IUPUI Center for Earth and Environmental Science

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The Starling Fen Restoration Project A
University / City / Park / Corporate /Friends
of Collaborative
Lenore P. Tedesco
Center for Earth and Environmental
Science Indiana University Purdue University,
Indianapoliswww.cees.iupui.edu
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Project Overview

• Restoration of 11 Acre Fen and Sedge Meadow
  Complex
• Restoring Historical Hydrology and Establishing
  Native Vegetation Communities
• Monitoring Water Quality and Water Budgets,
  Nutrient Cycling, Vegetation and Succession, Bird
  Usage
• Field Classroom for Research and Discovery Based
  Environmental Education Partnership with
  Indianapolis Parks Department

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Project Overview

• Supported by Philanthropy, Volunteerism, and
  Corporate Donations
• Brings the University, an Urban Parks Department,
  Corporations, Friends of Groups and the
  Community Together

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Project Partners

• The Efroymson Fund
• Indianapolis Parks and Recreation
• Veolia Water Indianapolis LLC.
• J.F. New and Associates
• Spence Restoration Nursery
• The Home Depot USA, Inc.
• Bud Starling Sunday Morning Bird Hikes
• Nature Sanctuary and Center, Inc.
• Eagle Creek Watershed Task Force
• IUPUI Center for Public Service and Leadership

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Historic Loss of Fen Wetlands

• Wetlands were converted to agricultural land uses
  during most of the 20th century
• Pre-existing wetlands were drained by
  agricultural drainage tiles
• Fen wetlands are a rare form of wetland and need
  preservation

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Fen Wetlands

• Fen wetlands are peat forming wetlands that
  receive nutrients from sources other than
  precipitation
• Source of water is ground water
• Fens are less acidic than other wetlands
• Increased nutrient levels allow for a bio diverse
  community to thrive
• Fen vegetation consists of grasses (Sedges,
  Rushes, Horsetail) and wild flowers

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Developed High Density Developed Low Density Bare
Soil Excavations Terrestrial Forests Herbaceous Ag
riculture Palustrine Forest Other
Wetland Palustrine Soil Open Water Major Roadways
Study Site
2000 Land Use \ Land Cover
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Fen Restoration
Reservoir
Seeps
Restoration Site
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IMAGIS, 2003
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Geologic Setting

• Site is located in tributary valley (Fishback
  Valley) near confluence with a major drainage
  (Eagle Creek Valley)
• Both valleys cut through Wisconsinan Trafalgar
  Till (tt) and into underlying pre-Wisconsinan
  till (tu)
• Eagle Creek Valley is backfilled with 15 m of
  Wisconsinan outwash, mantled by thin layer of
  modern alluvium
• Fishback Valley is backfilled with 1-2 m of
  alluvium
• The two tills are separated by thin,
  discontinuous sand and gravel units
• Source of groundwater for seep wetland

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• A

• A'

Fishback Creek Valley
Water Source
tt
Eagle Creek Valley
t2
a
tt
t1
o3t
tu
East-West Geologic Cross Section
Alluvium Outwash Sand and Gravel
Wisconsinan Till Older Till Bedrock
(Modified from Brown and Fleming, 2000)
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Starling Wetland Site

• B

• B'

Seep
Seep
900
880
tt
Wetland
860
a
Fishback Creek
Wilson Road
840
elevation (ft)
tu
820
800
780
760
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
Feet

• North-South Cross Section through Site

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• t t

• t u

Contact between Wisconsinan Trafalgar till (tt)
and older till (tu)
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Ice from Seeps at tt-tu Contact
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Requirements for a Wetland

• Wetland Hydrology
• Source of Water
• Saturation of Surface Sediments
• Hydric Soils
• Poorly Drained Soils
• Fine-grained Material (Silty/Clay Loam)
• Loam is a mixture of sand, silt, and other
  organic material
• Hydrophytic Vegetation

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Surface Deposits

• Wetlands form in poorly drained soils
• Floodplain alluvium is 1-2 m thick
• Drainage Characteristics of Alluvium are Highly
  Variable
• Ranging from sandy loam to clayey loam

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Map of Surficial Sediments
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Restoration Activities

• Hydrologic Restoration (Field Tile Removal)
• Well Installation, Groundwater Monitoring
• Soil Texture and Nutrients
• Wetland Vegetation Planting and Monitoring
• Bird Usage

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Environmental Service Learning

• Participants
• IUPUI Faculty and Staff
• Introductory Environmental Science Courses
• Corporate Volunteers
• Local Neighborhood Associations
• Service Activities
• Exotic Species Removal
• Field Tile Removal
• Wetland Planting
• Seed Collection

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Map illustrating extent of moist areas
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Site Map of Tile Locations
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1998
WillowThicket
Boardwalks
2000
2004
1996
Restoration Planting Areas
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Prairie
Successional Scrub
Successional Scrub
Wetlands
Forest
Forest
Riparian Fringe
Cattail Marsh
Open Water/ Flats
Existing and Developing Habitats (2004)
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Long Term Monitoring Parameters

• Ground Water Elevationautomated 15 minutes
• Water Quality (physical/chemical)automated/
  biweekly
• Vegetation Monitoring(diversity/
  cover)biannually
• Bird Usage (species)weekly

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Groundwater Monitoring Wells Vegetation
Monitoring Stream Monitoring
Site Monitoring
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Teaching Laboratory for University Students
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Wetland Bird Monitoring

• Citizen Science
• Weekly Park Bird Hike
• Site Usage Species Diversity

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Site Bird Usage by Migration Status
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Site Bird Usage by Diet
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Site Bird Usage by Breeding Habitat
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Educational Outreach Programs

• Curriculum Development Focused on Wetlands and
  Watersheds
• Development of Educational Site Signage
• Training Programs for Park Naturalists
• Site for Professional Development Workshops for
  Middle and High School Teachers
• Summer Camps for Middle School Children

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Internet Data Resources
www.cees.iupui.edu
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Environmental Monitoring Network

• Real-time continuous groundwater monitoring
• Linked to wireless networks
• Web accessible
• Environmental data management and visualization
  research program
• Incorporated into environmental education programs

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Constructed Wetlands Lake Ecology Site Riparian
Restoration Site Wetlands Mitigation
Site Wetlands Restoration Site
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Starling Hydrologic Sensor Arrays and Capabilities

• Well Probes
• Multiparameter
• Level, Temperature, Conductance
• Multiparameter Water Quality Probe on Fishback
  Creek
• Hourly Interrogations via Radio Telemetry to Base
  Station Shared with Eagle Creek Reservoir Buoy
• FTP to CEES Servers
• WWW Display of Real-Time Data

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Center for Earth and Environmental Science
For More Information Contact Dr. Lenore P.
TedescoCenter for Earth and Environmental
Scienceltedesco_at_iupui.edu317.274.7154
www.cees.iupui.edu
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