an urban habitat enhancement program through collaboration with local, state, and federal government...
TRANSCRIPT
An Urban Habitat Enhancement ProgramThrough collaboration with local, state, and federal government agencies, private businesses, and nonprofit organizations, the Indiana University~Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) implemented an urban riparian restoration project along eight acres of the White River in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana during the fall of 1999 and spring of 2000. The one-mile stretch of riverbank, planted with approximately 1400 trees, is now evolving into a wildflower meadow and shrub/sapling habitat as the trees grow and other species gradually recolonize the area. The massive experiment will test the best way to restore riverbanks by comparing the three most common methods for planting trees to restore native forests. A minimum of five years of monitoring and assessment will provide valuable data on reforestation strategies. This long-term study is monitoring the growth and development of the White River floodplain and evaluating the effectiveness of the restoration methods. Research results are posted on the project web site and are also provided continually to natural resource managers to improve ongoing restoration efforts. Data and additional information can be found on the web site at: www.cees.iupui.edu/ARBOR.
Planting Strategies
Area 3
Area 2
Area 4
Area 1
Area 5
Control
Containerized
Bare-root, Row
Bare-root, Random
Area 4
Area 5
Area 6
Area 8
Area 7
Control
Containerized
Bare-root, Row
Bare-root, Row
Bare-root, Random
Tree Survival (Spring 2003)
Experimental Restoration Design
Treatment Plot # / Size (Acres) # of Trees Planted*Spring 2003
Survival Rate (%)
Containerized (root-forced trees in 10-gallon pots)
1 / 0.95 216 68.1
7 / 0.95 204 79.9
Bare-root Random (no weed controls)
2 / 0.86 240 57.5
8 / 0.88 240 60.4
Bare-root Weed Inhibitor Strategies (geotextile mats and cover crop)
4 / 1.16 216 52.8
6 / 1.08 216 54.6
Control
3 / 0.64 0 N/A
5 / 0.73 0 N/A
* Species include approximately equal numbers of Hawthorn; Honey Locust; Swamp White Oak; Red Maple; Hackberry; Chinquapin Oak; Ohio Buckeye; Silver Maple; Sycamore; Cottonwood; Green Ash; and Black Willow
Long Term Monitoring Parameters•Ground Water Elevation – weekly, hourlyGround Water Elevation – weekly, hourly•Water Quality (physical/chemical) - weeklyWater Quality (physical/chemical) - weekly•Tree Survival and Growth (height, diameter) – seasonallyTree Survival and Growth (height, diameter) – seasonally•Natural Recruitment of Woody Species – seasonallyNatural Recruitment of Woody Species – seasonally•Exotic Species Appearance and Distribution - annuallyExotic Species Appearance and Distribution - annually•Vegetation Monitoring – annuallyVegetation Monitoring – annually•Bird Usage (species, #) – quarterlyBird Usage (species, #) – quarterly•Butterfly and Dragonfly Usage (species, #) - seasonallyButterfly and Dragonfly Usage (species, #) - seasonally•Reptile and Amphibian Usage (species, #) – annuallyReptile and Amphibian Usage (species, #) – annually
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S
#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S #S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S #S
#S
#S
#S
#S#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S#S
#S
#S
#S#S
#S#S#S
ARBOR Trees - Spring 2003Center for Earth and Environmental ScienceIndiana University ~ Purdue University, Indianapoliswww.cees.iupui.edu N
IMAGIS 1999
25 0 25 50 75 Meters
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S #S #S#S #S#S #S #S
#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S
#S#S
#S#S
#S#S
#S#S
#S#S
#S#S
#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S
#S#S
#S#S
#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S #S #S #S #S #S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S
#S#S #S #S #S #S #S #S #S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S #S #S#S #S #S #S#S
#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S#S #S #S #S#S
#S
#S
#S#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S
#S#S#S
#S
#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S #S
#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S#S
ARBOR Trees - Spring 2003Center for Earth and Environmental ScienceIndiana University ~ Purdue University, Indianapoliswww.cees.iupui.edu N
IMAGIS 1999
25 0 25 50 75 Meters
Baseline Studies
•Historic Flood FrequencyHistoric Flood Frequency•Seasonal Water Level FluctuationsSeasonal Water Level Fluctuations•Seed Bank/Natural Plant Recruitment StudySeed Bank/Natural Plant Recruitment Study
•Creation of Site HerbariumCreation of Site Herbarium•Reptile and Amphibian StudyReptile and Amphibian Study•Bird CensusBird Census•Sediment Stratigraphy and Sediment ChemistrySediment Stratigraphy and Sediment Chemistry•Historic Land UseHistoric Land Use
1998 2000 2001 2002 2003
Restoration Site Progress
The Lilly ARBOR Project: Promoting Science-Based Environmental The Lilly ARBOR Project: Promoting Science-Based Environmental Education and Outreach within an Urban Riparian SettingEducation and Outreach within an Urban Riparian Setting
The Lilly ARBOR Project: Promoting Science-Based Environmental Education and Outreach within an Urban Riparian Setting
Salazar, K. A.1, Tedesco L. P.1, Atekwana, E. A.1, Swope, R. J.1, Pachut, J. F.1, Lindsey, G.2, Hernly, F.V.1, and Hall, B. E.1
Indiana University~Purdue University Indianapolis (1) Center for Earth and Environmental Science
Department of Geology (2) Center for Urban Policy and the Environment
School of Public and Environmental AffairsIndianapolis, IN 462028
Undergraduate Experiential EducationUndergraduate Geology and Environmental Science students are an integral part of the ARBOR restoration project. Faculty utilize the field station to demonstrate state-of-the-art instrumentation and field techniques while providing scientific framework for data collection and analysis.
