans too!
Interconnectedness in natural communities is clearly important. Conserving or restoring intact ecosystems ensures that these communities are healthier and more resilient when they do face threats. That interconnectedness extends to the human piece of the puzzle. We are a very real and active component of the natural communities we live in. We can rebuild and conserve these natural communities while at the same time building conservation communities through volunteering and service-based learning to expand our efforts and our perspective to a landscape scale.
Volunteers planting seeding in a restoration area (on a VERY cold day)
Examples of landscape level restoration in Ottawa County Parks
Landscape scale restoration ecology with biodiversity and increased ecosystem resilience as goals informs the restoration work that OCPR staff have completed on parks properties.
Upper Macatawa Natural Area, Zeeland, MI
Upper Macatawa Natural Area (UMNA) in Zeeland is an example of large-scale restoration work in the parks. The property had been farmed since the Holland area was occupied by Dutch settlers in the early 19th century. Its rivers were channelized, its wetlands were tiled and drained, and its fields were planted with crops or pasture grass, eliminating the native plants that made up the functioning ecosystems. The restoration project at UMNA was extensive, and although it’s nearly impossible to restore the same level of species richness, or ecosystem services, the changes in biodiversity, flood mitigation, and nutrient sequestration, among other factors, are significant and measurable.
Riverside Park
The restoration project at Riverside Park was slightly smaller in scale, but no less important. Staff, volunteers, and contractors worked at Riverside to stabilize the Grand River shoreline in a manner that would also capture excess sediment from the river, increase connectivity between water bodies in the park, and improve the infrastructure of the park. The restoration project was well-documented, and you can read all about it here.
Eastmanville Farm
A portion of Eastmanville Farm is also being restored with resilience, biodiversity, and ecosystem functions in mind. Find more details at the OCPR blog. Looking toward the near future, restoration plans are in the works for Ottawa Sands. Staff is working with biologists from the DNR and Audubon to increase and improve wetland ecosystems around the 80-acre manmade lake, and along the sag of the Grand River. These improvements will help to restore and create habitat and ecosystem function.
Oak Savannah restoration: planting bur oaks at Eastmanville Farm
Learn more & get involved!
To learn more about the great work being done at Ottawa County Parks, check out our newsletters, follow the blog, or our social media accounts. There are also many ways to become involved in our work. To explore volunteer opportunities, check out the volunteer section of our website, or contact Volunteer Program Supervisor Carly Garvelink at cgarvelink@miottawa.org.