Stories from the Field

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Below are some of our more recent postings.

Friday, July 25, 2008
Controlling the Kudzu
posted by tiffani on 7/25/2008

Updated 7/29/2008

Anyone who catches a glimpse of roadside areas in the South knows of the horrible scourge of Kudzu.  The fast-growing perennial vine introduced to the United States from Japan in the late 1800’s was welcomed in Victorian gardens as a fragrant ornamental, and by farmers as potential source of forage.  

In the 1930’s it was widely planted because it was believed to help control erosion.  Instead of simply controlling the erosion, however, the voracious vine began to grow completely out of control.  It thrived in the southeast because conditions during the summer were near perfect for rapid growth.  Kudzu grew in almost all soil types, and the amount of rainfall was ideal.  In fact, Kudzu grew so much that it was declared a weed in 1972 by the USDA.

 

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Restoration Systems has struggled with Kudzu working its way onto a couple mitigation sites from the roadside right-of-way.  RS is required to monitor each site and control any invasive or non-native plants.  The cost of hiring a contractor to do the job exceeded the cost of buying a spray rig and doing the job ourselves.  Fortunately, a valued veteran member of the RS team, Dave Schiller, has experience fighting the green beast that is Kudzu and was licensed in the past as a pesticide applicator.  In order to take on the latest challenge, Dave renewed his license with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and for the past two summers has been making life difficult for the voracious vine on behalf of RS.  Dave uses Transline, which is selective to the legume family of plants (kudzu), so everything can be sprayed without damaging other vegetation or – most importantly—out thousands upon thousands of planted conservation trees.  In addition, a small amount of Transline is used (about 23 ounces per acre) so there is no herbicide build-up.  RS has this method on a number of sites and has seen tremendous results.

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Kudzu was coined “The vine that ate the South” because it grows everywhere.  It can be found in forests, open fields, roadsides, railroads, and power lines—but not Restoration Systems sites.  Kudzu has no natural enemy (except us) so it is almost impossible to control, growing at a rate of one foot a day, and up sixty feet a year.  So, thanks to Dave Schiller for helping control a horrible pest and threat to the integrity of our restored ecosystems. 

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Friday, July 18, 2008
Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
posted by tiffani on 7/18/2008

Thanks to our Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail for the recognition in the Raleigh News and Observer.  Kate Dixon, Executive Director of the project has received office space pro bono from Restoration Systems.  For more information on this non-profit organization please visit the website below.

 

http://www.ncmst.org/aboutfmst.htm

 

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Thursday, June 19, 2008
TLC - June Member of the Month
posted by tiffani on 6/19/2008

Our very own Tara Allden and her family are the Triangle Land Conservancy’s June Members of the month.  Members of TLC since 2007, Tara and her family were drawn to TLC because TLC is protecting land right here in the Triangle.

 

http://www.tlc-nc.org/friends/join/member_spotlight.shtml

 

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Andrew, Kathleen & Tara 

 
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Tar Heel Bus Tour
posted by tiffani on 5/13/2008

Updated 5/20/2008

New faculty members at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill spent the week after Commencement on the Road, getting to know the state and its people a little better.  May 12th – 16th marked the 11th Annual Tar Heel Bus Tour.  The idea of the bus tour is a way to teach new faculty about NC, its needs and where most of Carolina’s undergraduates grow up.  This year the Institute of the Environment department at UNC was able to choose a site to visit.  They chose RS’ Carbonton Dam project site.

 

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 Present day Carbonton.

 

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The bus arriving at Carbonton Dam Park.

 

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George Howard addressing the group.

 

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Dickie Harrison of Deep River Parks Association (keeper of the Carbonton Dam Park), Uncle Larry and Barrett Jenkins.

 

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Adam Riggsbee addressing the group. 

 

 
Monday, May 12, 2008
11th Annual Mitigation Banking Conference
posted by tiffani on 5/12/2008

Updated 5/20/2008

The 11th Annual Mitigation Banking Conference was a great success.  With over 400 attendees, Restoration Systems was able to showcase what we do for the environment, as well as meet others in our field and see where we are all heading in the future.  George Howard, Tara Allden, Travis Hamrick and Tiffani Bylow all represented RS at the conference.

 

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The RS Booth.

 

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Travis talking mitigation.

 

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The McGeorge Group.