Cootes Paradise Marsh: community participation in the restoration of a Great Lakes coastal wetland

Published source details Chow-Fraser P. & Lukasik L. (1995) Cootes Paradise Marsh: community participation in the restoration of a Great Lakes coastal wetland. Restoration & Management Notes, 13, 183-189.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use fences or barriers to protect freshwater wetlands planted with non-woody plants Action Link
	Directly plant non-woody plants: freshwater wetlands Action Link

Use fences or barriers to protect freshwater wetlands planted with non-woody plants

A replicated, paired, controlled study in 1993–1994 in a freshwater marsh in Ontario, Canada (Chow-Fraser & Lukasik 1995) reported that silt screens increased survival of emergent vegetation one year after planting. Statistical significance was not assessed. In deep water (>40 cm at planting), 100% of planted arrowheads Sagittaria latifolia survived in a plot surrounded by a silt screen (vs 0% in a plot without a silt screen). In shallow water (15 cm at planting), the survival rate of planted broadleaf cattails Typha latifolia was more than twice as high in a screened plot than an unscreened plot (precise data not reported). Methods: In August 1993, two pairs of plots (one shallow-water, one deep-water) were established in Cootes Paradise Marsh. Each 6-m² plot was planted with 90 plants: 30 arrowhead, 30 cattails and 30 submerged plants. All plots were fenced to exclude muskrats Ondatra zibethicus. Two plots (one plot/pair) were also surrounded by a finer-mesh silt screen. Vegetation was surveyed in August 1994. The study does not report full results from all plots.

(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)
Directly plant non-woody plants: freshwater wetlands

A replicated study in 1993–1994 in a freshwater marsh in Ontario, Canada (Chow-Fraser & Lukasik 1995) reported 0–100% survival of planted emergent herbs, depending on water depth and use of silt screens. Vegetation was surveyed approximately one year after planting. Across three plots in shallow water (15–20 cm at planting), approximately 24% of arrowheads Sagittaria latifolia and 10% of broadleaf cattails Typha latifolia survived. Cattail survival was also reported, but not quantified, in two other shallow-water plots. In seven of eight plots in deep water (≥30 cm at planting), no arrowheads survived. In the other plot, surrounded by a fine-mesh silt screen, all planted arrowheads had survived and spread. Methods: In August 1993, volunteers planted 90 plants into each of thirteen 6-m² plots in Cootes Paradise Marsh: 30 arrowhead, 30 cattails and 30 submerged plants. All plots were fenced in an attempt to exclude muskrats Ondatra zibethicus, but they entered at least eight plots and ate the above-ground vegetation. Vegetation was surveyed in July and August 1994.

(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)