Project SEAMProject SEAM is a collaborative effort involving fifteen central Indiana school districts and five post-secondary institutions that have teamed in order to create a "seamless" transition between high school and college for all students. To this end, workshops for secondary teachers provide professional development opportunities and introduction to the resources available at Indiana colleges and universities. The five-day summer institute facilitated by the IUPUI Center for Earth and Environmental Science and the Department of Geology introduces teachers to the Lilly ARBOR Project as an environmental science field station. The program provides: a) Background content knowledge necessary for teachers to utilize an ecological restoration research site for field and laboratory experiences. b) Introduction to web-distributed data sets that are generated by researchers at the site. c) Support and infrastructure to facilitate experimentation at the site by high school science students during the school year. and d) Strategies for creating and delivering lessons for the high school student.
The educational impact of the Lilly ARBOR Project is far-reaching and exciting. It offers a much-needed outdoor classroom and study area. Environmental education and outreach programs have been designed to reach K-12 teachers and students, the campus and surrounding community, and environmental professionals. The Lilly ARBOR project site provides an outdoor ecological field experience with a watershed, a riparian system, and wetlands as well as exposure to research techniques on topics such as population studies of flora and fauna and water quality analysis. Participants are additionally introduced to advanced technology systems such as Geographic Information Systems and Global Positioning Systems through demonstrations and applied use.
Earth Science Education and Public Outreach
“We’re building a forest – and we’re doing it with scientists, students, teachers, civic groups, and corporate and community volunteers.”
Some of the geologic principles explored at the field station include:
•Geologic Mapping and Field Methods•Total station surveying and topographic analysis•GPS surveying and mapping•Sediment stratigraphy and facies analysis from cores
•Hydrogeology and Hydrology•Groundwater monitoring well and piezometer installation•Groundwater flow modeling•Groundwater chemistry analysis
•Environmental Geochemistry•Floodplain sediment metal analysis•Soil organic carbon analysis
Through the CEES service learning program, IUPUI faculty and professional staff from four schools and professional environmental managers work with area high school and middle school students, IUPUI students, other Indianapolis-area university students, and community members to conduct tree monitoring research and to maintain the restoration site through trash clean-ups. The work days are a critical component of the on-going experiment of the Lilly ARBOR project. The tree monitoring data is collected twice yearly, in the spring and the fall, and is used to determine whether trends exist for the planting styles used, the species of trees planted, and the location of the trees, among other parameters. Service learning students are introduced to the site and research objectives and are then paired with a faculty or staff group leader to measure the growth of planted trees and note the overall health. The data is used to determine long term trends in the restoration such as species selection and planting style. Students are required to write a short paper outlining the work day and the relevance to course concepts and environmental stewardship.
The interdisciplinary collaboration and use of the Lilly ARBOR project site has permitted several hundred individuals each year to contribute to the research and maintenance of the site while educating them about the importance of maintaining biological diversity and participating in environmental stewardship.
Campus and Community Outreach
“Planting trees was a lot of fun. It felt really good to be doing something to help benefit our community ….I have never done something that felt so rewarding and it took so little time out of my day to help with this project. …This was absolutely a great experience.”
“I chose to do the service-learning project because I have never planted anything throughout my whole life. …It was possibly one of the most meaningful things I have done in the course of my collegiate career. I not only had fun, but I also learned about why and how we need to begin to help clean up the White River (and many other rivers too)!
“From this project I learned that as an individual I could make a dramatic difference in the environment around me. Personally, I feel a sense of accomplishment.” “From this project I learned that as an individual I could make a dramatic difference in the environment around me. Personally, I feel a sense of accomplishment.”
Professional OutreachCorporate groups and environmental professionals utilize the restoration site for employee volunteer days and group tours. Eli Lilly and Company, the Rotary Club of Indianapolis, and the Soroptimists Club are a few of the groups that participate in site maintenance through trash clean-ups and tree monitoring work days yearly. Environmental professionals utilize the site as a field trip destination for conferences and instructional workshops.
Service Learning Quotes
The Lilly ARBOR Project: Promoting Science-Based Environmental The Lilly ARBOR Project: Promoting Science-Based Environmental Education and Outreach within an Urban Riparian SettingEducation and Outreach within an Urban Riparian Setting
Center for Earth and Environmental ScienceSchool of Science
Indiana University~Purdue University, Indianapoliswww.cees.iupui.edu