Norwalk River Watershed Association

VOLUNTEERS RESTORE HABITAT ALONG RIVER

Project is seen as way to improve
water quality, wildlife refuge

by Julian Knox,
(c) Hersam Acorn Press

Article reprinted with permission from
The Wilton Bulletin, July 1, 1998, p.3A

There is nothing like the sight and smell of freshly mowed, bright green grass. Except when it is next to a river.

According to Wilton Director of Environmental Affairs Patricia Sesto, mowed grass and other non-native plants can be highly detrimental to ponds and rivers.

For this reason Ms. Sesto, who is also co-chairperson of the Norwalk River Watershed Initiative Committee, and a group of 35 volunteers from various community organizations met last Wednesday to restore more than half an acre of the Perkin-Elmer Corporation's property on the Norwalk River from mowed grass to its natural state.

Areas such as this pose several problems for the nearby rivers as well as for the property itself, said Ms. Sesto. Since mowed grass is a uniform floral community, it provides little or no cover for native birds and insects.

"The diversity of species a lawn can support is lower than shrubs," said Ms. Sesto. In addition, grass allows for more sunlight to hit the river, which raises the water temperature. Consequently, the warmer water experiences a decrease in oxygen and an increase in algae blooms.

Runoff concerns

Grass also allows for a greater runoff of foreign substances such as fertilizers and other chemicals into the water, which increases the water temperature and promotes algae growth, according to Ms. Sesto. Runoff kills insects, which gives the area's fish little to feed on.

Last Wednesday, the volunteers planted 450 shrubs and 30 trees in the half-acre area, and also spread 200 cubic yards of mulch. Although the scheduled hours for the event were from 8 to noon, a number of volunteers stayed until 5:30.

The group consisted of members of three garden clubs from Ridgefield, Norwalk and Wilton, the Wilton Ecology Club, Trout Unlimited, and the Norwalk River Watershed Association. The Wilton Planning and Zoning and Wetlands commissions even closed their offices for the day to participate in the site restoration.

Contractor Oscar Gates of Wilton contributed his personal time as well as five pieces of machinery to aid in the restoration. Mr. Yates donated more than $15,000 worth of equipment and time to help dig holes for trees and move earth and other materials, according Lisa Carey, publicist for the watershed committee.

"What Oscar did is really a remarkable show of volunteerism," said Ed Vallerie, also of Wilton, a friend of Mr. Yates and a committee member. "Without his help this project never would have happened. Hopefully he'll join us again when we begin our work to restore fish habitat further up the river later this month."

Fish habitat project

That project will cover a 1.25-mile stretch of the river from School Road down to Schenck's Island Park on River Road. Additional volunteers are needed to help move stones and logs and plant streamside vegetation. Interested persons may call Mr. Vallerie at 762-8024. His Mianus chapter of Trout Unlimited received an "embrace a stream" grant to finance the project designed to enhance the habitat for trout and other species.

In addition to community individuals, several state and federal agents were also present to lend a hand at the habitat restoration project at Perkin-Elmer.

Funding for the project came from Section 319 of the Federal Clean Water Act, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Administration. A watershed initiative committee subcommittee, the Habitat Restoration Subcommittee, of which Ms. Sesto is chairperson, conceived the idea of the Perkin-Elmer habitat restoration, and the committee applied for a federal grant in late 1996. The grant was issued in October 1997.

According to Ms. Sesto, Perkin Elmer was "cooperative and enthusiastic" about the project. The group even had a free hand in the design work, which "looked great to them," said Ms. Sesto in reference to Perkin-Elmer.

The restoration proves advantageous to Perkin-Elmer not only because the river bordering its property would be cleaned, but because geese, which are prone to leave their droppings on grass, will be deterred.

"The damage from geese is huge," said Ms. Sesto. "An area that employees could potentially use is littered with droppings... Deterring geese has made Perkin Elmer smile."

Of the group's plantings, nearly all are native to the area, with the exception of a few crabapple trees and hawthorn shrubs. "An overwhelming majority should be native," said Ms. Sesto of plants near rivers.

A primary purpose of the restoration, according to Ms. Sesto, was to show that with native plants, "aesthetic needs can be met." The restoration was meant to illustrate a "naturalistic, healthy riparian zone that doesn't conflict with the needs of the corporation," she added.

The riparian zone is the area 200 to 300 feet from a stream that provides a habitat for riverside plant and animal species, and also protects the water from excessive sunlight and runoff.

Native vegetation is vital, said Ms. Sesto, because "non-native vegetation diminishes the natural diversity of (plant) species. native species are invasive and diminish the diversity of a natural habitat."

Perkin-Elmer was an ideal spot to have the restoration, according to Ms. Sesto, because the site, which is between Kent Road in Wilton and West Rocks Road in Norwalk, is highly visible from the road, and "commuters can see how the plan matures." Ms. Sesto hopes that this will encourage individuals and businesses along the Norwalk River to also attempt to "naturalize" their property on the river.

Although Ms. Sesto realizes that this is expensive, she said, "I truly hope there is an environmental consciousness" among property owners along the river.

Presently, the Habitat Restoration Subcommittee is making plans with the Fox Hill Condominiums in Ridgefleld to help clean the complex's lake, which is overrun by algae and can be seen from Danbury Road.

"We want to show that social goals for a property can be met in an environmentally sensitive way," said Ms. Sesto, who can only hope that the community follows the example set by the successful habitat restoration at Perkin-Elmer.