Description

Wetland scrapes are shallow depressions, typically less than three feet deep, that hold water seasonally but stay damp for most of the year. They offer diverse habitats for waterfowl, marsh birds, shorebirds, reptiles, and amphibians. When these scrapes fill in with silt from the surrounding watershed and invasive plants, they must be restored.

Pingree Grove Forest Preserve includes one of the largest wetland complexes owned by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. The 85-acre marsh once had significant patches of open water dispersed among the wetland vegetation, providing habitat for state-threatened Yellow- Headed Blackbirds and state-endangered reptiles. Over time, much of the open water was lost due to the dense growth of invasive species like Narrowleaf Cattail, Reed Canary Grass, and Common Reed. A “wetland scrape” was performed by ILM to return an interspersion of open water and emergent vegetation vital for wetland wildlife.

Presenter: Eric Mollahan

With more than 13 years in the Environmental field, Eric is an experienced and innovative ecologist, specializing in Restoration techniques, Conservative habitat recovery, and Ecological planning. Eric has developed unique environmental management techniques which expedite the rate of recovery and reduce the cost of most restoration focused projects. His experience in comprehensive land management focuses on both water and terrestrial resources, improving entire landscapes and planning accordingly for various outcomes. The baseline for these skills is exceptional plant identification and habitat assessments. Eric has documented species which expanded the known ecology of multiple counties in Northeastern Illinois and located previously unknown populations of some of the rarest species in the state, including Carex prasina and Carex formosa. Additionally, Eric serves on multiple committees for the non-profit Prairie State Conservation Coalition, and strives to improve the ecological landscape, both physically and socially, of the Midwest.

Image #1: is An example of where the spoils were placed and how low impact machinery were utilized for the activities.