The Fermi Laboratory
Director established the Ecological Land Management
Committee (ELM) to oversee and facilitate the restoration of
available lands. In accordance with this objective, the ELM Committee manages
available areas of the site as per principles of ecosystem management and
restoration, in the effort to maintain and build biological diversity, conserve
natural resources and increase the site’s aesthetic appeal.
The 6800-acre
Fermilab site is divided into management tracts as shown on the CY 2001 Fermilab Land Management
Map, which is updated annually
to reflect changes in land usage. These tracts are defined by current land use
practices and habitat diversity:
• Technical Area (TA) tracts are
committed exclusively to the high-energy particle physics mission of the Laboratory
• Agricultural (AG) tracts are leased for agricultural
use
• Recreational Area (RA) tracts support
non-programmatic, recreational purposes
• Residential (R) tract refers to the
residential area in the Village
• Ecological Land Management (ELM) tracts
enhance the natural resources of the Laboratory.
Tract boundaries are
meant to be dynamic and should change with management needs and ecological
considerations.
This plan shall address
the management of only those tracts available for restoration—ELM—and shall not
interfere with the current or future mission of the Laboratory. The plan is
intended to provide a long-range coherent vision for development, not set
management priorities or propose year-to-year activities.
Each year the Committee
reviews the accomplishments of the current calendar year and advises the
Laboratory Director of prioritized activities for the next year. This advice,
once approved by the Director, informs the activities of the more specific and
detailed Annual Plan.
Only minor changes to
this general plan may be made at this point without approval of the Director.
The ELM Committee may make recommendations for ecological management of areas
outside the scope of this plan and should take the following restrictions into
consideration:
• Changes in Agricultural tract boundaries need
the Director’s approval.
• Management of the on-site lake shorelines must
be coordinated with FESS.
• Recommendations for management of the lake
bodies (e.g. stocking or fishing and/or water return ditches and the berms
(e.g. cover species) shall be made to the Director.
A summary of the Laboratory’s ELM activities is listed below. Specific tract accomplishments
are detailed in Section IV of this plan.
A. New
Prairie
Approximately 15 acres of new prairie were planted on the MI
Stockpile in ELM 4. The planting of
this new prairie with Little Bluestem and Sideoats Grama is part of a program
to develop short-grass areas and encourage the nesting of grassland birds. If the Little Blue Stem thrives as hoped, it will become a
valuable seed-collecting source for the site.
B. Agricultural
Leases
325 acres were added to
Agriculture. This new lease includes
half of the RA-2 (hayfield) tract (AG-8), which shall be rotated with the other
half of RA-2 through a three-year “land management AG License” program.
C. Enrichment
1.
ELM
tracts 1, 16, 24, 25 and 26 were broadcast seeded with an enrichment mix.
2.
65
new trees and bushes were planted in ELM 24 during the 2001 Arbor Day
activities. Species included shagbark hickory and bur oak.
D. Prairie
Seed
1.
Total seed collected
A total 85 forb species were hand
collected by lab personnel and volunteers.
2.
Harvests
a.
Volunteer
Harvest
Round-headed bush clover, obedient plant and nodding wild
onion, among other species, were collected from the Main Ring tracts. Spiderwort, Golden Alexanders, and Culver’s
Root were collected along the Burlington Northern Railroad.
b.
Machine
Harvest
More than 8,000 pounds of prairie matrix seed were collected
via machine harvesting in ELM tracts 24 and 25.
c.
Summer
Intern
A Roads and Grounds summer intern, Jennie Rudderham,
collected many early and mid-summer prairie species that are rarely
collected. Collected species include Pedicularis
canadensis (prairie betony), Hypoxis hirsuta (yellow stargrass), Sisyrinchium
albidum (blue-eyed grass), Polygala senega (Seneca snakeroot), Panicum
leibergii (panic grass), Phlox pilosa (prairie phlox) and Phlox
glaberrima (marsh phlox), Lobelia spicata (pale spike lobelia), Zizia
aurea (golden alexanders), Carex bicknellii (Bicknell’s sedge), Anemone
canadensis (meadow anemone), Allium canadense (wild onion) and Tradescantia
ohiensis (spiderwort); and trace amounts of Comandra richardsiana
(false toadflax), Dodecatheon meadia (shooting star), Heurecha
richardsonii (alum root), and Galium obtusum (wild madder).
