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Column: What our townsfolk are doing to address loss of biodiversity and climate change

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By Anne W. Semmes

American Persimmon tree. “This tree is tough as nails.” Contributed photo.

This column follows last week’s “Alarm Bells” column addressing that race to the metaverse missing any creative ideas addressing the loss of biodiversity and our dangerously warming climate. I wanted to quickly highlight the impressive efforts being made in our town.

Stepping up first was our Tree Warden Greg Kramer also representing his director of Parks and Recreation, Joe Siciliano, with what they are doing to address climate change and protect biodiversity in our town. “Many of our northern tree species are succumbing to a warming climate and there is an inability in many ways for plants from the south to migrate north; there needs to be some assistance. Some species are already found here in southern Connecticut, but in very low population numbers, thus we are augmenting the population. An example of such a tree is American Persimmon. This tree is tough as nails and provides fall and winter fruit for all kinds of wildlife, and people.”

“At Greenwich Point,” Kramer continues, “We have planted some Loblolly Pines. Southern pines do well in our local climate and will be used more for various restoration projects. Also, Southern Bayberry trees have been planted in the dune areas. This species grows as far north as Long Island. Also, many of the native southern pine species are being planted at the Pinetum…In addition the pines are going to provide the future green screening that the hemlock trees had provided in the past.”

A tree being planted for wildlife and people was the Pawpaw. “This is more of a function of the lack of Pawpaw trees. Connecticut is at the northern range of our native Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly. Any butterfly enthusiast should plant Pawpaw. It can grow in deep shade and deer don’t eat the leaves.”

Kramer also reported the good work of Parks Operations Manager Darrin Wiggleworth and staff, who along with the Friends of Pinetum, Pomerance, and Tuchman, have been removing invasives. “Nancy Chapin and Andy Chapin, and Myra Klockenbrink have organized and assisted on volunteer days and removed numerous invasive plants and have made a huge notable impact. In addition, native trees and shrubs were planted back into the locations. There is continuing restoration work doing done in the Meadow, with the addition of bird houses.”

Sally Davie, who chairs the Greenwich Recycling Advisory Board, reports her particular involvement has been, “mainly waste reduction/recycling projects which hopefully have some effect on climate change; Food scrap recycling/composting initiated by Waste Free Greenwich (Julie Deschamps), GRAB, and the town has been going well, and hopefully will expand to commercial entities. We estimate about 775 households are participating and since July 2020 have logged 54 tons of food scraps which get turned into compost (at New Milford farms) and hence returned to the soil. A compost give-back day will be scheduled.”

Davie continues, “GRAB has been collecting textiles/clothing items in bins located around town and from August 2020 to date has collected 39 tons of material which has been kept out of the waste stream. GRAB has also been collecting holiday string lights to be recycled, so far 120 lbs. GRAB and Greenwich Green & Clean’s annual paper shredding day garnered 8.5 tons.”

“On biodiversity, such a global problem,” she shares, “The pollinator pathway people – Aleks Moch [Conservation Commission] and others have been trying to help pollinators which are essential to our food production; and the pollinator mural on the Post Road hopes to increase awareness. Greenwich Green & Clean also works on clearing invasive plants and vines.”

Will Kies, executive director of the Greenwich Land Trust (GLT), reports on the Trust’s efforts to address the loss of biodiversity. “Our Seed-to-Seed program propagates native seeds gathered from the GLT Preserve and grows a diverse selection of plants to be used as part of habitat restoration projects (we also have a plant sale to help spread them throughout the community). Last year we grew over 7,000 native plants.”

Regarding addressing climate change Kies noted, “Land conservation is a key tool in helping mitigate climate change. There are many ways land use impacts climate change.” He named four main areas where land conservation helps mitigate climate change in our town.

