advertisement

Native species attract wildlife, help retain and filter water

To Dorothy Nelson the answer is clear — conservancy areas like the ones she helps oversee at the Estates of Inverness Ridge are definitely assets.

The wildlife — like goldfinches and other birds enjoying the blooming flowers on a recent day — bring obvious delight to her and Cari Brennan, another member of the community's conservancy committee.

Having a natural area for a backyard provides another perk for someone like Nelson, who once lived on a golf course and likes the privacy provided by a stretch of undeveloped land.

“I consider it a huge asset,” said Nelson. “There aren't many parcels of natural areas in built-up communities like this.”

And Brennan has a list of creatures she has seen in the conservancy areas: coyotes, deer, jumping fish, frogs, turtles, monarch butterflies and muskrats. And of course the birds: hawks, herons, egrets, ducks, geese, finches, wrens, hummingbirds, cardinals, flickers, woodpeckers and sandhill cranes.

The Estates of Inverness Ridge homeowners association received an award from the U.S. EPA and Chicago Wilderness for the care it gives the 80-acre conservancy, which amounts to more than half the land in the community. It features wetlands, including those along Poplar Creek near its origination in Crabtree Nature Preserve, as well as woodland and prairie areas.

But not everyone sees the joy in natural conservancy areas. For some, the only way to edge a pond is with mowed grass or stones, said Mark Micek, project ecologist for Tallgrass Restoration, which has offices in Schaumburg and Milton, Wis., and maintains the conservancy areas at Inverness Ridge.

And while it might seem like an oxymoron, natural areas can't just be left alone. They need work and control or weeds will take over, making them much harder for neighbors to love.

A major reason for this is invasive species. Settlers brought plants here from Europe for specific reasons — buckthorn as an ornamental and to create hedges, for example. But some of these “escaped” into the wild and overwhelmed the local plants.

Even when developers do a good job of planting natural areas with natives, if the homeowners associations let the areas go for, say five years, the non-natives would get such a foothold that they would be difficult to get under control, Micek said.

Tallgrass uses herbicides to remove weeds, and this fall might stage a burn at Inverness Ridge, a recommended way to help rid natural areas of undesirable plants. The Estates of Inverness Ridge, like many communities, has rules to protect the conservancies. Residents can put native plants in the areas but need permission from the committee to plant native trees or install any hardscape such as a bench. Mowing is also not allowed.

Meritus Homes is building and selling the final 27 new homes in a part of the community called Creekside at Inverness Ridge, and Brian Brunhofer, president, praises the conservancies.

These homes start at $500,000, and Brunhofer said they are close to conveniences, but the conservancy areas help create a tranquil atmosphere when residents come home.

“I think there are a lot of people who are attracted to the beauty of the property and having natural areas like a forest preserve experience within their own community,” he said.

Caring for conservancies is less expensive in the long run than maintaining turf grass, said Ron Adams, president of Tallgrass Restoration. Typically his company works in a community three or four times a year.

Some communities provide volunteer labor, which can save money, he said.

Fans of natural areas also face another difficulty: The beauty of some invasive plants make them popular. These include dame's rocket, purple loosestrife and Queen Anne's lace, said Adams. And it takes an expert to differentiate between native cattails and their larger, more aggressive look-alike.

And why are invasive nonnative plants a problem? These newcomers' habits can crowd out local plants, leaving a just few species where many used to thrive.

“Not all non-natives are a problem,” said Micek. “Some plants like hostas stay where they are put. But buckthorn gets into the forest. They leaf out earlier than many of our native trees, and the dense shade over time kills off all the plants growing on the forest floor. They stop reproduction of our oaks and hickories.”

Conservancy areas help retain stormwater, and native plants filter the water, helping prevent water pollution, both important initiatives these days, Adams said.

Conservancy areas in developments are usually around ponds or in other wet areas where it would be difficult to build anyway. Native plants prevent soil erosion in these areas because some can go right into the water, rather than stopping at the edge of the soggy areas like lawns do.

Another perk of native plants is that geese — which some people consider pesky — don't like tall plantings because predators can hide there.

While different levels of government regulate the maintenance of conservancy areas, enforcement can vary.

“In general I do think people are getting more used to the idea and there's less fighting when someone requires them to use the native plants,” Micek said. “Still, some people think rock or turf grass to be the only appropriate edging for a pond.”

  Native plants thrive in conservancy areas at the Estates of Inverness Ridge. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Conservancy areas make up more than half of the acreage at the Estates of Inverness Ridge. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Yellow is a predominant color in conservancy areas this time of year. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Yellow is a predominant color in conservancy areas this time of year. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  People and birds enjoy the blooms like goldenrod in the conservancy areas at the Estates of Inverness Ridge. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Advocates say conservancy areas bring tranquillity to communities like the Estates of Inverness Ridge. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  A goldfinch finds a seed snack in a conservancy area at the Estates of Inverness Ridge. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Homes being built at Creekside at Inverness Ridge back up to a conservancy area. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Native plants grow tall in conservancy areas at the Estates of Inverness Ridge. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com