|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 14, 2008: EcoLab Events
We have already had an exciting start to the school year with field trips scheduled or completed with the following schools:
A total of 770 students and adults have been provided with educational opportunities in the EcoLab from June-October. More field trips are being requested. As a result, we look forward to the opportunities we will have to serve more people in the future. If you are interested in volunteering to help lead school and community groups in the EcoLab, please contact Michelle Priddy at 317.524.7700 or lseceducation@marian.edu. September17, 2008: Matching Gifts for the EcoLab How these investments will be used to further the mission of the Marian College EcoLab:
February 13, 2008: Friends of Riverdale In September, the Friends of Riverdale celebrated the rehabilitation of the Jensen circular garden with the second annual Jensen birthday party. More than 50 people attended the party, enjoying a tour of the circular garden and a lecture by David Roth and Professor Cairns about the Jensen landscape at Riverdale. The next project for the Friends of Riverdale is the restoration of the colonnade. At Riverdale, the colonnade acts as one of Jensen's signature design features, the council ring. Designed to entice people into the landscape, the colonnade sits right at the edge of the formal gardens, jutting out over the more naturalistic area now known as the Marian College EcoLab. The Friends intend to repair the stratified stone pillars, replace the wooden arbor, and restore the plantings, including wisteria, grape and clematis. The 2008 membership drive is underway! If you'd like to become involved with the Friends of Riverdale, contact Deb Lawrence at 317.955.6208 or dlawrence@marian.edu. January 2008: Storm Sewer improvements in EcoLab After the new storm sewer is installed, the swath of bluff and other areas affected will be immediately revegetated. The revegetation plan calls for fully biodegradable coconut blankets to hold down the soil and seed, thousands of plant plugs, and almost 100 trees and shrubs. While it’s painful to see this temporary disruption in the EcoLab, we eagerly anticipate the regrowth of Jensen designated trees and native Indiana grasses and wildflowers in the impacted area. November 26, 2007: Ibis found in EcoLab The Plegadis genus consists of two species of dark-colored heron-like birds with long, sharply down-curved bills. In the fall, these two species, the White-faced and Glossy Ibis are very difficult to distinguish from one another. Both species are typically found in the southern U.S. and only accidentally occur in Indiana. In fact, according to Brock’s Birds of Indiana, there have only been 20 records of a Plegadis Ibis in Indiana during the fall in Indiana. The sighting has been reported to the Indiana Bird Records Committee with documentation and they will consider whether or not it can be assigned to a species – if so, this Ibis will be the only one ever identified as to its species in Indiana in the Fall. You could sight the next extreme rarity in the EcoLab! Join us for our weekly bird walks on Wednesday mornings or on the first Saturday of the month at 8am starting from the St. Francis colonnade. October 5, 2007: EcoLab Summer Projects The north beaver pond planting is particularly successful. During June, beaver decided to vacate the area and the water level dropped and has stayed low since. This made planting much easier and 4,400 wetland plants were installed. Look for pickerel weed still flowering on the east side of the pond. Beaver have left this pond in the past, but always returned after a few months, so we anticipate its return and associated higher water levels. Another major ongoing project is the removal of non-native bush honeysuckle from the far north end of the EcoLab. This property is being leased to the EcoLab by the Indiana Department of Transportation and we hope to finish honeysuckle removal in time to plant trees and native wildflower seeds in the area this fall. Join us on our 9 a.m., third Saturday of the month conservation work day in September, October, and November to participate. The tree and wildflower planting project this fall and next spring is being partially funded by money raised by the Amos W. Butler Audubon Birdathon fundraiser. Thanks for all the hard work, David Bauman! The grant that provided the funding for David Bauman’s restoration ecologist position in the EcoLab has finally run its course.Because of Dave’s hard work:
