Bringing back native plants is only one step in restoring this part of the Housatonic.
Decades after General Electric stopped improperly disposing industrial chemicals into the Housatonic in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the 150-mile river remains contaminated, and the EPA continues to ban fishing. But one part of the river is getting a makeover.
Other than the occasional sound of a freight train passing over the west branch of the Housatonic, it’s pretty quiet here. The river’s cloudy water inches slowly toward an old dam. Along the eroded banks, broken glass is all over the place, and someone dumped a couch here too. There’s little vegetation but, plant by plant, Michael Piantedosi from the New England Wildflower Society is trying to change that.
“Our effort is to scour the area in order to find what is present for native species,” Piantedosi said.
And Piantedosi added, to restore a healthier eco system in the water and the along the banks, landscapers will take this on, almost seed by seed.
“We circle out from the immediate project area to find locations for common seed collection of native and locally-adapted plants that are appropriate for this type of habitat,” Piantedosi said.
A variety of grasses, trees and plants – such as asters and goldenrod – will be replanted here. It’s a process that Piantedosi said requires great care. And there’s no robbing from Peter to pay Paul.
“Our species that we collect from have to be abundant enough to collect from them without doing any harm to the present population,” Piantedosi said. “So we want large populations of these common native plants, but also within proximity to the project area.”
Bringing back native plants is only one step in restoring this part of the Housatonic. Tearing down an unnecessary century-old dam is another. Tim Purinton from the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration said dams, in general, cause a negative impact on fish and wildlife.
“They typically hold back water,” Purinton said. “That still water is exposed to sunlight, temperatures are elevated, and water quality typically is very poor in impounded waters behind dams.”
With state funds, the dam, which was also the site of a drowning two years ago, is scheduled for demolition next year. The seed gathering, and eventual planting, paid for through a federal grant, gets underway then too.
What will this part of the river look like when everything is completed? Purinton offers this vision:
“It should look like a natural river system that’s full of riffles, pools, complexity, woody debris.”
And people would be able to enjoy just that as the city is planning a path for bikes and walking along this part of the river stretching about a mile upstream.
NEPR's Adam Frenier contributed to this report, which was originally published at NEPR.net.
