Land

Big Ten’s Eco Efforts: University of Nebraska

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In the spirit of our “Green Gridirons” series (but just in case college football wasn’t your thing), the “Big Ten’s Eco Efforts” series highlights creative off-the-field sustainability efforts. Nebraska is the only state in the country that recognizes the last Friday in April as a civic holiday known as Arbor Day. Every year, businesses across the “The Tree Planter State” close down to allow folks to do just that–plant trees. The campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has been marking the holiday for 40 years with a tree planting ceremony on campus where hundreds of trees are planted by students and faculty. The ceremony is part of Focus Nebraska, a week-long event that promotes environmental sustainability, awareness, engagement and activism, said Richard Sutton, professor of agronomy, horticulture and landscape architecture.

Echo

Little Things, Big Problems: Spotted Knapweed

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Last year, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the National Park Service began producing a series of educational videos about invasive species in the Great Lakes. New videos have recently been uploaded, and you can watch the entire “Little Things, Big Problems” series here on Echo. This video discusses the spread of the spotted knapweed and how it prevents the growth of native plants on the shores of Lake Superior.

Nearshore

Photo Friday: Hydrilla Hunting

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The hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant, has an alarming growth rate clearly illustrated in the photographs above. The photos were captured by the Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant Partnership (NIIPP), an organization that helps prevent and manage plant invasions, and show massive growth of hydrilla in a mere 18 days. Hydrilla grows up to an inch per day and forms dense mats of vegetation at the water’s surface, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Early detection can be key in controlling the plant, before it poses a threat to native plants and wildlife, recreational fishing and boating and waterfront property values. NIIPP is seeking volunteers for a Hydrilla Hunt, a program that encourages Illinois residents to learn how to identify hydrilla and keep a lookout for the plant at local lakes, ponds and rivers.

Land

Little Things, Big Problems: Invasive plants in our parks

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Last year, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative began producing a series of educational videos about invasive species in the Great Lakes for the National Park Service. New videos have been uploaded this spring and summer, and you can watch the entire “Little Things, Big Problems” series here on Echo. This video discusses how invasive plants can be harmful to the native vegetation in Great Lakes parks.