We are seeking additional funding to continue restoration work in the EcoLab. In the meantime, with the help of volunteers like you and student interns under the guidance of EcoLab Director, David Benson, progress is continuing to be made. During the week of September 3, Phragmites, Narrow Leaf Cattail, and Siberian Elm were cut and treated in the cattail marsh along the west Jensen trail, exotics were removed along the fence line east of Crooked Creek along Cold Spring Road, and exotics were spot sprayed in the far north end of the EcoLab. The week of September 10 was concentrated on removing honeysuckle from the north end of the EcoLab. Volunteers are very welcome and needed! May 22, 2007: National Audubon Society Identifies 14 New "With the third round of IBA evaluations, Audubon has identified 14 sites and over 300,000 acres of habitat in Indiana critical for the protection of many threatened bird species," said James Cole, Indiana 's IBA coordinator. "Many of the new Important Bird Areas encompass the largest remaining expanses of forest in southern Indiana. However, these sites also include smaller but equally critical areas, including locales along the shore of Lake Michigan and habitats threatened by fragmentation from agricultural and urban development in the central part of the state." The Important Bird Areas Program is Audubon's primary conservation initiative and is part of a global partnership with Birdlife International to identify key areas throughout the world for bird populations. IBAs are sites that provide essential habitat for one or more species of bird, and include locales for breeding, wintering, and/or migrating birds. IBAs may be a few acres, or thousands of acres, but usually they are discrete sites that stand out from the surrounding landscape. IBAs may include public or private lands, or both, and they may be protected or unprotected. The fourteen most recently identified IBAs include: Brookville Lake/Whitewater State Park (Franklin and Union Counties): In total, this IBA encompasses approximately 20,000 acres of habitat, which includes open reservoir, climax forest, second-growth woods, and successional areas, all within the rolling hills, steep ridges, and ravines associated with Indiana 's Bluegrass Natural Region. These state-owned properties support one of the most significant assemblages of migrant and nesting avian species in eastern Indiana . Congregations of migrant waterfowl, a diversity of neotropical passerines, and nesting endangered raptors are the fundamental characteristics of this Important Bird Area. Eagle Creek Park (Marion County): Encompassed within the property's boundaries are approximately 5,300 acres, making the Eagle Creek the largest park in central Indiana and one of the largest municipally-owned parks in the United States. Many WatchList birds were found on the property during the nesting season, including such species as Willow Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, Blue-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, and Kentucky Warbler. Elkhart River Corridor (Elkhart County): The Elkhart River Important Bird Area, located just south of the city of Goshen in Elkhart County, comprises some of the last remaining floodplain and riparian habitats in the north-central region of the state. These uncommon habitats, combined with the relative length of the corridor, ensure that this Important Bird Area supports some of the most critical nesting and migrant populations of threatened birds within this region of the state, including WatchList species such as Blue-winged Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Canada Warbler, and Rusty Blackbird. Harrison-Crawford Forest (Crawford and Harrison Counties): This complex comprises two large properties managed by Indiana 's Department of Natural Resources – the Harrison-Crawford State Forest, and O'Bannon Woods State Park – along with some privately held lands located adjacent to IDNR in-holdings. This area is especially significant for birds dependent of woodland interiors, including such WatchList species as Wood Thrush, Cerulean Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, and Kentucky Warbler. Hoosier National Forest, Tell City Unit (Crawford and Perry Counties): Approximately 40,000 acres in size and consisting primarily of contiguous mid-to-late successional forest, this section of the national forest is one of Indiana's most significant areas for interior forest songbird populations. No fewer than eight WatchList and state-endangered species are confirmed to breed in this Important Bird Area. Jackson-Washington-Clark Forest (Clark, Jackson, Scott, and Washington Counties): Spanning approximately 40 miles in length, the Jackson-Washington/Clark State Forest Important Bird Area comprises one of the largest remaining forest tracts in Indiana . A plethora of WatchList species can be found here during the summertime; the abundance of steep-sided slopes and ravines found at the two state forests seem particularly attractive to the Worm-eating Warbler – its nesting population at these two locales combined possibly total more than 1000 individuals. Kankakee Fish and Wildlife Area (Porter and Starke Counties): This property, owned and managed by Indiana 's Department of Natural Resources, encompasses over 4,000 acres of land at the confluence of the Kankakee and Yellow Rivers. Congregations of migrant waterfowl, cranes, and shorebirds can be found here, and the swamp habitats