Creating A Lush and Welcoming Landscape

Rural landowners with a stream running across their property are fortunate to have such a magnificent resource under their stewardship. Individuals in this position, however, also have a great responsibility to maintain and enhance the stream and surrounding landscape as much as possible. The following article offers property owners some key tips and looks at some important considerations regarding stream enhancement.

Pollution

One of the most important steps any property owner can take is to keep the stream as free of any pollutants or foreign matter as possible. Avoid disposing of any trash or debris in the stream, such as grease, oil, old tires or any type of litter. This will inevitably harm any living organisms in or near the water, such as fish, turtles and frogs. Make it a habit to remove any debris you find in your stream or on the banks.

Plants

Having native plants thriving near the stream is of great importance in any enhancement program. Surrounding the stream with healthy native plants helps to control erosion and provides wildlife in the area with an excellent habitat. Check with your local county extension office to determine which plants are native to your location.

Saplings and young plants that have not had time to establish themselves after being put in the ground are vulnerable to attacks from wildlife. So, it's a good to surround them with a protective mesh until they are large enough to survive on their own.

In addition to planting native species, it important to cull invasive species from the banks and surrounding land along the stream. Invasive plants, such as blackberries and ivy, can easily dominate the landscape of the stream if they are not controlled. Unless you watch for them and control them, these species can undermine your efforts to establish native plants. Culling them manually is best, although in a severe infestation, a herbicide can be used. Herbicides should not be used for the long-term, however, as they might pollute the stream.

Erosion

Bank erosion is a common issue with rural streams and creeks. If adding native plants to the landscape does not deal the problem, another good idea is brush layering or brush mattress. This techniques involves using live plant cuttings that are placed on the banks to stem any erosion.

Effective stream enhancement requires a lot of knowledge and attention to detail. To make certain you get the job done right, engage the services of an experienced local landscape firm, like Sweetwater Fisheries Group.