Jennie also collected
understory woodland plants such as Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal), Trillium
grandiflorum (large-flowered trillium) and Lithospermum latifolium
(broad-leaved puccoon); Stipa spartina (porcupine grass), a dry prairie
species; and various sedges and rushes from wet prairie and wetland areas.
d.
Other Prairies
Dr. Betz collected seed of Zizia
aurea (golden alexanders) and Cacalia plantaginea (prairie Indian
plantain) from the Hinsdale prairie. He
also collected trace amounts of Dodecatheon meadia (shooting star) and Heurecha richardsonii (alum
root).
Forb seed was received from Kane County, and
Will County in exchange for combined bulk seed.
E.
Noxious Weed Control
As part of the noxious weed control program, Roads and
Grounds personnel sprayed teasel in ELM tracts 1, 4, 5, 9, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25
and 26; AG tracts 3, 4 and 7; and TA tract 1. Loosestrife control was conducted
in ELM tracts 1, 10, 11, 15 and 24; buckthorn and honeysuckle in ELM tracts 24
and 25; and cottonwood in ELM 1. Oriental bittersweet in ELM tract 24 and TA
tract 1 and poison hemlock in ELM tracts 21 and 23 were also sprayed.
The Roads and Grounds department does not have the resources
to effectively manage the spread of these invasive exotics.
Fermilab’s
request for a waiver of the DOE Moratorium on Prescribed Burning was
approved. The Roads and Grounds
department conduced burns in ELM 24 and ELM 25
G. Status of Flora
Robert
F. Betz (See Botanical Report-Fermilab 2001)
prepared the annual status report of flora on-site.
H.
Status
of the On-Site Bird Populations
Peter
Kasper prepared the annual report on the on-site bird population, 2001 Fermilab Bird
Report. Peter Kasper also
maintains the on-going compilation of bird observations since 1987, The
Birds of Fermilab.
I.
Status
of Butterflies at Fermilab
The compilation of butterfly observations for the past three
years may be seen at Butterfly Observations. Tom Peterson prepared the third annual
report on a survey of the butterflies on site, Butterfly
Report to the ELM Committee - Fermilab - 2001.
J.
Deer
Management
During the period from October 2000-March 2001, 21
white-tailed deer were removed from Fermilab.
This represents a maintenance level of management. Based on a series of spotlight counts
conducted in the spring of 2001, the Laboratory has set a goal of removing an
additional 68 individuals during the 2001-2002 permit period.
K. NERP
Projects
Seven
projects are currently underway with an additional five
projects proposed and awaiting approval and/or funding.
¨
Assessment of the Impact of Biological Controls
on Garlic Mustard (Alliara petiolata)
and Non-target Species in Forest Communities/Vicky Nuzzo with Bernd Blossey/Big
Woods south of B Rd./Natural Area Consultants and Cornell University/Continuing
¨
Effects of Tree Romoval on Recovery of Ground
Cover in Big Woods at Fermilab/Liz Aicher/ Big Woods south of B Rd. and west of
creek/Northern Illinois University/Continuing
¨
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Soil/J. Jastrow
and M. Miller/Various/Argonne National Laboratory/Proposed
¨
Bird Species Composition at Fermilab/Fumiko
Kanekawa/TBD/Northern Illinois University/Proposed
¨
Effect of
Species Richness on the Establishments and Success of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria
petiolata/Roger Anderson/TBD/Illinois State University/Awaiting funding
¨
Differences in
Reproductive Success of Prairie Plant Species between Restored and Remnant
Prairies/Julie Jastrow/Various/Argonne National Laboratory/Continuing
¨
Carbon
Sequestration in Terrestrial Ecosystems/Julie Jastrow et al./ELM-8/U.S. DOE/
Continuing
¨
Bird Surveys at
Fermilab/Peter Kasper with Denis Kania and Jack Pomatto/Site-wide/Fermilab and
DuPage Birding Club/Continuing
¨ Biodiversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and
the Success of the Prairie Restoration/James Bever/ELM-8/University of
California-Irvine/Continuing
¨
The role of
insect flower herbivory in native and restored prairies/Carole
Ollier/Various/University of California-Irvine/Proposed
L.
