Saluda Shoals Park Research Project

Saluda Shoals Park Research Project

Competition between rivercane (Arundinaria gigantea Walt. Muhl.) and Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.)

Project Overview

The walking trail along the Saluda River in Saluda Shoals Park is a beautiful and peaceful walk or bike ride for visitors to the park. However, there is a large infestation of the invasive plant species, Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.). By removing the privet and restoring the site, visitors would have more access to the river with better views of this scenic river. In addition, reducing or eliminating privet may allow the native rivercane (Arundinaria gigantea) population to increase.

There are two major objectives of this research project. First, a survey of Saluda Shoals Park will need to be done to determine the extent of the rivercane population and establish research sites. We will use the Carolina Vegetation Survey (CVS) program to document this data and track the progress of the privet removal and rivercane restoration (Peet et al 2012). Once research sites have been determined, experimental plots will be created. Transects will be set up through selected canebrakes using a randomized split-plot experimental design with two factors,privet-presence and cane-planting (Osland et al 2009). In the privet-presence treatments there are three levels, privet-presence, privet-removal cut only, and privet-removal cut with herbicide treatment. The cane-planting treatments are two levels, no cane and cane. The plant source used for these plantings will be transplants from a variety of sites, including some taken from Saluda Shoals Park. All of the transplants will be maintained in the University of South Carolina greenhouse facility located on Heyward Street.  Light levels, rivercane height and diameter, and number of culms, and status (new, viable, dead) will measured seasonally (four times per year) for a minimum of a three year period.

Project Site Location

Saluda Shoals Park, part of the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission, is a 400 acre park located on the Saluda River in Lexington County, South Carolina.

Site History

In 1988, what was the South Carolina Water Resources Commission (now the Department of Natural Resources, Water Resources Division) and the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism began to examine potential plans and policies for a development effort for the lower Saluda River. These efforts resulted in the Lower Saluda River Corridor Plan, published in July 1990 and updated in April 2000 (Lower Saluda Scenic River Corridor Plan Update).

The Lower Saluda River Corridor Plan now serves as the management plan for a continuous greenway trail system along the north side of the Lower Saluda River. This encompasses a 10-mile segment of the Saluda River beginning one mile below Lake Murray Dam to its confluence with the Broad River.

The Lower Saluda River Advisory Council has been established to advise the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources on issues for protection and management of the river. Additionally, the council seeks to educate landowners, the public and local governments about the unique qualities of the Lower Saluda.

Problem Statement

            Non-native, invasive Chinese privet is quickly taking over much of the Saluda Shoals Park area. In doing so, native species are no longer able to grow and propagate.

Known issues

            There are two major problems with this research project: 1) Chinese privet removal is time consuming and labor intensive; 2) Finding healthy rivercane to use for transplantation is difficult.

Objectives

            The primary objectives are to reduce Chinese privet populations and reintroduce rivercane by planting additional individuals.

            As a follow-up, we will monitor experimental sites to determine if methods used are effective for reducing privet and increasing rivercane populations.

Potentially determine if water quality improves and erosion is reduced.

Materials and Methods

                  1.    Rivercane Survey

a.    Walking survey

b.    Carolina Vegetation Survey (CVS)

                  2.    Competition Experiment

a.    Chinese privet removed and not removed

b.    Rivercane planted and not planted

Plant Source location

Cayce Riverwalk; Saluda Shoals Park         

Projected Benefits to Saluda Shoals Park

The benefits of this project follow many of the recommendations outlined in SC DNR’s Lower Saluda River Corridor Plan (1990) as follows:

   Recommendations

         D. Support efforts to establish a system of wildlife and botanical sanctuaries … To facilitate this effort, floral and faunal studies should be conducted … to determine plants and animals that warrant special habitat or protection needs.

        E. 1. Landscaping and revegetating eroded, non-scenic and abused areas.

            2. Planting additional wooded buffers in areas where the buffer is thin.

Plan Update (2000) further states the Lower Saluda should be ‘protected by a vegetated buffer sufficient to control erosion, sedimentation and other water quality problems associated with runoff.’ Additionally, included under need to move forward, the plan recommends ‘researching habitats and determining environmental impacts’.

Monitoring

            The progress of the experimental plots will be measured seasonally for a minimum of three years. For environmental conditions, the light levels will be measured to relate to plant photosynthetic response.  The number of culms, height and diameter of rivercane, both planted and present prior to planting, will be recorded. Condition of the culms (new, live, dead) will be noted.

In conclusion, I would like to quote from Wetland Restoration by Beth Middleton.

“Every place on earth is different from every other place; this identity is known as the genius loci or the spirit of the place. In restoration design the genius loci should be enhanced or re-created. (Bell, 1995)” (p.171).

The goal of this project is to recreate, if possible, the ‘spirit of the place’, to reestablish what once was and is now a disappearing ecosystem, the Arundinaria gigantea canebrake ecosystem.

“…every scrap of biological diversity is priceless, to be learned and cherished, and never to be surrendered without a struggle.”           Edward. O. Wilson