Vegetation for Restoring Ecosystems
& Treating Stormwater
Learning Center Website http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/water/lc/StreamVeg.html
Eve Brantley – Auburn
Kathy DeBusk - NCSU
Karen Hall, NCSU
Wendi Hartup - NCSU
Frank Henning, EPA-SRWP
Bill Hunt, Ph.D., PE, NCSU
Fouad Jaber, Ph.D. – TAMU
Greg Jennings, Ph.D., PE, NCSU
Amanda Abnee Gumbert - UK
Ashley Osborne – UK
Mark Risse, Ph.D.,PE - UGA
Calvin B. Sawyer, Ph.D – Clemson
Dotty Woodson, Ed.D - TAMU
Mitch Woodward - NCSU
Jason Wright, NCSU
Getting the Right Plants in the Right Place:
Streamside and Stormwater Vegetation Practices
Importance of Vegetation
• Bank and stream
channel stabilization
• Water quality/filtration
• Shade
• Habitat
Stream restoration project improperly planted
Stream restoration project properly planted
Why Assessments are needed prior to
construction
• Determine if existing
vegetation is a good
template for revegetation
• Discover problematic
issues to plan for before
construction
• Identify special features
to enhance or protect
• Gather ecological data for
restoration planning
Assessment of Riparian Areas preconstruction
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Plant inventory of site
Soil characterization
Published natural resource information
Jurisdictional wetland delineations if needed
Threatened and endangered species survey if
needed
Thorough assessment of problematic and exotic
invasive plants
Thorough assessment of potential herbivory
problems
Project constraints
Potential transplant material
Notation of special trees/plants that should not be
hindered
Plant inventory
•Use local guides
•Check for natural resource publications
•Contact plant professionals
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Soils
Nutrients
Compactedness
Composition
Plans for tilling, mulching, liming
Jurisdictional wetlands
•Delineations
•T&E Species
•State and Federal Permits
Threatened and Endangered Species
• US FWS
http://www.fws.gov/nc-es/es/
• NC Natural Heritage Program
http://www.ncnhp.org/
• NC Wildlife Resources Commission
http://www.ncwildlife.org/
Problematic and Invasive
Plants
Common Riparian Invasive Exotic Plants
• Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental Bittersweet)
• Elaeagnus umbellata (Silverberry)
• Hedera helix (English Ivy)
• Ligustrum sinense (Chinese Privet)
• Lonicera japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle)
• Microstegium vimineum (Japanese Stiltgrass)
• Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese Knotweed)
• Pueraria lobata (Kudzu)
• Rosa multiflora (Multiflora Rose)
Herbivory issues
Project Constraints
• Buildings
• Sewer Lines
• Utility Lines
Transplant Identification
Noting Special Vegetation
Identify your projects vegetation needsThe Vegetation Plan
•How much area is to be planted?
•Do you want shrubs, trees, forbs?
•Do you want small containers, bare-roots, or ball and burlap?
•Is erosion control seeding needed? What type of native seed?
•Should you apply fertilizer?
Goals of Vegetation Planting
• Establish temporary cover quickly after
construction has ended
• Establish long term and permanent vegetation
for site stabilization
• Use varieties of vegetation that are site
appropriate
• Use vegetation that is effective at that site
• Avoid vegetation that will harm surrounding
ecosystems
• Establish a maintenance plan or schedule to
ensure survivability of vegetation
Proper planning before construction will
increase chances for successful vegetation
establishment
Plant selection
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Temporary Seed
Permanent Seed
Livestakes
Transplants
Bareroot
Tublings
Potted
Ball/Burlap
Other
Selecting Plant Materials
• Consult with a plant
professional early in the
process
• A temporary, non-invasive, and
non-competitive annual
grass/grain species should be
incorporated with the native
seed mix when practical
• Permanent seed species
within the seed mixture should
be selected based on natural
occurrence of each species in
the project site area
• Consider climate, soils, and
topography of each site
• Seeds adapted to appropriate
sites should be purchased
from a reputable seed grower
and should be certified
Selecting Plant Materials
(cont.)
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Do not accept seed containing
“prohibited” noxious weed seed
For successful broadcast seeding,
seeds should be cleaned if
possible
If warm season grasses with
“fluffy” seeds are used, a
specialized warm season grass
drill should be employed where
possible
Cultivars should be selected
based on adaptation to site/ region
Stratification, either naturally or
artificially, is required for most
native seed species to ensure
proper germination.
Temporary Cover
Purpose: To protect riparian areas from erosion and
decrease sediment yield in adjacent streams using
temporary annual vegetation as an immediate cover
while perennial native vegetation becomes established.