Other Accomplishments/Special Projects
1.
Butterfly
Website
A summer intern, Rory Parilac, worked with Liz Quigg and Tom
Peterson to present his butterfly data into a child-friendly website format. Welcome to Fermilab's Butterflies
features a
butterfly search engine and a guide to observing butterflies.
2.
Frog Survey
Beginning in the Spring 2001,
Fermilab participated in the Chicago Wilderness sponsored “Calling Frog
Survey”. Data on frog species presence
will be added to the regional herpetological atlas, which is maintained by
Chicago Wilderness for our region. The
survey was limited to three areas located in ELM 1, 24 and 27. In 2002, the survey will be extended to
include areas in ELM 14.
Species reported for Fermilab for
this year were Rana clamitans (green frog), Rana catesbiana (bull
frog), Bufo americanus (American toad), and Pseudacris triceriata (chorus
frog). Other species noted at the Lab,
but not surveyed are Hyla chrysoseles (Cope’s gray tree frog), Pseudacris
crucifer (spring peeper), and Rana pipiens (Northern leopard frog).
3.
Frog
Website
Rory also created a Frogs at Fermilab website
with a general description of frogs, provided by Rod Walton, and pop-up
descriptions of the 8 species commonly found at the Laboratory.
4.
Plant
Search Database
Three summer interns (Jennie Rudderham, Rory Parilac, and
Caleb McKinney) updated the Fermilab
Plant Search
database, adding more than 300 photos.
1.
National
Public Lands Days
For the third year, Fermilab registered its first fall
volunteer harvest as a National Public Lands Day’s event. Chicago Wilderness sponsors National Public
Lands Day. The event was cancelled due
to September 11 events which impacted access to the site.
2.
Volunteer
Harvest
Over 100 people participated in the one fall prairie
harvests. The first fall harvest was canceled due to the tightened
security measures from 9/11.
3.
Third
Thursday Clean-ups
On the third Thursday of good-weathered months, Roads and
Grounds organizes a volunteer clean-up at the Laboratory. This year saw inbound and outbound Pine
Street, prairie plot 12 along Kirk Road, and the shorelines of Swan Lake and
the Reflector Ponds cleaned during employee lunch hours. Participation ranged from 10 to 25 persons
for each clean-up.
4. Arbor Day
Approximately
125 people turned out for Arbor Day plantings.
5.
Seed
Exchange and Donation
Seed trades conducted so far this year include 2 garbage bags
of prairie matrix to Spencer Cortwright of the Little Calumet River Project in
Indiana, 1 bag of matrix to Lisa O’Brian of Red Gate High School in St.
Charles, and 5 bags to Ron Panzer for enrichment of a new area at Markham
Prairie. Six bags of prairie matrix was donated to St Charles Park District.
Two additional schools received small amounts for their study areas.
6. Christmas Bird Counts
The
annual spring and Christmas Bird Counts were organized and conducted on site by
members of the DuPage Birding Club. The results may be viewed at Christmas Bird Count.
7.
Eagle
Scout Projects
2 martin houses were installed—one at Casey’s Pond and one at
Logo Lake.
6 bat houses were installed—three at Site 29 and three at
Site 58.
Park benches constructed for Big Woods trail.
The Committee
believes that the first priority must be the ongoing maintenance and
improvement activities (e.g. mowing, burning, enrichment, redistribution of
small trees, and spraying of herbicides) conducted by the Roads and Grounds
personnel. These activities are critical to maintaining and building on ecological
improvements already underway.
The
following recommendations involve activities, other than routine Roads and
Grounds maintenance and improvements, that will further the long range goals
established by the ELM Committee.
A. Habitat
Development
1.
Maintain Oxidation Pond Water Elevation at 717.0
Feet
The
elevation at the bottom of the Oxidation Pond is 716.5 feet, and the boards in
the A.E. Sea discharge structure are set at 718.0 feet. The Committee supports
a management strategy for the A.E. Sea/Dusaf Pond that would maintain the water
level at 717.0 feet. The resulting seasonal fluctuations above and below this
level would allow significant improvement and development of a quality wetland
in the Oxidation Pond
after removal of the berm. In the
interim, the Committee recommends the Oxidation Pond be pumped alternate years
to maintain water elevations at or below 717.0 feet.
