Saturday, October 3, 2009

October 2009 update

Welcome to the October 2009 update

If you have content for this update, please let me know at jeanette.evans@sbcglobal.net.

Some of the items covered in this update include:

* October meeting recap
* What is the Dike 14 Nature Preserve?
* Save Tuesday, December 1 for our holiday party
* Thank you to our Lyndhurst Home Days volunteers
* Mayfield Country Club hikers happily brave the elements
* FOEC members run in November election

October meeting recap


Our October meeting took place Tuesday, October 6 at the South Euclid Community Center. Barbara Martin and Ken Vinciquerra of the Dike 14 Nature Preserve Committee treated us to the presentation Is the relocation of the Cleveland Port to East 55th Street in the public's interest?

What is the Dike 14 nature preserve?

Photo from http://www.dike14.org/

The Dike 14 nature preserve is an 88-acre former dredge disposal site. It is now a wildlife area at the northern end of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Over the years, the Dike 14 nature preserve has become naturalized and provides an opportunity for access to Lake Erie and a diversity of plants and wildlife that includes birds that either make their home in or use the area as a rest stop during migration. http://www.thebutterflysite.com/ohio-butterflies.shtml provides the photo of a monarch butterfly which is on the list of those spotted in Cuyahoga county.

JPG -- species photo

Citizen scientists have identified over 280 species of birds, numerous butterflies, 16 species of mammals (red fox, coyote, mink, deer), two species of reptiles, 26 Ohio plant species (wildflowers, grasses), and nine species of trees and shrubs. The red fox image comes from the ODNR Division of Wildlife web site which states that the red fox is one of two fox species in Ohio.

red fox

Upcoming events and congratulations

Sat., Oct. 10 from 11am to Noon
Rain Garden Maintenance Training
Brainard School Rain Garden in outfield of ball field
Contact Claire Posius (216 524 6580 x16 or cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org) for details.

Thursday, Oct. 22
6 to 8:30 PM
Soil and Water Conservation District Dinner and Annual Meeting
Contact Claire Posius for details.

Tuesday, Nov. 3
7 PM - Regular monthly meeting
Claire Posius discusses projects that are part of the Euclid Creek watershed.
http://photos.cleveland.com/photogallery/2009/03/fall_euclid_creek_metropark.html

Fall Euclid Creek Metropark
Tuesday, December 1
Annual FOEC Holiday Party and pot luck dinner
Mayfield Village Hall - 6621 Wilson Mills Rd (NW corner of Wilson Mills and SOM
Please contact Barb Pophal 216-481-4397 on what you can provide for the pot luck.
Please provide one or more donations for door prizes.

Congratulations again to our new Vice President Frank Skala and new Board of Directors members who include:

  • Steve Albro
  • Lou Drasler
  • Larry McFadden
  • Kathy Schaefer
  • Carolyn Sugiuchi

Thank you to Lyndhurst Home Days volunteers

FOEC had a booth at Lyndhurst Home Days, which took place September 11 at Lyndhurst City Park.

Thanks go out to Larry McFadden for organizing the volunteers who spent time at the booth and participated in this fun activity.

In talking to people who came up to the booth, volunteers at the booth saw appreciation for the work that FOEC does.

Mayfield Country Club hikers happily brave the elements

Thank you to all involved in the wonderful hike on September 29. A special thank you goes to Fran Hogg for organizing this learning event. Over a dozen people enjoyed the walk along the Euclid Creek at this beautiful golf setting. We braved the wet and colder weather with enthusiasm and good spirits.



Thoughts about non-invasive plants in landscapes


As I think about landscaping, I tell myself I should use non-invasive plants. At the Lyndhurst Home Days this year at the FOEC booth, we had a flier with a list of invasive and non-invasive plants. We are encouraged in the flier to use non-invasive plants in our landscape. I decided to think more about using plants in the flier - like, for example, goldenrod and coneflowers - and not using another - English ivy.

Goldenrod patch
Goldenrod makes the list as a non-invasive plant. http://www.gpnc.org/goldenro.htm provides an image and interesting bits of information about the plant. It is a candidate to think about placing in a landscape. A coneflower is a good choice also.
http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Wildflowers_Site/SearchByCharacteristics/Purpleflowerpage/purplecharacterisitics.html
English ivy is one of the invasive plants listed. The image comes from http://www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/fact/hehe1.htm which discourages its use in landscapes.
English Ivy Leaves






FOEC members run in November election

Just a reminder that Cathy Murphy is a member for FOEC. She is running in Ward 1 in Highland Heights for re-election to city council.

Please let me know at jeanette.evans@sbcglobal.net if you are a member of FOEC and running in the November election.

Save Tuesday, December 1 for our holiday party

  • Stay tuned as we put together the details of our annual holiday party.
  • Thanks go to Barb Pophal for organizing this much anticipated activity.
  • Please contact her with what you can bring for the pot luck.
  • Mayfield Village Hall is the location.
  • We welcome donations for door prizes.

The image of American Holly comes from the http://www.wildflower.org/ gallery.

The image of the red maple comes from http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/trees/maple_red/ which states that this is a tree located throughout all of Ohio, found naturally in moist areas of open woodlands and more commonly along creeks and bottomlands where the soil is constantly moist to wet. In urban areas, it is abundantly found as a popular shade tree, noted for its brilliant red fall color.