September 2009  Invasive Plant Spraying

Selective spraying of invasive plant material, such as Japanese knotweed and Japanese honeysuckle, is scheduled for Tuesday, September 1 and Thursday, October 1 at the Curtis Arboretum Dog Park. In the event of inclement weather, the spraying will occur on the next clear day.  A third application will be sprayed in late May/early June 2010.

June 2009   Invasive Plant Spraying
Selective spraying of invasive plant material, such as Japanese knotweed and Japanese honeysuckle, is scheduled for Monday, June 29 through Wednesday, July 1 from 7:30AM to 5PM within the Township's streambank project area along Tookany Creek Parkway between Jenkintown Road and New Second Street.

September 2008  COMMUNITY NOTICE
Following last year’s removal of invasive plants from Grove, Renninger and Wall Parks, and Perley Bird Sanctuary, the Township’s Landscape Maintenance Program of its greenways, streambanks and riparian areas will now begin re-vegetating the eradicated areas, thanks to grant funding. Native species will be planted along the streambank corridor to enhance the riparian buffer, which helps control runoff and improve water quality within the creeks and tributaries in the Tookany Watershed. Shades of Green, Inc., the Township’s landscape contractor, will conduct the plantings according to the following schedule: 

Patch Planting Schedule:

 

Tuesday, Sept 23

Perley Park

 

Wednesday, Sept 24

Perley, Reninger and Grove Parks

 

Thursday, Sept 25

Grove, Wall, and the strip of parkland on Waverly Road between Lismore & Harrison Avenues

 

Friday, Sept 26

To complete work, if necessary

 

INFO: 215-887-6200, x112.

 

September 2008 - PLANTING IN A CHELTENHAM BIRD SANCTUARY 
Cheltenham Township seeks volunteers to plant native species in the George A. Perley Bird Sanctuary at Glenside Avenue and Rices Mill Road in Glenside on Saturday, November 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The planting follows a township program to eradicate invasive exotic plants from several township parks.

Imported from around the world for home garden use, invasive plants like English ivy escaped into the wild and multiplied, almost entirely displacing native flora and corrupting the habitat and food supply for wildlife.  To reverse this ecological damage, the most environmentally benign herbicide was applied in the smallest possible quantities to invasive plants in eight parks.  Now it’s time to replant.  Everyone is welcome to pitch in; just bring gloves and shovels. 

This planting will focus on the riparian buffer along the Tookany Creek.  In addition to restoring original vegetation, many native plants feature deeper root systems, which better curb erosion along streambanks.  A healthy riparian buffer also enhances water quality by filtering out pollution before it reaches the waterway.  

Residents can support the restoration of native plants by either eliminating exotic invasive species from their own home landscapes or ensuring they remain contained with proper pruning and maintenance.  A list of invasive plants is available below.  For more information, call 215-887-6200, ext. 112.

 

September 2008 - Eradication spray application
An initial broadcast spray application of herbicide treatment within 0.63 acres of Tookany Creek Park known as Park Segment E (adjacent to Tookany Creek Parkway and the former Ashbourne Country Club) was complete in September.  A second broadcast spray will take place in mid-October (weather permitting).  The areas will be marked in advance with signage.

The chemical to be used will be the same as applied last year, which is Glyphosate. It will be applied only to the invasives that are showing signs of growth.

 

December 2007

During the last 30 years a gradual but huge change has occurred in natural landscapes in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the Eastern United States and worldwide.  The plants that have been brought from other regions of the world by choice or accident have gradually found their way into parklands and natural areas.  Some of those species have thrived and multiplied.  They have various advantages over native plants and have managed to displace the native plants to the point where they now dominate many suburban and urban landscapes.  Plants like burning bush, Japanese knotweed, and English ivy, all of which were introduced for their landscaping appeal, have turned out to be extreme environmental pests when they have thrived in wild landscape.  These exotic invasive plants have compromised local ecological systems to the point of collapse.  Native wildflowers and ferns are almost gone.  Native birds and animals have lost much of their natural food supply and habitat.  The landscapes have become dense thickest of impassable thorny and viny vegetation that is a far cry from our native open Eastern woodlands.  All of this has happened while those of us who are botanically less aware just see green and assume that nature is OK and will take care of itself.  In the case of exotic invasive plants nature cannot do this.  Without corrective action we risk entirely losing the natural content of our parks.

