Davey Resource Group

Twinsburg and Reminderville, Ohio: Pond Brook Wetlands Mitigation Site

The Pond Brook Wetlands Mitigation Site is 164 acres in size, located within Liberty Park, and owned by three government entities: Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, the City of Twinsburg, and the Village of Reminderville.

Metro Parks, Serving Summit County manages the property and has entered into an agreement with Wetlands Resource Center, EMH&T, Oxbow River and Stream Restoration, and Davey Resource Group to design, implement, sell credits, and monitor the restored streams and wetlands. Davey is in charge of eradicating approximately 50 acres of invasive species and developing a planting plan to restore the wetland to a natural healthy state.

Davey is treating approximately 38.5 acres of Typha spp. (narrow-leaf and hybrid cattail) in one stand, roughly 10 acres of Rhamnus frangula (glossy buckthorn) scattered throughout the site, one-third acre of Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass), and one-quarter acre of Phragmites australis (common reed).

Davey biologists have implemented a combination of chemical control methods, including high-volume foliar spraying using tractors and helicopters, low-volume foliar spraying using backpacks for more selective areas, and cut-stump treatments for woody species.

Davey is using Rodeo®, a glyphosate and aquatic approved chemical, to eradicate these invasive plant species. Several rare and state-listed plants occur within Liberty Park (the public name of the overall site); therefore, application is highly selective in all non-monoculture areas.

The mitigation project goal is to have less than 10 percent invasive plant cover within the 10-year monitoring period. This is challenging because Pond Brook brings in new sources of seeds with each flood. Therefore, to meet the performance goals, treatments will likely continue over the next 10 years.