PROJECT REPORT
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT Dear friend, Thanks to your support, a total of 10,550 trees were planted to restore 2 hectares of land in Ohio. Planting trees in areas that have been degraded or deforested helps the environment by accelerating and assuring the re-establishment of healthy forests. Through reforestation, the canopy is restored, ecosystems are made whole, and biodiversity can thrive. None of this would be possible without you. On behalf of everyone at One Tree Planted, thank you! What follows is a report outlining the project you supported in Ohio. I hope you enjoy reading it and truly feel the impact you have made.
OVERVIEW
The objective of the Ohio 2023 - Farmington Forested Wetlands Restoration project was to convert an existing agricultural field into a functioning wetland with the goal of enhancing the natural functioning of an adjacent stream and creating new wetland habitat. By restoring the former agricultural fields and nearby ditched stream, this project strives to improve water quality in the Upper Grand River watershed, a high quality riparian resource that drains a total of 707 square miles and flows through all or part of five counties in Ohio.
TREES PLANTED 10,550
TREE SPECIES PLANTED 19
WOMEN INVOLVED 4
HECTARES REFORESTED 2
JOBS SUPPORTED 16 WILDLIFE SPECIES BENEFITED 53
ACRES REFORESTED 5 HECTARES RIPARIAN RESTORATION 11
TREE SPECIES PLANTED
Nineteen native tree species, as well as nineteen native shrub species, were planted across 5 acres for this project. This work began with restoring hydrology to open fields near the western and northwestern property boundaries in order to create new wetland habitat. It involved utilizing excavation terracing, introduction of small berms, and destruction of agricultural tiles. Following the restoration of hydrology, the team worked to facilitate natural revegetation of restored wetlands, and outlined plans to treat invasive plants within the restored property area annually for 3 years post wetland creation. These restored, forested communities were seeded with a native herbaceous seed mix and planted with a diverse assemblage of native trees and shrubs. The palustrine forested wetland (an inland wetland that contains ocean-derived salts in concentrations less than 0.5 parts per thousand) complex created lowland woods, scrub/shrub wetlands, and seasonal pool wetlands. The restored wetland communities were seeded with a native wetland seed mix and planted with a diverse assemblage of native trees and shrubs. Restoring new forested wetlands and enhancing existing wetlands by planting 10,550 trees worked to provide wildlife habitat, improve water quality in the Grand River watershed, and provide flood protection benefits to the local community.
SPECIES PLANTED THROUGH THIS PROJECT Basswood (Tilia americana) - 1,000 Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) - 1,000 Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) - 1,000 Red Maple (Acer rubrum) - 1,000 Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) - 1,000 Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) - 900 Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii) - 700 Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) - 600 American Sycamore (Plantus occidentalis) - 500 Butternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis) - 500 Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) - 500 American Hombeam (Carpinus caroliniana) - 350 Elm (Ulmus americana) - 350 White Oak (Quercus alba) - 350 Red Oak (Quercus rubra) - 325 Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) - 300 Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) - 300 Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) - 300 Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) - 250
TREE SPECIES
IDENTIFICATION & USE Basswood are large, deciduous trees native throughout southeastern Canada and most of the eastern United States. A wide-growing tree, basswood are conical in their younger form and grow rounded through their crown with abundant, dense foliage. This species typically reaches 60 to 80 feet in height and has heart shaped, jagged leaves and twigs that are light brown to gray in color and have prominent, plump, dark red buds. The bark of basswood is light or silvery gray and smooth or finely ridged. Basswood serve many functions in an ecosystem, including serving as a honeybee hotspot, providing nesting habitat and shelter, and supplying food in the form of berries. Honeybees are very attracted to basswood flowers in midsummer, as few other trees are in bloom at this time. Further, basswood trees are prone to developing hollows or cavities, which are used by cavity-eating animals, including birds like wood ducks and pileated woodpeckers, and other small mammals. Many small mammals and bird species feast on basswood berries. Black Gum are medium sized deciduous trees native throughout eastern North America, ranging from Southern Ontario and Maine all the way south to Florida and Texas. Within its native range, black gum is commonly found along streams, swamp margins, and riverbanks. Young black gum tend to be pyramidal in shape, but eventually form a conical or oval shaped crown as they mature. Typically reaching 30 to 50 feet in height, black gum’s most distinctive features are is attractive fall color and deeply ridged bark that is often said to resemble alligator skin. Black gum also have leaves that are alternately arranged, dark green, and glossy. Black gum flower during April and May, giving way to highly nutritious blue-black fruit that is sought out by various bird species, including robins, woodpeckers, mockingbirds, turkeys and even deer. Moreover, the fruit of black gum trees are considered an important food source for songbirds as they begin fall migrations. Similar to basswood, black gum flowers are valuable to bees and other pollinators in the spring, and hollow trunks provide nesting and refuge areas for many animals. When planted within riparian zones, black gum stabilize soil and slow and filter surface water, protecting areas downstream from pollution and sedimentation. This makes them an optimal species for this restoration project.