“Healthy ecosystems have the ability to store carbon long-term in plants and soil. Through the conservation and stewardship of open-space, we are increasing the land’s ability to store carbon long-term by allowing plants to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. With providing critical wildlife habitat – as our planet warms, healthy, resilient habitats will become ever more important. With an increase in storm durations, precipitation amounts and drought, open-space helps preserve clean drinking water by slowing down run-off, helping filter out pollutants and recharging aquifers. Lastly, reliant communities adapt to a changing climate. One example is open-space being used as a buffer to protect private properties and neighborhoods from heavy storms that are becoming more regular.”

The vital role of education that leads to appreciation and protection of biodiversity was addressed by JoAnn Messina, executive director of the Greenwich Tree Conservancy. (GTC). “Partnering with the Town Arboretum as in all our tree planting, we created and have continued to identify and label trees for the Arboretum and thus we have garnered Level II accreditation from ARBnet internationally. Lisa Beebe is our Arboretum Curator and she and I work very closely in deciding where she is identifying and labeling trees. To date we have identified and labeled: Byram Park, Roger Sherman Baldwin, Greenwich Common (including the BOE), Havemeyer Field, Town Hall, Bruce Park, Cos Cob Park, Montgomery Pinetum, Binney Park, and Byram Shubert, Greenwich, and Cos Cob Libraries. Plus, all 11 public elementary schools and the three Middle schools.

Addressing GTC’s efforts in addressing biodiversity, Messina reports, “In 2021 we planted (in partnership with the Town) 646 trees which is a record and brings us to over 5000 trees planted on public lands in Greenwich in our 15 years. The GTC is celebrating its 15th anniversary this month. Another milestone is that Cheryl Dunson is stepping down from the presidency and Urling Searle was elected President. Cheryl and Peter Malkin are our founding members. Peter will continue as Chairman and Cheryl will co-chair our Advisory Board with Sue Baker.”

Diana Klingner, board member of Friends of Greenwich Point (FoGP) addresses what her organization is doing to address climate change. “FoGP is in a constant battle to fortify our dunes in an effort to protect the beach from storms and rising tides. We replant dune grasses, have added 225 evergreens and other trees, and pull out Garlic mustard which inhibits the growth of other plants. We want to encourage as much growth in the dunes as possible. During Superstorm Sandy the dunes with the trees were not as affected as the others with only grasses.”

Klingner notes that, “The new Chimes building has to be really high above flood zoning which makes it difficult to rebuild certain structures at the Point, per example the main concession and bathrooms. I believe they cannot be ground level anymore if they are rebuilt. Fellow board member Patty Nizlak adds, “After Sandy the flood zones were updated.” P&Z has supposedly changed requirements that foundations of new construction be of higher above ground.

Addressing loss of biodiversity, Klingner shares, “We have done much to weed out nonnative invasive Mugwort, and Porcelain Berry, Bittersweet, and Mile a Minute vines as well as others that choke out native plants, and we are replanting areas with native plants. There are a number of areas that were so badly overgrown by invasive plants choking the light from anything native that the town just machine-pulled everything out and we replanted native trees and shrubs.The nonnative plants still try to come up so the town will heavily mow that area for a few years to hopefully weaken them until our newly replanted trees can shade the area and inhibit the weeds growth. Our Tree Warden Dr. Gregory Kramer has done a lot to add so many varieties of trees about town. There is a thought that a variety of species not only provides food at different times but if one species has an issue (like the Elm blight or American Chestnut) the forest can still survive.”“Oh yes!” Klingner adds, “We are also trying to encourage a new wildflower meadow by reseeding an area already full with goldenrod and milkweed with other native plants and hopefully inhibiting the prolific Mugwort that grows there. And the town has replanted the causeway with pollinator friendly species.”

FoGP advisor and birding guide Cynthia Ehlinger importantly adds, “The Traffic Restricted Sunday mornings during the winter season not only provides a safe place for visitors to walk, bike, or skate around the Point, it cuts vehicle emissions and greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. FoGP has been underwriting that program for many years.”

