Land & Water Stewardship Guild

Wow Those roots really took Off!

landH2Osteward — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:58:45 +0000

Last week I contacted A Way Nurseries 565 Joslin Road, Harrisville, RI 02830-1615. They are a wholesale grower of premier evergreen trees.
I asked the owner of the nursery if he would be able to speak to me about some products that he used to grow his young trees. I asked him why he chose to change from what he had traditionally been using to a whole new product that used a different technology than the tried and true standard material. He told me that he did not use any chemical pesticides or herbicides and didn’t want them around his nursery as they adversely affect the receiving waters, the wildlife and he and his workers. He said that he had heard of mycorrhizal fungi for nursery plant production for quite some time but that he was hesitant about using them. His only reason for not using them was his unfamiliarity with the material and how it would affect his growing operation? John Engwer from Eastern Design and Landscape Contractors, one of his long-standing customers told him that he was using these products and that they were doing a great job for him out on the landscapes sites. The nursery’s owner became quite interested and asked where he could purchase these products as he was about to move up a few thousand trees from a one gallon container into a three gallon container. John told him that one of his companies, Phase II Stormwater Products, Inc. has them available and would have someone contact him about these products and how to get them to his nursery for the potting up project. The Products are Soil Secrets products; Terra Pro and Protein Crumblies. Terra Pro contains cultured humus which is derived from root plants, mycorrhizal fungi spores, which contain over 900,000 spores per pound, Pharmaceutical Grade black sea kelp, and green sea kelp, and supporting rhizosphere bacteria species. The Protein Crumblies contains a large variety of amino acids that supply protein to all of the beneficial organisms in the Soil Food Web. Well, the owner of A Way Nurseries couldn’t say enough about what was happening to the roots in his containers!
He told me that with a minimal potting mix he has never seen such growth in the roots of his trees in only three to four weeks that he has witnessed now. He said that the roots were so far developed that they were able to hold the potting mix together when he lifted the tree from the three gallon container. He said that usually he would plant out all these containers as they were ready but because of the fanominal growth he was going to trim them up in the spring aster they flushed their new growth and sell a portion in the three gallon container because they would look great and their root systems were developed to the stage that they could survive on a remote planting site and perform well. He said that he will continue to use these products. He said that he was a little put off at the initial price per bag, but he applied only a table-spoon of the Terra Pro, and a tea-spoon of the Protein Crumblies, and he thought that the most that it was going to cost him per container for the materials was less than $ .13 -.15 per container. NO PROBLEM!! He loves using these products.

SUPRAMOLECULAR HUMIC SUBSTANCES

landH2Osteward — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:37:35 +0000

The stabilized organic matter, previously called humus, supra – molecular humic substances, is the pool of soil organic matter that has the longest lasting benefits for gardeners. After rapid decomposition occurs, a mix
of stable, complex organic compounds remains, which decomposes slowly over time (about 3% per year). Supra – molecular humic substances, (humus) is a mix of tiny solid particles and soluble compounds that are too chemically complex to be used by most organisms.
The supra – molecular humic substances, (humus) contains a potpourri of sugars, gums, resins, proteins, fats, waxes, and lignin. This mixture plays an important role in improving the physical and chemical properties of soil.

The supra – molecular humic substances improves the physical and chemical attributes of soil in several ways, including:

The supra – molecular humic substances improves soil structure by binding or “gluing” small mineral particles together into larger aggregates creating large soil pores for improved air and water infiltration and movement.
• The supra – molecular humic substances improves water
retention and release to plants.
• The supra – molecular humic substances slowly releases nitrogen,
phosphorus, and sulfur over time, which plants then use for
growth and development.
• Because of its positive/negative “di-polar” surface charge, supra – molecular humic substances improve soil fertility by holding onto essential plant nutrients.
• The supra – molecular humic substances buffers the soil pH so it
remains stable for thousands of years and is available to plant
roots.
• The supra – molecular humic substances can chelate or bind
metals in soil, preventing metal toxicities.

