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PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The 42-acre project area borders the Calumet River and included the restoration of a degraded wetland ecosystem that is surrounded by industrial lands including steel mills and railroad lines. Prior to restoration, this site was dominated by invasive species with limited native floral and faunal diversity. Native Landscape Contractors, LLC was awarded the project as the prime contractor in 2014.

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PROJECT GOALS:

Burnham Prairie Annex was a demonstration project implemented under the Aquatic Plant Control Research Program to evaluate techniques for controlling invasive plants known to degrade the quality and biodiversity of wetlands and aquatic habitat around the Great Lakes and nationwide. The goal was restoration of functional sedge meadow, wet prairie, wet-mesic prairie, and dry-mesic prairie communities.

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PROJECT SCOPE:

The scope included plant removal, installation of native species, prescribed fire, and monitoring of aquatic plant control techniques. Restoration efforts consisted of the eradication of invasive species such as common reed (Phragmites australis), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea),  planting over 220,000 native plugs, and the installation of more than 25 acres of native seed in three native plant communities.