Archive for December, 2010

Seed Harvest Update & River Stuff!

Monday, December 20th, 2010

Save Maumee Seed Harvest 2010 Update:

 

Harvesters…the river thanks 30 of you, for all the seeds gathered for our 2nd Annual Seed Harvest at Fox Island.  Save Maumee is noteworthy of recognition for true improvements on your riverbanks (riparian areas) and continue to be the key word in today’s environmentalism…SUSTAINABLE!  WE could not do it without YOU.  We plucked the following and will plant our harvested seed at Earth Day 2011! ~ A grand plan in the works.  We will be sending a hard working group to a remote site at NOON on Sunday April 17th, 2011.  Save Maumee 6th Annual Earth Day begins at the usual spot at 11AM. Working on website updates right now.

 

 Seed Hunter Extraordinare

 

What did we pluck from the generous nature preserve, Fox Island, and what will we be planting for Earth Day?  Estimates of seed weight and prices.

 

The following in blue is a price list from Heartland Restoration/Earth Source Inc. (2010 quotes)

 

Big Bluestem: $12/LB                            Save Maumee collected approx . 5.5 lbs = $66

Canada Wild Rye: $14/LB                      Save Maumee collected approx.  4.5 lbs = $63

 Indian Grass: $8/LB                               Save Maumee collected approx.  3lbs = $ 24

                                                                 3 types of grasses totaling 13lbs  = approx $153.00

 

Tall Iron Weed: $225/LB                         Save Maumee collected approx.               3lbs = $675

Wild Bergamot: $352/LB                        Save Maumee collected approx.   2 lbs = $704

Gray Headed Coneflower: $105/LB         Save Maumee collected approx.   1.5 lbs = $157.50

Common Milkweed: $7/oz, $108/LB        Save Maumee collected approx.   1 lb = $108

Switchgrass: $2/oz                                Save Maumee collected approx.    2 oz = $ 4

Prairie Dropseed: $18/oz                       Save Maumee collected approx.    2 oz = $36

Mountain Mint: $43/oz                            Save Maumee collected approx.    2 oz = $86

New England Aster: $21/oz                     Save Maumee collected approx.    1.5oz =$31.50

Prairie Dock: $18/oz                              Save Maumee collected approx.    2oz = $ 36

Yarrow: $2/oz                                        Save Maumee collected approx.    1oz = $2

Lemon Queen:$23-50/oz                        Save Maumee collected approx.    5 oz = $125

Grey Goldenrod: $450/lb                        Save Maumee collected approx.    1 lbs = $450

Dogwood Berries: $36-50/lb                    Save Maumee collected approx.    2.5 lbs = $100

Black Eyed Susan:$6/oz                        Save Maumee collected approx.    2oz = $ 12

Cup Plant: $10/oz                                  Save Maumee collected approx.    1oz = $ 10

Evening Primrose:$5/oz                         Save Maumee collected approx.                1oz = $ 5
Joe Pye Weed: $36/oz                          
Save Maumee collected approx.                7 grams = $3

Fox Glove: $10/oz                                 Save Maumee collected approx.                1oz = $ 10

 Nodding Onion: $22.50/oz                     Save Maumee collected approx.                7grams = $ 10.

Natives totaling approx. 14lbs = $ 2,565

 

So how much is all of this worth in dollars saved by plucking it ourselves?

 

GRAND TOTAL:   $ 2,718 WORTH OF SEED!!! THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

 

 

 

 

Hope you can make it to our river efforts on at our 6th Annual Earth Day! 2011

True workers for a better Earth MAN-ual Labor at its finest!

Check out the video clips from Save Maumee’s Earth Day 2010: 
(6 parts total 10 mins each)

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDLiDxJshO0 – planting

Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUaG7Qu0Muc – the people!

Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgXM7wKl1ic bird demo

Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WTR_-jXh3o

Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sGE9tXF5VM enviroscape demo

Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTe0bPgPM7g – my personal favorite that shows the RESULTS of our efforts!

 

 

 

Last Save Maumee Fundraiser for 2010 – PARTY for Merriment!  

Wednesday December 22, 2010 4:30PM – 9PM  at Nuhouser Garden & Gifts
 4605 W. Jefferson (just southwest Jefferson Pointe) Maybe last ditch efforts to buy Christmas gifts?

 

Neuhouser Nursery will be throwing a party for Save Maumee.
~Food from Paula’s on Main and Dash-In
~Various wines from Hall’s Triangle Park & Gas House
~Sample Amish made foods and to learn about your local waterways!
~Show support, meet friends, and enjoy holiday cheer!
~All natural dog treats, catnip toys, Christmas decorations, party gifts,
gardening tools and more!
~Bring a non-perishable food item for the Food Bank or gently used winter
attire for the Rescue Mission (men’s, women’s, and children’s) and get 20%
off of any one item!
~15% of all proceeds goes to riverbank stabilization projects!

