The 21st Century Community Schoolhouse's
The Fairview Mitigation Wetland:
Fender's Blue Butterfly Project
Students of Community Schoolhouse are conducting a restoration project at the 46-acre Fairview Mitigation Wetland in southeast Salem, Oregon, which contains rare wetland and upland prairies (less than a tenth of a percent remains from the times of the first pioneers and settlers that entered the Willamette Valley in the mid-1800s). The project will enhance habitat for the endangered Fender’s blue butterfly in a two-acre plot at the site. To do this, various native plant species will be planted, many of which are vital nectar producing plants and rearing plants for the butterfly. The ultimate goal is to enhance the site with the flowering plants on which the butterfly relies and attract the butterfly back to Marion County. A special thanks goes out to Marion County Commissioners for funding the project, City of Salem for allowing us to work on this property, and all the other professionals and specialists that have assisted us.
Student Research:
The Fender's Blue Butterfly, Upland and Wetland Prairies, and Native American Land Management
Pictures of the Wetland Site:
This picture was taken in September 2003. Here the area is dry, but in the winter months to come, it will be transformed into a very wet and different place.
This picture, taken one month later, shows how the Fairview Mitigation Wetland site remains through the winter months up until early June.
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In
early October, students had to prepare the site for seeding and planting
native plants. Here the tall grass was mowed and students are raking it
into piles.
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On
the water are some Canadian Geese. At times there will be hundreds of
them resting in the wetland. This presents a problem to the airplanes
that are landing not far from here.
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This
is a tray of sedges, which are water-loving grasses that students planted.
These are native to wetland sites, such as this, but are not found naturally
in this wetland.
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These
red-osier dogwoods are ideal for wetlands. They create habitat for birds
and other small animals in the dry season.
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Students
are preparing the berms for seeding. In order to do this, the ground must
be raked and the soil should be scratched up in order to give the seeds
contact with the soil.
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Now
it is time to seed. Approximately 25 different flowering plant seeds were
mixed with vermiculite and sprinkled over the prepped area. With any luck,
some will come up later in the spring.
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The students of The 21st Century Community Schoolhouse International Schoolhouse program will continue to maintain and monitor this site into the future. The goal is to go out to the site 3-4 times a month to photo monitor and do minor rehabilitation. In the future, we hope to get GIS software to create maps of what students have done here. Hopefully the Fender's Blue Butterfly will some day return to Marion County and frequently visit this site that has been restored for it.