Temporary Seeding Application Rates
Common
name
Scientific Name
Rate
per
Acre
Rye grain
Wheat
German millet
Browntop millet
Secale cereale
Triticum aestivum
Setaria italica
Urochloa ramosa
30 lbs
30 lbs
10 lbs
10 lbs
Optimal Planting Dates
Mountains
Piedmont
Coastal Plain
Aug. 15-May 15 Aug. 15-May 1 Aug. 15-Apr. 15
Aug. 15-May 15 Aug. 15-May 1 Aug. 15-Apr. 15
May 15-Aug. 15 May 1-Aug. 15 Apr. 15-Aug. 15
May 15-Aug. 15 May 1-Aug. 15 Apr. 15-Aug. 15
Temporary
Annual Cover Species
• Temporary annual seed selection should be
based on season of project installation
• In some cases where seasons overlap, a
mixture of two or more temporary species may
be necessary; however, application rates should
not exceed the total recommended rate per acre
• A single species selection for temporary cover is
acceptable
• Temporary seed should be mixed and applied
simultaneously with the permanent seed mix if
season/optimal planting date permits
Long Term and Permanent Cover
Why Perennial Native Vegetation?
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Plants are adapted to local soil types
and climatic variations
Generally require little to no
maintenance
Many of the species have evolved
deep, extensive root structures that
help stabilize soils and reduce erosive
forces of rainfall and overland stream
flow
Many species possess certain
characteristics that allow them not only
to survive, but also to thrive under
local conditions
Naturally occurring plant communities
provide optimal habitat for terrestrial
and aquatic fauna
Perennial Seeding
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The following tables provide selections of
native permanent seeds based on
physiographic regions.
Included in these tables are species,
cultivars, appropriate percentage rates of
mixture, and optimal planting times
No specific seeding rate is given in
order to allow for custom seed mixes
based on site characteristics and season
However, permanent seed inclusion in
the mixture should total between 6 to 8
lbs. of pure live seed (PLS) per acre
drilled or 12 to 15 lbs. PLS per acre
broadcast applied
At least four species should be selected
for the mixture, including one species
from each type; selection of more than
four species is recommended for
increasing chances of successful
vegetation establishment
Permanent Seeding Recommendations-Mountain Region
Common Name
Switchgrass
Indiangrass
Deertongue
Big Bluestem
Little Bluestem
Sweet
Woodreed
Scientific Name
Panicum virgatum
Sorghastrum
nutans
Dichanthelium
clandestinum
Andropogon
gerardii
Schizachyrium
scoparium
Cultivars
Cave-in-Rock - well drained,
Blackwell - well-drained,
Shelter - well-drained,
Kanlow - poorly-drained,
Carthage - well-drained
Rumsey, Osage, Cheyenne
Tioga
Roundtree, Kaw, Earl
Aldous, Cimarron
Type
Warm
Season
Warm
Season
Warm
Season
Warm
Season
Warm
Season
Percentage
of Mix
Optimal
Planting Dates
Soil Drainage
Adaptation
Cultivar
Dependent
Well-drained to
Droughty
Poorly-drained
to Droughty
10-15%
Dec. 1 - Apr. 15
10-30%
Dec. 1 - Apr. 15
5-25%
Dec. 1 - Apr. 15
10-30%
Dec. 1 - Apr. 15
10-30%
Dec. 1 - Apr. 15
Well-drained to
Droughty
Well-drained to
Droughty
Poorly-drained
to Well-drained
Cinna arundinacea
Warm
Season
1-10%
Dec. 1 - Apr. 15
Rice Cutgrass
Leersia oryzoides
Warm
Season
5-25%
Indian Woodoats
Chasmanthium
latifolium
Cool
Season
1-10%
Virginia Wildrye
Eastern
Bottlebrush
Grass
Elymus virginicus
Cool
Season
5-25%
Elymus hystrix
Cool
Season
5-10%
Soft Rush
Juncus effusus
Wetland
1-10%
Shallow Sedge
Carex lurida
Wetland
1-10%
Fox Sedge
Carex vulpinoidea
Wetland
1-10%
Dec. 1 - Apr. 15
March 1 - May
15, July 15 Aug. 15
March 1 - May
15, July 15 Aug. 15
March 1 - May
15, July 15 Aug. 15
Dec. 1 - May 15,
Aug. 15 - Oct. 15
Dec. 1 - May 15,
Aug. 15 - Oct. 15
Dec. 1 - May 15,
Aug. 15 - Oct. 15
Shade
Tolerance
Height
(feet)
Poor
6
Poor
6
Moderate
6
Poor
6
Poor
4
Moderate
5
Poorly-drained
Poor
5
Well-drained to
Droughty
Moderate
4
Well-drained to
Droughty
Moderate
3
Well-drained to
Droughty
Moderate
3
Poorly-drained
Poor
4
Poorly-drained
Poor
3
Poorly-drained
Poor
3
A word about native grasses…
Floodplain restoration
Soil amelioration and seeding
Seedbed Preparation
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Disturbed soils within riparian
zones must be amended to
provide an optimum environment
for seed germination and seedling
growth
The surface soil must be loose
enough for water infiltration and
root penetration.
Soil analysis should be
performed to determine nutrient
and lime needs of each site.
Appropriate levels of phosphorus
and potassium are critical for
permanent seed establishment.
Construction activities within the
riparian area can greatly compact
soils. Suitable mechanical means
such as disking, raking, or
harrowing must be employed to
loosen the compacted soil prior to
seeding.