support the largest breeding population of Prothonotary Warbler, a WatchList species, in northern Indiana. Miller Beach/Marquette Park (Lake County): Miller Beach and Marquette Park are located almost perfectly at the extreme southern point of the elongated Lake Michigan waters. Hence, birds traveling along the lakefront in either an eastward or westward direction are funneled to this IBA , making this site one of the most critical locales in Indiana for migrant birds. Fall congregations are especially impressive, with number of loons, ducks, and terns reaching the thousands, and the sandy beaches provide stopover habitat for WatchList birds like Piping Plover and Whimbrel. Also, over the past decades more migrant jaegers have been seen at Miller Beach than anywhere else in Indiana, and perhaps even the entire Midwest. Monroe Lake (Brown and Monroe Counties): The Monroe Lake IBA encompasses approximately 24,000 acres of open water, marsh, and bottomland habitats in southern Indiana. Consequently, this area supports a diversity and abundance of waterfowl and nesting neotropical migrants, although it is best known throughout Indiana for it over-wintering and nesting Bald Eagle population. Morgan-Monroe Forest (Monroe and Morgan Counties): Located along the border of Monroe and Morgan Counties, this area comprises approximately 40,000 acres of mostly contiguous forest. The critical parcel of this IBA is IDNR's Morgan-Monroe State Forest (MMSF), which is the largest state-owned forest in Indiana. Nesting WatchList species at MMSF include Wood Thrush, Cerulean Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, and Kentucky Warbler. Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Black-and-white Warbler, and Hooded Warbler are state-listed species that also breed within the forested habitat. Point Township Bottomlands (Posey County): The Point Township Bottomlands IBA is located in the southernmost reaches of Indiana along the confluence of the Wabash and Ohio Rivers. With its buttressed bald cypress trees and coffee-colored water, the habitats found at this locale are reflective of those associated with the Deep South; not coincidentally, this IBA also supports some of the most unique avifaunal communities in Indiana, including species like Yellow-crowned Night-Heron and Mississippi Kite whose ranges are typically restricted to locales south of the state's borders. West Beach (Porter County): West Beach is located along the Lake-Porter County boundary in northwestern Indiana, along Lake Michigan and is managed by the National Parks Service as part of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IDNL). This mosaic of habitats attracts a great diversity of birds throughout the year, including migrant loons, waterfowl, and passerines. Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area (Newton County): Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area is located in rural northwestern Indiana adjacent to the state's border with Illinois. The property is immediately bordered by two other IBAs - the Nature Conservancy's Kankakee Sands Project to the north and Illinois' Iroquois State Wildlife Area to west. These three IBAs combined encompass nearly 20,000 acres of critical bird habitat within the Grand Prairie Natural Region for nesting grassland, savanna, and marsh land species. "With these newest site recognitions, we now have a total of 40 Important Bird Areas in Indiana ," said Cole. "Our IBAs illustrate the significance of the Hoosier landscape in local, continental, and global bird conservation. Audubon is working to ensure that these different types of resources are managed collectively for bird conservation." Information gathered about each site can create model ordinances for local governments, and serve as the basis for educational materials and programs to increase public awareness and stewardship of habitats critical for bird populations. Other opportunities generated through the identification of IBAs may include direct conservation measures, such as public acquisition, conservation easements, and guides for property managers. A primary aspect of the IBA program is that it is a voluntary, non-regulatory initiative, which facilitates landowners' complete involvement and encourages them to make a difference for wildlife through recognition, advocacy, and stewardship.' 