Michael Melendrez NOFA Conference Speaker

landH2Osteward — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:29:30 +0000

Michael Martin Melendrez from Soil Secrets spoke recently at the NOFA Summer Conference in Amherst Mass.
He had a ” full house” of participants that came to hear him speak on
“Unraveling the Secrets of Humus”. The take home message is that although Soil Organic Matter is important for plant growth, the addition of ‘supramolecular’ humic substances are most important for sustaining available nutrients in the soil. These ‘supramolecular substances’ are nodes of pulsating energy that attract molecules of nutrients and water. The molecular structure of water is H-O-H. These substances can hold onto one thousand times there own weight in water, thus increasing moisture retentention in the soil. The other key to better plant health is making a mycorrhizal fungi connection with the seed before sowing or with the seedling’s roots when establishing plant to soil contact. The Mycorrhiza which stands for ‘root fungus’, attaches itself to the plant’s root hairs and grows until it finds the nutrients that the plant is lacking. It then returns the elemental nutrient, in solution back to the plant. The Mycorrhiza gets rewarded by the plant, whereby the plant exudates its excess sweet sugar solution,that is produced during photosynthesis, to its roots where it is taken in by the awaiting mycorrhiza. Therefore, both the ‘supramolecular humic substances’ and the mycorrhiza working in concert capture, store, and transport needed nutrients and water to create a sustainable food source and moisture for cell hydration during times of drought stress.
The ‘supra molecular humic substances’ can develop throughout the life-cycle of long term plant communities or land that has continuous plant cover so that photsynthesis and plant roots are generating these process throughout the growing seasons.

Neccessary Evil ! (is there a better way) ?

landH2Osteward — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:16:38 +0000

The addition of salts to de-ice the pavement during the winter season creates disturbances in the soil ecosystem. These salts go into solution and are deposited either on the unpaved areas adjacent to the roadway, or get washed down into the catch basins and transported to our “natural” waters. The accumulation of sodium chloride in the soil profile destroys the structure of the pore spaces in the soil and desiccates the live soil organisms. The microorganisms that live in the soil through the excretion of polysaccharides and the sticky glomalin deposited by mycorrhizal fungi play a critical role in the formation of soil aggregates which give soil its stability against weathering and erosion, and its ability to hold water and air for plants and microbes. The microbes create micro-aggregates that form macro-aggregates that create the necessary spaces in the soil – matrix that contains water and oxygen and allows for the waste gases produced in the processes of respiration from the soil organisms,and the plant’s roots to escape back into the atmosphere. We need the soil’s surface and immediate sub-surface to remain open to the environment, so the processes of metabolism, and the hydrological cycle can occur. The addition of some salt – based chemical fertilizers also add to this “brine pool”. I do not know how this over-loading of salt affects the aquatic environments but it must be equally degrading to a fresh water environment? A “Dead Zone” is then created in the soils which translates to toxic conditions for native terrestrial vegetation to become established, hence exotic invasive plants can then take advantage of these conditions, and their seeds germinate and these monocultures take hold and with no native predator to restrict their growth and development can “have – a – party”, and go wild.

NO MOW SITE

landH2Osteward — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:04:06 +0000

It is extremely important not to disturb the soils any more than they have already have been disturbed previously. This is why we try and impress maintenance crews not to mow these areas while they are healing. The large mowing equipment compacts the soil structure and squashes out the oxygen and water spaces that the soil organisms and roots need for survival. The sheer weight and movement of these machines basically plows- up the soil and destroys the precious most top 3” – 6” layers. Creating sub-soils to reach the surface and create a micro – site for invasive species to move in. The desirable native plants that are emerging can not bare the weight of these heavy machines either. A new plant community will emerge that will adapt to these new environmental conditions may not be the one that has been indigenous to this site before. When the site was graded and imported soils were brought in to fill or removed from the original grade. There have been so many man – made disturbances to this site we will need to wait and observe which plant communities will persist. If we are going to give native species half a chance we may need to consider how our traditional management practices effect the environmental conditions of the site. That means the soils, the hydrology, the grade or topography, the solar orientation, and the desirable plant communities that are now able to adapt to these new conditions. How do we manage these new conditions, or “how can we be a good steward of this site?” How we work together with the bio-spheric processes of the Hydrological Cycle, the Nutrients that are constantly cycling throughout this site, the Solar Energy that flow, to enable the Natural Community to move towards its evolutionary path and still live within our desired objectives and goals? Is this is what we Desire, and Design for?

Stewardship the new Management!

landH2Osteward — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:32:48 +0000

The removal of Invasive Exotic Vegetation is a necessary step to recovering the ecological functioning of the site. Once we remove the overgrowth of the vegetation the first thing that happens is a whole new world of light enters. The sun warms these soils and provides light for photosynthetic processes to take place. Therefore, seeds of the vegetated propagules of indigenous vegetation is now able to take advantage of the new environmental conditions. Usually a flush of desirable and not so desirable plants will emerge. Of course the pioneer species will run wild for a while until the conditions improve for more perennial herbaceous plants to take hold. The native grasses creating a canopy of shade, moisture, and organic matter that provides nutrients as the microorganisms metabolize and digest it. This starts the dynamics of a living community and the processes of succession begin. Our stewardship strategies also begin. We need to allow and assist the natural processes to move towards their trajectory. We may doub the invasive exotic plants with an herbicide as they emerge now. The new site conditions avail the plants of more of the resources than they may have had before.