2.
Burn
Eastern Half of ELM 14 Prior to 5/1/2002
The Bell’s Vireos were breeding in this area again this year
and were found in both the burned and unburned sections. The Committee recommends that the eastern
half be burned Spring 2002. The birds
that use this area arrive in early May, so the burn should be done well before then.
3.
MI
Stockpile
The Committee recommends that the Main Injector stockpile be
enriched with native seed.
4.
Mensing
Farm
The Committee recommends that this area be developed as a new
picnic space.
5.
Eola
Rd. Grassland
Henslow’s Sparrows returned to the site again this year,
suggesting that our policy of mowing in August is having a beneficial impact on
the habitat. However, the Committee
recognizes the need to remove isolated trees in the area, as most grassland birds
will not nest within 50 yards of a tree.
The new land management sub-committee will evaluate tree removal and
make recommendations.
6. Remove
noxious invasive trees and brush around Meson Hill if time permits.
B.
Management
Programs
1. Experimental Sites for Threatened Plants
The
Committee recommends the Lab consider whether establishing “Experimental Sites”
for some threatened plants would introduce a special burden if the operational
needs of the Lab dictated construction at that site. Currently, the committee recommends that such populations not be
introduced into the site due to the approval cycle with the Fish and Wildlife
Service that could possibly seriously curtail proposed construction programs
should they impact a threatened plant .
2.
Tree
Removal
Many places on site have an increasing population of
“undesirable” trees—e.g. cottonwood, box elder and buckthorn. In the southern part of ELM-1, parts of
ELM-6 and other locations scattered across the site, the number and size of
these trees is negatively impacting the higher quality prairie development; and
in the MI wetland mitigation area of ELM-4, numerous small cottonwood trees
need to be removed because of their potential impact on the physics program.
The Roads and Grounds Department removes these aggressive
trees as their schedule permits and as directed by the Committee. These trees may be encroaching on prairies
or wetlands or may be in other areas of the site producing an undesirable seed
source.
C.
Laboratory
Relations
1. Prairie Seed Agreements
The
Committee encourages the on-going attempt to develop working relationships with
commercial prairie seed vendors. This relationship may take the form of seed
trade or “special AG land licenses”.
2. Research
The
Committee continues to encourage the Lab to seek and participate in
ecologically related research compatible with the Lab Ecological Land
Management Program. The Committee also encourages the Lab to continue to seek
interested individuals to conduct ecological surveys. For example, Tom
Peterson’s Butterfly Survey Program and the Chicago Wilderness sponsored
“Calling Frog Survey” are significant additions to the annual surveys being done on-site.
The Committee also recommends that NERP projects be updated
and contacts made with questionable old projects.
3. Eagle Scout Projects
Two
new Eagle Scout projects are underway.
4. Prairie Reconstruction Video
Work
continues on the script and the collection of relevant video footage.
D.
Miscellaneous
• Remove the cyclone fence from both sides of the road in ELM
24. Almost done.
• Backfill the chlorinator tank adjacent to the Oxidation
Pond.
• Basal treat noxious trees in ELM 1 (Main Ring). Ongoing.
• Basal treat noxious brush on EJ&E remnant prairie.
• Install grass waterways in agriculture fields.
IV. tract management 2002
¨
ELM-1/Prairie/C/Inside the Tevatron
berm and extending northeast
Habitat: Reconstructed prairie; cottonwood grove; Lake
Logo and Main Ring Lake which support wetland complexes; American Lotus in Main
Ring Lake
Wildlife: Great Blue Heron rookery near center; remnant-dependent
butterflies, Black Dash and Eyed Brown and remnant-associated Delaware Skipper
in sedge meadows
Research: NERP; deer exclosures
Access: Controlled
Other: Site of volunteer harvest
Habitat Goal: Prairie
Enrichment:
Continue to overseed needed
species
Fire Management: Burn every 2 to 3 years
Tree/Brush Removal: Remove cottonwood grove in far south side of
ring.
Continue to
maintain and enrich. Certain areas in
this tract are developed enough to begin planting in late successional species.
