Supporting the Big Muddy National
Fish and Wildlife Refuge

Since the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge has lots of former crop fields in the lands they have purchased, restoring the native vegetation and controlling non-native plant species is a high priority.  Friends of Big Muddy has provided some of the labor in several of these projects.

Prairie Cordgrass

Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) is a native, wetland-adapted species of grass.   It is usually found in wet prairies, wet meadows, in sloughs, and around ponds and swamps.  It grows very tall (up to 7 feet) and can provide cover for many wildlife species.  It is also used as a forage plant in the spring when the new grass is more tender.

Prairie cordgrass has been planted in some of the refuge units that have a problem with the invasive Johnson grass (see below).  Friends of Big Muddy has helped with some of the plantings, planting small “plugs” of the prairie cordgrass in the hopes that the grass will grow and expand to cover larger areas.  The goal is to encourage it’s spread while working at controlling the Johnson grass in these areas.

Tree Plantings

In many areas of the refuge that were formerly crop fields, trees are being allowed to grow up naturally as their seeds are established.  Tree species that are the most common in these areas are cottonwood and willow, although other trees are beginning to grow as well.  To speed the process along and increase the tree diversity, the refuge has planted other trees in long raised furrows.  Some of the trees they have planted include hickory, oak, walnut and other species that will provide mast (the nut the trees produce) that are food for many species including some waterfowl, turkey, and deer.  Because the trees are planted on raised furrows, they have a better chance to survive the flooding of the refuge areas that can occur.

Friends of Big Muddy has helped with putting protective barriers around some of the newly planted trees to protect the trunks from damage by rabbits and other rodents.  The plastic tubes prevent the bark from being eaten and allow the trees to grow without damage.  As the trees grow, the tubes fall off.

Johnson grass, which can take over
old crop fields unless it is controlled.

Noxious Weeds

In addition to helping with the plantings of good plant species, the Friends of Big Muddy has also worked to help the refuge fight some of the non-native plant species that can become established.  Two problem species on the refuge are Johnson grass (Sorghum halepens) and purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).  With the assistance of the Friends of Big Muddy, the refuge is just beginning to start a monitoring and control program for these two species. 

Purple loosestrife is a pretty plant,
but it can choke wetland areas until
nothing else will grow in them.

In August, 2003, members of Friends of Big Muddy spent a day gathering purple loosestrife along several miles of river bank at the Baltimore Bottoms unit of the refuge. The plants were gathered to prevent the ripening seed from continuing to develop. Afterwards, about 10 bushel of plants were burned in a large bonfire on a sandbar, destroying the plants and killing the seeds (hot dogs and marshmallows added to the celebration after the plants were gone). We hope to repeat this effort in 2004 at as many of the refuge units as possible.

Burning purple loosestrife after mapping its location
so the seeds are destroyed.

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