As an intern in the Boston area for Seeds of Success East, I help to collect seeds from Connecticut to Maine, mostly along the coast in an effort to help restoration projects following Hurricane Sandy. We started the job only 3 weeks ago, and since then we have practiced our plant identification skills, visited collection sites, and learned about the restoration projects who will use many of our seeds. This last part has been my favorite part–learning about the management strategies and seeing how our work will ultimately help the community.

Last week, we met with Kevin Lucey and Lenny Lord at Odiorne State Park in New Hampshire to learn about their restoration project. Odiorne State Park is a gorgeous park that was full of people even in the middle of the week.

One of the many gorgeous parts of the New Hampshire coast at Odiorne State Park

As gorgeous as this park is, it is unfortunately overrun by invasive plant species. Norway Maple (Acer platanoides), Beach Rose (Rosa rugosa), Phragmites, Pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium), and Oriental Bittersweet (Celastris orbiculatus) cover the park, out competing many of the native species. Fortunately, the park is working on eliminating the invasive species–a massive undertaking. In order to accomplish this goal, they are scarifying the soil, applying herbicide, and planting native plants. This project is incredible. This attempt to remove all of the invasive is on a very large scale–larger than I’ve ever seen, and it was so interesting to learn about the decisions behind the management of the park.

Another project that we are working with is at Sachuest National Wildlife Refuge in Rhode Island.

This refuge has seen a lot of damage to the coastline due to changes in sediment transport from development along the coast, storms, and other human influences. These changes lead to the erosion of salt marshes and degradation of important habitats for birds such as the Saltmarsh Sparrow. In order to combat the erosion of the salt marshes, Rhode Island is working to dredge off coast and supplement the sand on the salt marshes. Following the addition of sand to the salt marshes, they plant the area such that invasive don’t have a chance to establish. Last year, the SOS-E interns collected Spartina alterniflora and Distichlis spicata for this site. These seeds were grown out and planted this winter.

The pictures above show the over 20,000 plants that were planted from seeds collected by Seeds of Success Interns. The plants were planted in islands as there were not enough plants to cover the entire area, and the fencing is to prevent geese from damaging the plants.

Thus far, my job has been extremely rewarding, especially in regard to learning about these two projects. Being able to see the seeds collected by other SOS interns in action was so incredible. It makes me very excited to begin seed collecting such that we can help all of this restoration projects.

Plant identification along the coast at Odiorne State Park

Until next time,

Julia Rogers

Seeds of Success Intern, New England Wildflower Society