YOUR IMPACT ON THE MAP The Ohio 2023 - Farmington Forested Wetlands Restoration project supported the planting of 10,550 native trees across 5 acres located in western Trumbull County on the border with Geauga County in Ohio. The project aimed to restore a forest lost to agriculture, creating wetland habitat, improving water quality, and reducing groundwater runoff into a nearby stream and the Upper Ground River. By reforesting this site, this project aims to augment the ecological functioning of the area and re-establish its capacity to support wildlife, sequester carbon and improve air and water quality for the adjacent communities.
DOCUMENTING YOUR IMPACT Through authentic and informative storytelling, we help donors relate to the people who plant their trees and to the impact they're making for the planet. We share photos, videos, and updates from our global projects across our social media, website, and other media to create a personal connection to the incredible work happening on the ground.
PHOTOS FROM YOUR PROJECT
THIS PROJECT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE SKILL AND RESOURCES THE LAND CONSERVANCY BRINGS TO OUR REGION IN ORDER TO PROTECT ITS HIGH-QUALITY RESOURCES. WHETHER IT’S THE CULTIVATION OF A SELLER FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS, THE BREADTH OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND FUNDING NEEDS, OR ANY HOST OF NATURAL RESOURCE EXPERTISE - OUR TEAM COMES TOGETHER TO MEET CHALLENGES HEAD-ON.
RIPARIAN BENEFITS
Riparian zones (lands occurring along the edges of rivers, streams and other bodies of water) are important, because they help maintain water quality, remove excess nutrients and sediment from surface runoff, and help to stabilize soil and prevent erosion. The Ohio 2023 - Farmington Forested Wetlands Restoration project worked to restore wetland resources in the Upper Grand River watershed located in northeastern Ohio. In doing so, this project took agricultural fields within the watershed offline and eliminated any future agricultural use — as well as related impairments caused by livestock, manure, nutrients, and agro‐chemicals. Supporting five counties and over half a million residents, the 5 acres of restored watershed will have an extensive impact, enhancing the natural functioning of approximately 55.6 acres of existing Category 3 wetlands, and approximately 1,029 linear feet of stream. These riparian forest buffers filter sediment from streams during storm events, remove nitrogen and phosphorous leaching from adjacent agricultural land, and provide stability to the streambank. Woody vegetation along the stream will also shade and modify stream temperatures, reduce stream velocity and down stream flooding, and provide critical, pollutionfree aquatic and wildlife habitat for many species. Transforming farmland into forest will provide a wealth of benefits to the environment. Not only will the newly reforested fields and streams improve water quality in the Upper Grand River watershed, but it will improve the quality of life for wildlife and boost biodiversity located in this area. Moreover, the restored ecosystem will go a long way toward preserving biodiversity, in turn improving planetary health and benefiting us all.
U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS THIS PROJECT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FOLLOWING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:
WHAT ARE SDGS? Sustainable development entails seeking out solutions that not only boost the economic outcomes of developing and poorer nations, but also work to limit (or eliminate) our impact on the planet. Trees are one such solution. From creating jobs and reducing hunger to improving gender equality, cleaning air and water, absorbing carbon, protecting life on land and water, and more, planting trees can address all 17 sustainable development goals.
“This project is a perfect example of how riparian restoration can provide a wealth of ecological and social benefits. Between improved water quality, natural flood control, and restored wetland habitat, both the local community and wildlife will gain through safeguarded welfare for years to come.”
Meghan Danny
Global Projects Support Specialist
Brittney Burke
Director of Projects North America