Toxic Waste Site!!

landH2Osteward — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:50:34 +0000

Invasive Exotic Plants need to be treated as a Toxic Waste! just like any chemical pollutant that may persist in the environment. Is there any difference?
At the onset of our volunteer work, in which we Adopted – A – Section of – Highway, we noticed a great deal of Oriental Bittersweet covering and smothering large areas of vegetation and open spaces. We applied for permission to apply the proper herbicide with the authorities, and then we began reducing this large “Cancerous Mass”. We do not like to use herbicidesas a First Defence, but in extreme cases such as these we find that anything else is not as effective and we spend a great deal more time and expence and we are in effect “shoveling – sand – against – the – tide”. Once that Bio-mass has been dehydrated the remaining woody materials then needs to be cut down and removed.
This is usually accomplished using tarps so as not to spread any seeds or any possible vegetated propagules. The disposal of this material also becomes a problemic situation as any remaing live material is liable to infect the “Dump” site as well and begin a new florishing of Oriental Bittersweet. We bring the materials to our own facility where we compost it and bring it to high temperatures over a period of time that kills all the seeds and live vegetated bio -mass. We must make sure that our vehicles are cleared of any remaining vegetation and then wash off the residue from our tires.

What’s up with our local OilSpills?

landH2Osteward — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:44:02 +0000

On the way to the section to the section of highway that we have adopted we noticed that on all the new Highway stimulus projects there was a pattern that was emerging. The pavement was being widened, curbing was being constructed and the runoff water was being captured in sewer basins. The net result of these construction activities increases the volume, the temperature, and the velocity of the stormwater runoff, and directs all of it into a centralized end point. It then occurred to us to follow the flow that the captured water might take. In all instances the runoff stormwater will flow from the catch basins directly into natural streams or rivers and will eventually end up in our oceans. The pollutants that come from our cars and trucks will wash into our waterways, not to mention the soils that have been disturbed during construction activities that have yet to have vegetation established. The sand and salts that we use to de-ice our roadways are also washed along as well. These salts also salinate the soils that are adjacent to our roadways. Have you ever noticed a tall grass with a crème plume growing from the drainage swales that also run along our roadways? These plants are called Phragmites a very invasive exotic plant that you may also notice in the shallow tidal marshes along our coastal towns. These and other noxious plants are displacing our native species and changing our native ecosystems. They are opportunists that move in very quickly when the soil physical, chemical, and biological characteristics have been forced to changed and the real estate, loses its value as far as functioning that way it was ‘Designed by Nature’.
So what’s all the concern about the Deep Water Drilling Rig in the Gulf? Our nation’s highways dump gallons of pollutants into our creeks, streams, rivers, and wetlands every single day. So what is the cumulative effect of that exercise ?

The book of nature always tells the truth

landH2Osteward — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:19:26 +0000

“The book of nature always tells the truth; we just have to learn to read it.”Sepp Holzer, a german ecologist.

By observing nature, and putting ourselves in the place of other living beings , we begin to understand from within, realizing which are the healing measures that make sense in the given situation.

Let nature work, reestablish natural cycles.

WoW! A Great New Tool to Clean Water!

landH2Osteward — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:13:26 +0000

Phase II Stormwater Products, Inc. announced last night that they have come out with a more affordable, and more durable material, and completely Bio-degradble product than the old straw wattle. The traditional straw wattle, like many other stormwater devices that are left in the natural environment are made from petroleum based geo-textiles. These materials inevitably get wrapped around the necks of many vertabrates, and reptiles, or get ingested and become anatomical disasters.

The product is their uses FilterMitt technology and The new Filtermedia uses straw as it’s infill. Not only is this material light weight and easy to handle, but it can be inoculated with microorganizisms and humic acids that grab onto oil, and begin to dissociate the carbon from the hydrocarbon. The waste is CO2 (as per respiration) and water! WOW could we use this down the Gulf. It can float on the water or be placed in the shrimp and shell fish habitats in the tidal marshes and wetlands to protect the babies from oil infiltrating their nursery beds. They can be used as sediment devices along highways, streets, and parking lots capturing petroleum run-off pollution. They say that they will manufacture a 9″ size and a 12″ size. They will make this product available first on their web-site and then in stores that sell erosion supplies around the country.