2001
Accomplishments
Enriched
prairie and marshes with late successional forb species
2002
Plan
Maintain wet
meadow and sedge areas with control of invasive brush like willows. Burn in Spring
¨
ELM-2/Woods/C/Near the center of the Tevatrom
berm
Habitat: Potentially high-quality oak savannah with
degraded, brushy understory
Access:
Controlled
Habitat Goal: Oak savannah
Enrichment: Overseed with savannah understory species
Fire
Management: Annual burn until
underbrush controlled, then every 3 years
Tree/Brush Removal: Eliminate weedy brush and aggressive tree
species such as box elder and cottonwoods.
Continue
thinning the noxious invasive tree species to increase sunlight to the understory. Seed aggressively with savannah species.
Spring
burn
¨
ELM-3/Woods/C/Western part of the
interior of the Tevatron berm
Habitat:
Poor condition wet woodland
with many weedy tree species; large sections underwater each year
Access:
Controlled
Habitat Goal: Wet woodland
Implement a
more aggressive development program.
Thin the weedy
species of trees and shrubs.
Enriched with
moist shade tolerant woodland species. Cottonwood control
Aggressivly
enrich shade tolerant species and continue cottonwood control Burn in Spring
¨
ELM-4/Prairie/SW/Eastern portion of
Main Injector extending south and east
Features
Habitat: Mesic and wet prairie; Girl Scout Woods and Site
14 Woods which contain site’s only mature blue ash and white walnut trees and
also mature shellbark hickories and a Biltmore ash; Main Injector wetland
mitigation project in northern part
Research: NERP (successional dynamics theories)
Access:
Controlled
Long Range Plan
Habitat Goals: Prairie; wood; wetland
Enrichment: Overseed needed prairie species and woodland
understory species; enrich woods with appropriate trees
Fire
Management: Burn every 2 to 3
years
2001 Plan
Add topsoil to
MI stockpile on west side and seed with native prairie species.
2001
Accomplishments
Completed adding
topsoil and final grade. Seeded entire area with side oats and little blue
stem. Removed noxious trees in the wetland mitigation area
2002 Plan
Continue control of
invasive tree species in wetland mitigation area. During growing season mow
newly seeded area on MI stockpile to enhance native grasses Regrade and seed washouts. Survey the Main Injector wetland mitigation
area for Dion Skippers, which are remnant dependent sedge skippers living in
the adjacent undisturbed wetland in ELM 27.
¨
ELM-5/Brush/S/Along the southern
boundary of the site, adjacent to Butterfield Rd.
Features
Habitat: Long narrow strip; trees planted in 1970’s; lot
of brush
Wildlife:
Breeding area for Bell’s vireo
and yellow-breasted chats
Long Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Intermediate successional stage scrub
Fire
Management: Burn in thirds, one
each year
2001 Plan
No activity
planned. Labor intensive work needed.
2001 Accomplishments
Mowed under power lines in late summer
2002 Plan
Continue Mowing to control woody plants
¨
ELM-6/Prairie/S/South of Tevatron
Habitat: Poor quality wetland; potential as sedge meadow
Habitat Goals: Wetland; prairie in south
Mow.
2001
Accomplishments
Mowed late summer.
2002 Plan
ELM sub-committee to
investigate general use and improved management of this area
¨
ELM-7/NERP/SE/Southeast corner of
the site
Features
Habitat: Mixture of early stage mesic prairie and pasture
grass
Research:
NERP (differences in responses
of prairie and pasture grass to various environmental factors)
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Maximize usefulness for potential future
research
Enrichment: As resources permit
Fire
Management: As resources permit
Mowing:
Pasture grass to discourage
invasive species
2001
Plan
Burn prairie
areas.
Mow
non-prairie areas.
2001
Accomplishments
Mowed late summer
2002 Plan
Mow late summer or burn if time allows
ELM-8/NERP/SE/West of Tract ELM-7
Features
Habitat:
Mixture of early stage mesic
prairie and pasture grass
Research:
NERP
Long Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Maximize usefulness for potential future
research
Enrichment: As resources permit
Fire Management: As resources permit
Mowing: Pasture grass to discourage
invasive species
2001 Plan
Mow prairie areas.
Mow non-prairie areas.