'Currently, work is underway to identify additional IBAs in Indiana. Audubon members and interested birders who would like to nominate an IBA or assist with site monitoring and adoption programs can contact James Cole, Indiana IBA coordinator, at jcole@audubon.org. For a full review of Indiana's Important Bird Areas, please visit www.audubon.org/bird/iba and click on the state of Indiana. Now in its second century, Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Our national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in conservation. May 16, 2007: Team EcoLab Turns in 126 Species in 17 Hours for Birdathon Anyway, we proceeded into the EcoLab for a short time to find a few relative rarities—American Woodcock, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Great Horned Owl (on the nest). From there it was on to Eagle Creek Park where we quickly bumped our species total up into the 90s by 11 a.m. Of course, the first 90 species are always the easiest, right? Yup. From then on it wasn’t real pretty…just a species here and there as we cruised around to every wet cornfield and industrial park wetlands in the “greater Indianapolis area.” We went downtown to see the Peregrine Falcons and then back to the EcoLab to find White-crowned Sparrows. And, finally, we ended up finding our last species, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, just before dark at Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park. 126 species. Whew. What people won’t do for charity. If you would still like to do your part for charity, donate a dime, quarter, 50 cents, or more per species by e-mailing dbenson@marian.edu. If you are not currently a member of the National Audubon Society, a donation of $20 or more will grant you free membership. Donations go toward the purchase of lowland forest in Panama (an endangered habitat used by Indiana birds during the winter), research benefiting birds of central Indiana, the Indiana Important Bird Areas program, and habitat restoration in the Marian College EcoLab. March 13, 2007: Owl Nest Found on Evening Hike February 28, 2007: Native Vegetation Suffers When Honeysuckle Takes Over It seems a bit obvious that thick-growing honeysuckle would reduce productivity underneath it, but could it actually have an effect on the forest overstory? Yes, suggests a recently published scientific paper by researchers from Ohio University (Hartman and McCarthy 2007 in Applied Vegetation Science). In this study, the researchers examined several forest plots in central Ohio where honeysuckle has been dominant for at least the last 10 years. They took tree cores from a number of trees in each plot and then studied the relative growth rates by looking at the width of growth rings in the 10 years prior to the honeysuckle invasion for comparison with the 10 years after invasion. They found a significant reduction in overstory tree growth after honeysuckle invades. So, not only does honeysuckle cause problems for plants underneath its arching branches, it also affects plants that are growing over the honeysuckle, probably through competitive effects on soil water and nutrients. This gives us another good reason to put great emphasis on its removal. One of the published studies that resulted from research done by Marian College students in the EcoLab found that the removal of honeysuckle increases both the coverage and richness (number of species) of native plants. Will removal also help the overstory? It seems likely, but future research will tell. February 6, 2007: Cutting in the Cold Last week Bauman discovered three deer bedded down on the east side of the Rustic Trail near a patch of horsetail. "The deer were pretty well hidden behind some mature honeysuckle. Now that the honeysuckle has been removed, the bed site can be seen from the trail and I haven’t detected the deer since." Bauman says that one of the short-term negative aspects of honeysuckle removal is the change of "habitat structure" in the EcoLab. Honeysuckle provides a very ample shrub layer that is attractive to some birds like White-throated Sparrows and mammals such as deer. That’s why "in many areas, we’ve replanted native shrubs such as spicebush and ninebark, to replace the shrub-layer lost with the removal of honeysuckle," Bauman says. Honeysuckle was introduced to the United States from Asia in the late 1800s and has spread through the understory of forests in the Midwest. Urban areas have been particularly hard-hit by the invasive Amur Honeysuckle that grows into a very thick 10-15 foot shrub and forms dense thickets. Because non-native honeysuckles leaf-out early in spring and hold their leaves until late in the fall, they tend to stifle the growth of all plants underneath their branches, basically halting the process of succession. By doing so, honeysuckle can permanently alter the structure of an Indiana woodland like the EcoLab unless it is removed. January 26, 2007: Life Science Education Center at Marian College The Life Science Education Center at Marian College is also the subject of a story in the January 16 Indianapolis Star; here is the link: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070116/BUSINESS/701160357/1003/BUSINESS. January 26, 2007: Sixty-five participants at Raptor ID workshop! |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Way Things Work Summer Math and Science Camp 
Flanner House 
Pacer's Academy 
Have you ever wanted to see what it looks like to live in a beaver lodge, how beavers use their canals at night, or the progress of our nestling owls? Or, have you wondered how garlic mustard affects light, temperature, and humidity for plants and animals living under its leaves?