 

 

Official Events Schedule for Save Maumee 2011! **All events are rain or shine**

 

ü      February 2011-(TBA) Benefit show with bands

 

ü      Sunday April 17, 2011- 6th Annual Earth Day Maumee River Clean Up 11a.m. to 4 p.m.- Niagara Drive, North side of the Maumee

 

ü      Saturday September 17- Canoe Clean Up Can YOU Clean Up? 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free Canoe with ID from Fort Wayne Outfitters Bike Depot!

 

ü      October 4 OR October 24, 2011- Date TBA due to harvesting availability
 Fox Island Seed Harvest 1p.m. to 4 p.m.

 

Information at your fingertips:

blog.savemaumee.org/ – many relevant articles

 

Just a little example:

1 out of 8 fish in Indiana had levels of Mercury considered damaging to humans & animals http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/46275/

 

 

Merry Christmas and a very warm Season to all!  Keep working toward a better Earth throughout every Season!

 

Sincerely,

Abigail King

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization Founder

 

In November Abigail King was also nominated to the Board of Directors for Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor, http://www.maumeevalleyheritagecorridor.org/

 

 

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization was formed to create awareness about the conditions of the Three Rivers in Fort Wayne, IN, while facilitating ecosystem restoration and volunteer based projects.  Revitalizing the Upper-Maumee Watershed will protect and restore the environment, while improving the economic, aesthetic and recreational value.  We are organizing projects that place a high priority on monitoring, developing, protecting and restoring rivers with a positive environmental impact. Ultimately, we work to repair and improve the St. Joe, St. Mary (upstream), and the Maumee Rivers (and downstream) to help reverse years of pollution. This will be accomplished through an Upper-Maumee Watershed Management Plan for the State of Indiana and Ohio which will be necessary to secure federal funding for the entire watershed that crosses the political boundaries of; 2 states, 4 counties and many municipalities.

 

100% donations from you go only to best management practices for naturalization of riparian areas – this is what grassroots organizing is all about ~ ALL VOLUNTEERS ~ The money in 2010 came from Grateful Groove Fundraiser, The Berlin Pub Music Party & B-Rad, Rock Out-Camp Out by Grateful Music Productions, Earth Day 2010, Canoe Clean-Up 2010, Sports & Spirits Bar & Grill, Greg Konger and the last one of the Season, Neuhouser Nursery Fundraiser. Namnaste to many small monetary donors! Save Maumee did not raise as much money as last year but we are very proud to supply you with these effective erosion control techniques for OUR riverbanks!

 

Top Shoreline/Streambank Tips

Monday, December 20th, 2010

1. Grow a Greenbelt: Establish a greenbelt or expand an existing one by adding more native plants.  Encourage your neighbors to do the same.  Buffers are helpful when it comes to water quality!

2. Fertilizer Smart: If you fertilize, refrain from fertilizing within 30′ of a shoreline/ditch/stream. DEFINITELY use no-phosphorus fertilizer.

3. Leave Trees: If a tree falls into the water leave it! They provide great habitat and contribute to the important carbon budget of the ecosystem.

4. Maintain Septic Systems: Failing septic systems can leach nutrients, which cause nuisance algae and plant growth.

5. Control Erosion: Stabilize shoreline erosion with bioengineering methods best management practices.

6. Join Forces: Support your local lake or river associations; they implement important resources protection projects and programs…like Save Maumee!

7. Stow Away: Store boats, boat hoists, docks and other equipment away from the shoreline; they can harm shoreline plants and compact soils.  Work on these machines and engines AWAY from the water to reduce leaks and spills.

8. Flow Away: Stormwater from driveways, roof tops, and other surfaces carries harmful pollutants.  Direct stormwater away from the street grates and allow it to infiltrate into the ground. (i.e. raingardens, rainbarrels, porous cement, wash car on lawn instead of driveway etc.)

9. Appreciate Aquatic Plants: Nearshore aquatic plants (growing in the water) are an important part of the lake and river ecosystems.  They offer valuable habitat and buffer wave energy.  See here for details: https://blog.savemaumee.org/2010/11/22/how-does-planting-trees-and-grasses-help/

10. Know the Law: Familiarize yourself with local, state, and federal regulations.  Permits are needed for some shoreline activities; be aware if any of your future plans require one.  Also, check to see if your county/municipality has a greenbelt ordinance.

11. When in Doubt? Call it Out: Hold government and corporation entities responsible!  Take a picture of laws that appear to be broken.  Send it to us! abby@savemaumee.org OR CALL Katie Englin at IDEM complaint hotline for immediate remediation: 317-232-4464

NASA~Earth Observatory over past 130 years

Monday, December 20th, 2010

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/decadaltemp.php?src=eoa-features

A snapshot of Earth over the past 130 years with heating and warming trends.

“A one-degree global change is significant because it takes a vast amount of heat to warm all the oceans, atmosphere, and land by that much. In the past, a one- to two-degree drop was all it took to plunge the Earth into the Little Ice Age. A five-degree drop was enough to bury a large part of North America under a towering mass of ice 20,000 years ago. ”

Please take care of Her!