Maintain nursery.
2001 Accomplishments
Mowed late summer
2002 Plan
Mow late summer or
burn if time allows
¨
ELM-9/Prairie/E/Along east side of
site from Batavia Rd. to Butterfield Rd.
Features
Habitat: Sea of Evanescence; AE Sea shoreline; pasture
grass fields in north; fallow ground in south; heavy mixed brush and planted
trees
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goals: Wetland; shoreline development; prairie in south
part
Mowing: Pasture grass during dormant season
2001
Plan
Mow and
maintain.
Mowed late summer
2002 Plan
Mow late summer or early fall to control
woody plants
¨
ELM-10/Prairie/SC/East of Tevatron,
west of Eola Rd.
Features
Habitat: Wetland; mesic areas
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goals: Wetland; prairie
2001
Plan
Develop the
wetland area. Enrich with native
species.
Maintain the
mesic area. Planned B0 to D0 utility
corridor will have an impact on this area.
Plans may need to be adjusted in the near term.
2001
Accomplishments
None
2002 Plan
Mow late summer or early fall burn if possible, enrich wetlands with
native seed.
¨
ELM-11/Grassland/Along Eola Rd. east
of Tevatron
Habitat: Pasture grass; shrubs; wetland pocket in
south-central part; tree nursery and Model Rocket Club site in northwest part
Habitat Goals: Grassland
Enrichment: Possible
Fire Management: Burn
wetland
Tree/Brush removal: Cut
shrubs
Mowing: Every other year
Herbicide: For problem species
2001
Plan
Mow to keep
out woody invasive species and encourage cool season grasses.
2001
Accomplishments
Mowed late summer
2002 Plan
Continue late summer mowing to control woody plants
¨
ELM-12/NERP/SE/North of ELM-8
Features
Habitat: Mixture of early stage mesic prairie and pasture
grass
Research: NERP
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Maximize usefulness for potential future
research
Enrichment: As resources permit
Fire
Management: As resources permit
Mowing:
Pasture grass to discourage
invasive species
2001
Plan
Burn or mow
prairie areas.
Mow
non-prairie areas.
Manage the
little bluestem field.
2001
Accomplishments
Overseeded the entire 2 acre test tract
with little blue stem located in the northern section of ELM 12 Sprayed broadleaf herbicide on northern one
half of this tract
2002 Plan
Monitor little blue stem tract and mow
during growing season to enhance sunlight to immature plants
¨
ELM-13/NERP/SE/East of ELM-12
Features
Habitat: Mixture of early stage mesic prairie and pasture
grass
Research: NERP
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Maximize usefulness for potential future
research
Enrichment: As resources permit
Fire
Management: As resources permit
Mowing:
Pasture grass to discourage
invasive species
2001
Plan
Burn or mow
prairie areas.
Mow
non-prairie areas.
2001
Accomplishments
Mowed late summer to control woody plants
2002 Plan
ELM Sub-Committee to evaluate land use
around existing prairie areas. Continue
late summer mowing or burn prairie if time allows.
¨
ELM-14/Brush/SE/Between and south of
Lake Law and AE Sea
Features
Habitat: Lake Law and AE Sea shorelines; invasive brush;
Owl's Nest Woods (3-acres quality oak-hickory woods); recently planted mixed
native wood species along AE Sea shore; hedge row along southern boundary
Wildlife: Bell’s Vireos
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goals: Intermediate successional stage open scrub transitioning
into brushy edge (to buffer Owl's Nest Woods); manage shoreline erosion to
protect valuable trees
Tree/Brush Removal: Remove 10% of largest non-native trees each year
2001
Plan
Remove largest
10% non-native trees.
Area to be
monitored for bird nesting before burning.
No burn this year
2002 Plan
Burn eastern half in spring. Continue removing 10% of larger trees
annually
¨
ELM-15/Grassland/SE/Southeast corner
of Batavia and Eola Rd.s
Features
Habitat: Upland pasture grass; Lake Law shoreline
Wildlife: Grassland nesting birds
Other: Dog Run
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goals: Stable grassland; protect grassland birds
Mowing: Annually late in season
2001
Plan
Mow as needed
to control woody invasive species.
