New method of restoring wetlands successful along Gulf Coast

More than 135 acres of prairie wetland habitat have been restored near Houston with a new method that may help additional acreages be recovered, according to experts with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The prairie wetlands at Sheldon Lake State Park have been restored over a 10-year period using a novel approach of re-excavating soil covered up by other land-use situations, particularly agriculture, said Marissa Sipocz, AgriLife Extension wetland program manager in Houston.

"The method we have used has changed how freshwater prairie wetland restoration and creation will take place along the Gulf Coast," Sipocz said. "The genius of this method relies on its simplicity: re-excavation of the original soils."

The method, called "Sheldon-Sipocz," uses high-tech, precision equipment to dig added soil out of an area until the original soils are exposed. These hydric soils are more conducive to the growth of plants that thrive in shallow water.

The method was pioneered by Andy Sipocz, biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Prior to this method, wetland areas were commonly created by digging a depression or pond randomly on the landscape, often not in the type of environment and soils that encouraged wetland plant growth, Marissa Sipocz explained.

Details are available here

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Taxonomy

• Ecosystem Management
• Wetlands