Native Plants
Sep 10, 2023, 10:31 PM
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As you walk along the River Walk, you will notice areas with newly planted vegetation that enhances the beauty of the trail. All the trees and shrubs planted along the trail are native to the local environment.
Why is it important to use native plants along the River Walk Trail?
We often hear news stories about plants or animals that are nearing extinction and may soon be lost forever. Species like the cheetah or the California condor frequently make headlines. However, many other animals, plants, and natural environments are also becoming increasingly rare. These plants and animals are considered threatened or endangered due to changes in their environments and the loss of their natural habitats.
A particular type of environment is called an ecosystem. In a healthy ecosystem, all the plants, insects, and animals depend on one another for food and protection. The monarch butterfly, which relies entirely on milkweed for survival, is a good example of this relationship.
Native plants play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and habitats. Even the loss of a lesser-known native plant or insect can have a broad impact on the survival of other species in these delicate environments.
When the River Walk Trail was first constructed, most of the plant life in this river bottom ecosystem consisted of invasive, non-native species. These invasive plants had displaced the native plants that once provided food for plant-eating insects and animals. Nearly all leaf-eating insects are chemically dependent on specific native plants. When their food sources disappear, these insects vanish as well. And when the insects disappear, so do the birds and animals that depend on them. The health and balance of these delicate ecosystems rely on the presence of native plants and animals.
As construction of the trail continues, we will keep removing invasive, non-native plants from the area. This will allow native plants to reestablish and grow. Many native plants were already present but were suppressed by aggressive non-native species. Some native plants will naturally return, while others will need to be replanted as space is cleared.
We are already seeing native plant populations rebound along the trail. In the wetlands near the Fisherman’s Loop, we recently discovered native swamp rose mallow plants growing—plants we hadn’t even known were there. We’re curious to see which insects will feed on these mallows and whether more birds, like the American yellow warbler or the cliff swallow, will return to feed on those insects.
As you continue your walk, keep an eye out for other native plants such as bald cypress, yellowwood, and witch-hazel, all of which have been reintroduced to this unique river bottom ecosystem.
Why is it important to use native plants along the River Walk Trail?
We often hear news stories about plants or animals that are nearing extinction and may soon be lost forever. Species like the cheetah or the California condor frequently make headlines. However, many other animals, plants, and natural environments are also becoming increasingly rare. These plants and animals are considered threatened or endangered due to changes in their environments and the loss of their natural habitats.
A particular type of environment is called an ecosystem. In a healthy ecosystem, all the plants, insects, and animals depend on one another for food and protection. The monarch butterfly, which relies entirely on milkweed for survival, is a good example of this relationship.
Native plants play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and habitats. Even the loss of a lesser-known native plant or insect can have a broad impact on the survival of other species in these delicate environments.
When the River Walk Trail was first constructed, most of the plant life in this river bottom ecosystem consisted of invasive, non-native species. These invasive plants had displaced the native plants that once provided food for plant-eating insects and animals. Nearly all leaf-eating insects are chemically dependent on specific native plants. When their food sources disappear, these insects vanish as well. And when the insects disappear, so do the birds and animals that depend on them. The health and balance of these delicate ecosystems rely on the presence of native plants and animals.
As construction of the trail continues, we will keep removing invasive, non-native plants from the area. This will allow native plants to reestablish and grow. Many native plants were already present but were suppressed by aggressive non-native species. Some native plants will naturally return, while others will need to be replanted as space is cleared.
We are already seeing native plant populations rebound along the trail. In the wetlands near the Fisherman’s Loop, we recently discovered native swamp rose mallow plants growing—plants we hadn’t even known were there. We’re curious to see which insects will feed on these mallows and whether more birds, like the American yellow warbler or the cliff swallow, will return to feed on those insects.
As you continue your walk, keep an eye out for other native plants such as bald cypress, yellowwood, and witch-hazel, all of which have been reintroduced to this unique river bottom ecosystem.