2001
Accomplishments
Mowed late summer
2002 Plan
Mow after July 15 to maintain grassland bird habitat
¨
ELM-16/Grassland/NE/Along and on
either side of Eola Rd. north of Batavia Rd.
Features
Habitat: Pasture grass; invasive weeds; wetland
Wildlife: Grassland nesting birds
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goals: Grassland; protect grassland birds
Fire Management: To control goldenrod
Mowing: To control goldenrod
2001
Plan
Mow to control
broad-leaved weeds and woody invasive species.
2001
Accomplishments
Mowed late summer
2002 Plan
Mow after July 15 to maintain grassland bird habitat
¨
ELM-17/Grassland/NE/West of Village,
north of Batavia Rd.
Features
Habitat: Pasture grass; invasive weeds
Wildlife: Grassland nesting birds; wintering owls
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goals: Grassland; protect grassland birds
Fire Management: To control goldenrod
Mowing: To control goldenrod
2001
Plan
Mow as needed
to control woody invasive species.
2001
Accomplishments
Mowed late summer
2002 Plan
Mow after July 15 to maintain grassland bird habitat
¨
ELM-18/Woods/NE/Wraps around north
and west sides of Village
Features
Habitat: Mixed wooded area; lots of brush; many planted
conifers and aesthetic trees
Wildlife: Wintering birds
and mammals
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Unmanaged wooded area
Mowing: Adjacent to Batavia Rd. for aesthetic reasons
2001
Plan
No maintenance
planned.
2001
Accomplishments
None
2002 Plan
None
¨
ELM-19/Grassland/E/East of Village
Features
Habitat: Eastern DUSAF Pond and Oxidation Pond
shorelines; 25-year-old trees in south planted for aesthetics; pasture grass in
south; invasive brush in west central part; large white oak and ash in west
central part
Wildlife: Brush birds
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goals: Undisturbed brush and shorelines,
grassland. Managed water level in
former oxidation pond to establish wetland.
Mowing: Pasture grass during dormant season
2001
Plan
Mow.
Continue
development of Oxidation Pond as a wetland.
When
appropriate, open Pond to DUSAF Pond.
2001
Accomplishments
Mowed late summer
2002 Plan
Continue mowing to control woody plants
¨
ELM-20/Prairie/E/Along eastern
boundary south of Wilson St.
Features
Habitat: Emergent wetlands; wet prairie with mesic and upland
features; priaire remnant that extends east to railroad tracks
Wildlife: Remnant-dependent Meadow Fritillaries and Eyed
Browns and remnant-associated Coral Hairstreaks and Delaware Skippers
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goals: New prairie; emergent wetland; enrich prairie
remnant
2001
Plan
Continue to
herbicide brush as time allows.
Mow if
necessary.
2001
Accomplishments
Cut and herbicided stumps of
woody plants on prairie remnant.
Remnant dependent, and relatively rare in northeastern Illinois, Meadow
Fritillary butterflies were found living in ELM 20 and the adjacent TA 4 area
2002 Plan
Continue to mow and control brush. Survey
ELM 20 again at the appropriate times to check for the persistence of the
Meadow Fritillary population. Since Meadow
Fritillary caterpillars are reported to feed on violets, during the spring
blooming period, check for the locations and species of violets which might be
supporting the Meadow Fritillary caterpillars.
¨
ELM-21/NERP/E/Northeastern corner of
site
Features
Habitat: Young mesic and upland prairie plantings; no
fire management
Research: NERP
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goals: Prairie; control brush
Fire Management: When NERP projects allow
Mowing: Annually, where possible, until fire management
can be instated
2001
Plan
High priority
for burning.
Mow if burning
is not practical.
2001
Accomplishments
None
2002 Plan
Mow late summer or burn if time allows
¨
ELM-22/Grassland/N/North of railroad
east of McChesney Rd.
Features
Habitat: Old field with invasive brush; isolated from
other tracts
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Prairie
Enrichment: Overseed with prairie matrix
Mowing: Mow
Mow as needed.
None
2002 Plan
Mow late summer or fall to control woody plants
¨
ELM-23/Prairie/N/North part of site
south of railroad tracts west of railhead storage
Features
Habitat: Finest on-site prairie remnant; Casey’s Pond
shoreline
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: New prairie; enrich remnant
Enrichment: Overseed area near Casey’s Pond with prairie
matrix
Fire Management: Burn remnant
2001
Plan
Enrich.