Eli Schaffer, the director of the Greenwich Audubon Center points to that generation “with the most to lose from the unfolding climate disaster – the young residents of Greenwich and neighboring towns who are often those with the greatest desire to effect change at scale. Our Center is increasing biodiversity among the plants and wildlife that call our sanctuaries home, but we’re creating opportunity for youth to learn from, engage in, and spread conservation work throughout our region. The Center’s Eco Leadership Corp connects high school students from Stamford, Greenwich, and Port Chester to hands-on conservation education, community engagement and land stewardship experience.

“The Eco Leadership Corp increases equitable access to career development for young adults with an interest in environmental conservation, provides opportunity to study local ecology, learn from industry experts, design conservation education curriculum and conduct projects to improve the quality of bird habitat. The paid internship embodies the Audubon Center’s legacy for pioneering place-based nature education by investing in those with the greatest potential to enact meaningful change in the local communities they hail from, while inspiring them to champion birds and the environment no matter where their career journey leads.

Schaffer sees the maintenance of over 650 acres of wildlife sanctuary across Greenwich as Audubon’s foundational responsibility to its stakeholders, human and otherwise. “The Center stewards diverse habitat including meadows for bluebirds, woodlands for woodcocks and owls and aquatic ecosystems for ducks and other waterfowl.” To that end Schaffer reports his Center has recently onboarded a new Land Steward, Matt Viens. “He hails from the Yale School of Forestry and the New Haven Urban Resources Initiative. Matt is enhancing and implementing the Center’s habitat management strategy to ensure that Audubon land in Greenwich can thrive as habitat for a wide range of birds, other wildlife and the people that enjoy and protect our shared local ecosystems. The Center has identified bird species that represent those in the greatest need of habitat and those that best engage our community in the conservation actions required to see all bird species maintain robust populations as the climate changes.

Kim Gregory is an environmentalist who wears many hats. Her Greenwich Grown effort works “to reduce pesticide use when managing invasive species to promote healthy native habitats for plant and wildlife biodiversity. Invasive management needs to work in tandem with creating seed diversity and native habitat. Invasive species will quickly create a monoculture if not kept in check. Constant battle to manage invasives is needed so that the native species do not get squeezed out and natives need time to establish in new habitats.”

Encouraging native trees and shrubs and healthy soils for carbon sequestration, Gregory notes, “mitigates climate change and Greenwich Grown provides public presentations to promote awareness.” She praises Greenwich Audubon, the Garden Clubs, Greenwich Botanical Center, Greenwich Conservation Commission, Greenwich Grown, Greenwich Land Trust, Greenwich Point Conservancy, Greenwich Riding & Trails, and Pollinator Pathway for “fighting invasive species plus providing biodiverse native habitat that pollinates our fresh food, because without diversity of species sustaining our landscapes we will not have sufficient fresh water or clean air or healthy soils that capture carbon…all working together to fight climate change.”

She gets personal with her own family efforts. “As a family we do organic property management and plant as many varieties of native pollinating plants for biodiversity. We strive to reduce our carbon footprint by reducing energy usage, and using renewable energy whenever possible, and eating more plant-based diets, and planting lots of native trees to help conserve water and mitigate climate change. Dialogue with our children and giving them ways to make a difference is important.”

And finally, my backcountry friend, Susan Fisher, gets personal sharing a recent introductory email she sent out upon joining the NextDoor North Stamford group. “Hello, love living in the back country. Love the quiet and the wildlife, even the deer, as I have no more stuff for them to eat. I enjoy the dark quiet nights and am grateful for neighbors who turn off all their lights at night. Science tells us that dark is better for the animals and particularly the moths and bugs that are essential to the ecosystem, and especially the food chain of the birds. Thank-you for this opportunity to be part of this letter and join in supporting our precious homes.”“As the generation with the most to lose from the unfolding climate disaster, the young residents of Greenwich and neighboring towns are often those with the greatest desire to effect change at scale.” Eli Schaffer, director of the Greenwich Audubon Center.Greenwich representatives of various environmental organizations share their efforts to address loss of biodiversity and ways to deal with climate change.

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