Accent on Natural Landscaping Inc

Donna VanBuecken

Natural Landscaping

Do you have a passion for native plants and natural landscaping? Do you wish you knew more about native plants and biodiversity? If so, I invite you to join this blog and learn about native plants, natural landscaping and biodiversity a little at a time.

As Executive Director of Wild Ones for 17 years, one of the things I enjoyed the most was to share with members and others the new and interesting information I learned about things related to the Wild Ones mission. So now as I continue on with my next life adventure, [Read more…]

Results of Conservation Congress Hearings – Wisconsin

Reference Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearings — Neonics and Wisconsin Conservation Congress 2018. Hearing results are in and I’m a bit surprised, but not hilariously so with people’s votes. To see the results for all the questions by county and state-wide, go to Summary of Results.

The question 45 to “take up the ‘Saving Wisconsin Pollinators Act,’ and include specific language to ban the use of neonicotinoid insecticides (dinotefuran, clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) regardless of application method on all state owned agricultural and forest lands, and establish limited use guidelines for continued use on commercial and private agricultural lands” got 4129 yes votes and 719 no votes with two counties rejecting the question entirely.

The question 16 to “support a $5 annual fee for all users between the ages of 16 and 64 of state fishery, wildlife, natural areas and leased public hunting grounds and dedicating the funds to directly support fish and wildlife habitat management and infrastructure on these properties” got 3378 yes votes and 2411 no votes with 22 counties rejecting the question entirely.

The question 19 to “encourage legislators and WDNR to support science and market based legislation and rules to reduce the risk of global warming and increase the use of renewable energy resources” got 3590 yes votes and 1840 no votes with 6 counties rejecting the question entirely.

The question 20 to ” support water basin management plans to reduce and control run off as partial mitigation for damage” got  4238 yes votes and 1052 no votes with no rejections.

The question 33  to “support requiring all students under the age of 15 to  have a minimum of one field day of hands-on experience in hunter, bowhunter, ATV and boater safety classes in order to become certified” got 4651 yes votes and 779 votes with no counties rejecting the question.

The question 43 to “support establishing new rules designating the entire karstic areas of Wisconsin, both dolomite and calcareous bedrock areas, as sensitive areas meriting special groundwater protection by the State and freeing municipal governments to make additional rules and regulations based on local geological consideration” got 3631 yes votes and 1092 no votes with two counties rejecting the question.

The question 44 to “support conducting hydrogeological surveys in counties where none have yet been done” got 3863 votes and 873 no votes with two counties rejecting the question.

The questions 49-52 to “require non-motorized watercraft to be registered, but exempt hunters, trappers and fishers who already pay a fee, and create a separate rate for organizations with multiple watercraft”had mixed results with many counties rejecting questions 49 and 52.

Unfortunately, it is mostly sportsmen who participate in the Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearings, so their motives in voting are probably different from other typical conservationists. The questions related strongly to sports activities got wide approval/rejection depending upon the context of the question but always pro-sportsmen.

Astonishingly, while the question on neonics got outstanding approval (maybe because it’s in the news so much?), the global warming question did not (head in the sand syndrome?).

Astoundingly, the question on water basin management got high approval (affects fishing!), while the other questions related to water management did not (lack of understanding perhaps?).

In the long run, Wisconsin’s partisan legislature will do what it wants, while I long for the days when Wisconsinites worked together for the good of our natural resources and wildlife management. I’m glad I’m old, so I don’t have to see the erosion of the Wisconsin Idea.

 

 

 

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Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

Jack-in-the-Pulpits (Arisaema triphyllum) are such unusual looking plants, but you can’t help but love the way they stand so erect, hiding the jack inside. Jacks are that special shade garden specimen because of their unusual appearance. Its flower looks like a “Jack” in a pulpit. They can grow anywhere from 1 to 3 feet tall. Typically, the older they are and the richer the soil, the larger the plant. They like rich, damp soil. Some tolerate even wetter areas like bogs and stream banks. This native grows in the eastern half of the United States.

THE FLOWER

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) plants are one of the most unique plants in America’s moist forests and wetland areas. If you use your imagination, you can see the preacher (Jack) inside his pulpit. Photo courtesy of Wildflower Weekly.

The green flower, called a spathe, is shaped like a hooded pulpit. It often has green or maroon strips for added color. The spathe gently folds over the “Jack” which is a stout column inside called a spadix. This column has a rounded top and is covered with many tiny flowers.

POLLINATION

Although there are male and female Jacks (dioecious), their spadix is covered with tiny flowers containing both male and female parts. It is pollinated by fungus gnats (flies) who are attracted to a slight fungal odor given off by the spath. The gnats are looking for a place to lay their eggs. In so doing they provide the pollination needed for the Jack-in-the-Pulpits to propagate. The tricky part is navigating between the male and females Jacks. The male Jacks provide an escape route for the gnats, but the females do not.

PROPAGATION

Often you’ll find a number of young Jacks growing together in a group where the seeds fall. The plant’s two large leaves, each with three leaflets, are often confused with Trillium leaves. Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) leaves, however, are broader and the vein pattern is different.

After pollination, the tiny flowers on the spadix wither and eventually turn into the prettiest bright red berries. The berries, as they ripen, turn into mush containing up to five seeds. So although the Jack-in-the-Pulpit plant is a corm (bulb) which sends out shoots to produce new plants, it also grows from a seed. It requires cold-stratification to germinate. See How to Germinate Native Seeds by Prairie Moon Nursery for more details on cold-stratification.

CRITTERS

In my research, I found very little about animals that eat the seeds of the Jack-in-the-Pulpit, although I did see reference to birds and turkeys. It seems the juice of the berry is irritating and the berries themselves are poisonous and also irritating — perhaps this defense is the reason why so few critters munch on it.

I do know, however, in my own woodland, I rarely get to see the seeds ripen completely because they are eaten by something.

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More on Pollination – Buzz Pollination

Did you know some plants don’t offer nectar? Did you know some plants don’t readily give up their pollen? Well, I was surprised to learn this. These plants depend upon buzz pollination to complete their reproduction. [Read more…]