Mow as needed.
Burn when fuel
load will carry fire.
2001
Accomplishments
Overseeded new prairie area spring
Mowed early summer to control Canada thistle Burned remnant prairie fall 02
Overseeded with prairie matrix in weedy areas fall 02
2002 Plan
Enrich.
Mow as needed.
¨
ELM-24/Woods/NW/West part of site
extending from Wilson St. to south of Giese Rd.
Features
Habitat: Big Woods remnant which contains some of highest
floristic quality trees, herbaceous plants and flowering woodland species;
reconstructed prairie in north and south; programmatic areas including Lederman
Education Center and Receiving Complex; Lootens Woods in far northwest corner adjacent
to Site 29
Wildlife: Remnant-associated butterflies such as Great
Spangled Fritillaries, Northern Pearly Eyes, Gray Commas and Banded Hairstreaks
in savanna-like openings at Big Woods edge.
Research: Nuggo, Aicher vegetation study in support of
deer management.
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Native woodland
Corridors: Connect existing wooded areas with future tree
plantings to eliminate fragmentation
Enrichment: Woodland understory species
Fire Management: Burn every 2 or 3 years
2001
Plan
Plant trees on
Arbor Day.
Continue
vegetation studies concerning the deer management program.
Enrich
understory.
Evaluate need
for burning.
2001
Accomplishments
Planted 70 trees for Arbor/Earth
Day. Burned in fall
2002 Plan
Encourage native grasses and forbs in the
open woods understory rather than filling in the space with more trees. ELM Land Management Sub-Committee to
evaluate appropriate use of open field East of Directors driveway
¨
ELM-25/Prairie/W/Along west side of site from
Giese Rd. to south of Wilson St.
Features
Habitat: Morgan’s Woods which contains several unique (to
site) woodland flower colonies; wooded area in northwest; wetland in northwest;
new prairie reconstruction
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Woodland;
prairie
Enrichment: Overseed needed species in prairie
Fire Management: Burn
new prairie areas every year, older areas every 3 years
Relocation: Relocate plants (e.g. hepaticas) threatened by
Kirk Rd.
2001
Plan
Enrich and
burn
2001
Accomplishments
Burned plots 15, 17 20, 21 fall 2001
2002 Plan
Continue enrichment of forbs in prairie areas
¨
ELM-26/Prairie/SW/Along west side of
site south of ELM-24 includes western part of Main Injector
Habitat: Pasture grass in west which contains a patch of
gentians; mixed brush and small woods in north; 2-acre quality prairie plot
northwest of MI berm and 25-acre plot of quality prairie inside berm
Access: Berm and land within controlled
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: New prairie (replace pasture grass fields)
Enrichment: Existing prairies
Fire Management: Every 2 to 3 years
2001
Plan
Continue management.
2001
Accomplishments
None
2002 Plan
Mow late summer or burn if time allows.
¨
ELM-27/Woods/SW/Along Indian Creek
inside Main Injector
Features
Habitat: Floodplain wood with swampy areas
Wildlife: Dion Skippers
Access: Controlled
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Wood; wetlands
Enrichment: Plant trees; enrich understory; enrich wetlands
2001
Plan
No maintenance
planned.
2001
Accomplishments
We found that a population of the remnant-dependent and relatively
rare Dion Skipper, a sedge skipper found by Ron Panzer in the late
1980's, is still living in the sedges along Indian Creek.
2002 Plan
Maintain wet meadow and sedge areas with
control of invasive brush, like willows.
Check again for the
continued presence of the Dion Skippers, identify the sedges on which they
might be dependent, and check to see if and when they spread into the adjacent
Main Injector wetland mitigation area in ELM 4.
¨
ELM-28/Prairie/C/Northeast of
Tevatron berm
Features
Habitat: New prairie reconstruction
Long
Range Plan
Habitat Goal: Prairie
Enrichment: Intensively as resources permit
Fire Management: Annually
2001
Plan
Enrich and
burn.
2001
Accomplishments
Overseeded with prairie matrix and enriched with forbs
2002 Plan
Burn in spring