Planting
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Planting dates given in the
seeding mixture specifications
are designated as “optimal”.
Seeds properly sowed within
the “optimal” dates have a
higher probability of success.
Many native perennial
species require a cold, wet
treatment (stratification)
before they will germinate at
the rate noted on the seed
tag. Seeding before the local
date of last frost usually
provides enough exposure to
cold moist conditions to meet
these requirements. Seeding
before that date also insures
early germination that will
decrease the chance that
seedlings will be affected by
summer droughts. Seed sown
late may not germinate until
the year after it is sown after it
has been exposed to cold,
wet conditions.
Planting (cont.)
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Apply seed uniformly with a
cyclone seeder, drop-type
spreader, drill, or hydroseeder
on a firm, friable seedbed.
When using a drill, equipment
should be calibrated in the field
for the desired seeding rate. In
fine soils, seeds should be
drilled ¼ to ½ inch. In coarse
sandy soils seeds should be
planted to no more than ¾ inch.
Cover broadcast seed by lightly
raking or chain dragging; then
firm the surface with a roller or
cultipacker to provide good
seed contact.
Mulch all plantings immediately
after seeding. If planting on
stream banks steeper than 10%
or areas subject to flooding, a
coir or jute matting is
recommended to hold seeds in
place.
Transplants
Use bionetting for matting in riparian areas. Avoid plastics!
Vegetation and the Restoration
Process
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Post-construction planting:
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Live stakes
Bareroot plants
Container plants
Monitoring
Season matters!
Live Stakes
•½ - 2 inches
diameter
•Plant 4/5th in
ground
•Leave one set
of buds above
surface
•Plant in
correct
direction
Live stakes
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Dormant season (Oct-March)
Native local stock
Holds erosion mat in place
Steep banks
2-3 foot centers
Trees and shrubs
– 320 planted stems per acre after five years
– Bare root, container, transplants, live stakes
Recommended Plants for
Streamsides: Piedmont Region
TREES
SMALL
TREES/SHRUBS
HERBACEOUS
Betula nigra
Acer floridanum
Arisaema triphyllum
river birch
southern sugar maple
jack-in-the-pulpit
Carya cordiformis
Aesculus sylvatica
Asclepias incarnata
bitternut hickory
painted buckeye
swamp milkweed
Carya ovata
Alnus serrulata
Carex crinata
shagbark hickory
tag alder
fringed sedge
Celtis laevigata
Amelanchier arborea
Carex intumescens
sugarberry
serviceberry
bladder sedge
Celtis laevigata
Aronia arbutifolia
Carex lupulina
sugarberry
red chokeberry
hop sedge
Diospyros virginiana
Asimina triloba
Carex lurida
persimmon
common pawpaw
lurid sedge
Fraxinus
pennsylvanica
Calycanthus floridus
Carex scoparia
sweet-shrub
broom sedge
Nyssa sylvatica
Carpinus caroliniana
Carex stricta
blackgum
ironwood
tussock sedge
green ash
Nursery 1
Quantity
Betula Nigra
River Birch
100
Platanus occidentalis
Fraxninus
pensylvanica
Liriodendron tulipifera
Ulmus americana
Sycamore
100
Green Ash
Tulip poplar
American Elm
100
50
50
Total
400
Type
tree
bands
tree
bands
tree
bands
gallon
gallon
Cost
Total
$3.50
$350.00
$3.50
$350.00
$3.50
$5.25
$5.25
$350.00
$262.50
$262.50
$1,575.00
Nursery 2
Cornus florida
Lindera benzoin
Liriodendron tulipifera
Nyssa sylvatica
Nyssa sylvatica
Platanus occidentalis
Quercus phellos
Salix nigra
Flowering
dogwood
Spicebush
Tulip poplar
Blackgum
Blackgum
Sycamore
Willow oak
Black willow
Total
20
50
3
50
3
4
50
50
230
gallon
tubling
15-gal
gallon
15-gal
15-gal
gallon
tubling
$5.00
$2.00
$50.00
$5.00
$50.00
$50.00
$5.00
$2.00
$100.00
$100.00
$150.00
$250.00
$150.00
$200.00
$250.00
$100.00
$1,300.00
Tree planting
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Native species
Tree shelters
Tree mats
Herbicides
Bareroot planting:
•Use dibble bar or
spade
•No j-rooting
•Plant root collar
at soil surface
•Leave no air
spaces around
roots
Container plants:
•Better
survivability
•More costly
•Use spade or
shove to install
•Water
Installation:
•Monitor
contractors or
staff
•Replace dead or
dying material
Monitoring
Successful plant establishment can be maximized through
good planning, knowledge of soil characteristics, selections
of suitable plant species for each site, proper seedbed
amelioration, and timely planting and maintenance.
Please Complete the Program Evaluation!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PN7X9R9
Stream Vegetation Learning Center
www.caes.uga.edu/extension/water/lc/StreamVeg.html
Questions?
www.ncsu.edu/srp