 

Cheltenham Township has chosen to begin to reverse this ecological damage and to begin restoration of the woodlands, streambanks, grasslands, and wetlands of the Township parks.  Using the most ecologically sound methods similar to those being used in parks and public lands across the country the work began this summer with the goal to eliminate the exotic plant invasion and replant the lost native plant communities.  The work plan has been awarded state and federal funding, and other continued funding sources are being sought. 

 

The actual work involves the use of herbicide through direct droplet spraying and direct stem painting of cut exotic woody and perennial plants.  The minimization of herbicide application has been planned.  The use of the most environmentally benign herbicide, glyphosate, has been chosen as the primary material.  Glyphosate is probably the least toxic herbicide relative to humans, and terrestrial and aquatic animals of all sizes.  It does not bioaccumulate and is not persistent in the environment.  A blue dye marks the otherwise clear chemical so that sprayed areas can be identified and checked afterward.

 

A full growing season will be required to do the primary eradication work.  Planting work should not begin until areas are free of the exotic shrubs, trees, and vines.  In the mean time the brown leaves and stems will remain and decay on the spot contributing to the soil quality.  Be patient as this process is carried out because it is intended to restore the native plant communities, our natural heritage, that we have lost. 

 

 

PROJECT TIMING

Work commenced in July and was completed in fall 2007. Spot treatment will be applied as necessary in spring 2008, fall 2008 and spring 2009.

 

 

SPECIES OF NATIVE WOODY PLANTS TO BE PLANTED 

Woody stock must be ordered by scientific name.  No substitutions allowed.  No cultivars, strains or varieties.  Stock is to be delivered to the site with scientific names and nursery source tag on each plant.

 

Streambank perennial grassland plantings and recommendations

 Elymus virginicus                Virginias wild-rye

 Elymus riparius                  Riverbank wild-rye

 Juncus effusus                   Soft rush

 Calamagrostis canadensis    Blue joint grass

 Andropogon virginicus         Little bluestem

 Carex vulpinoidea               Fox sedge

 Scirpis cyperinus                Woolgrass

 

Floodplain forest planting list and recommendations

Buttonbush                  Cephalanthus occidentalis

Black chokeberry           Aronia melanocarpa

Red chokeberry             Aronia arbutifolia

Red-osier dogwood        Cornus sericea

Gray dogwood              Cornus racemosa

Silky dogwood              Cornus ammomum

Winterberry                  Ilerx verticillata

Sweetbay magnolia       Magnolia virginiana

Swamp white oak          Quercus bicolor

Swamp rose                  Rosa palustris

Pussy willow                 Salix discolor

Elderberry                    Sambucus canadensis

Arrowwood                   Viburnum dentatum

Meadowsweet              Spiraea latifolia

 

Upland slope forest planting list and recommendations

Ironwood                   Carpinus caroliniana

Sweet pepperbush       Clethra alnifolia

Witch-hazel                Hamamelis virginiana

Ninebark                    Physiocarpus

Hazelnut                    Corylus virginiana       

Silky dogwood             Cornus ammomum

Shadbush                   Amelanchier Canadensis

Spicebush                  Lindera benzoin

Black haw                  Viburnum prunifolium

Virginia rose              Rosa virginiana

 

Woodland wildflowers and ferns, planting list and recommendations

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Bloodroot

False solomon’s seal

Solomon’s seal

Christmas fern

Hay scented fern

Virginia knotweed

Canada mayflower

Virginia waterleaf

Dutchman’s breeches