 |
 |
|
| [Home] [Island News] [Events] [Weather] [Webcam] [Contacts] [Boat Schedule] [Landscape Comm.] [Beavers] [Ecology] [Renter's Info] [Beekeeping] |
|
Cushing’s Island
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cushing's Island Ecology Prepared by The Landscaping Committee |
||||
|
Islands and "Our" Island Each island is its own unique ecological system. Some islands are isolated and have had little planned human intervention. For islands in Penobscot Bay that Philip W. Conkling writes about in "Islands in Time," the major land altering event in their history was the arrival of sheep or cows for grazing. Cushing's Island is located close to the City of Portland and has had a history of "planned natural" beginning with Olmstead plan developed by the firm of Fredeick Law Olmstead. The original Cushing's Island Company charter formalized the intention of the Olmstead plan to create a community of "families of congenial tastes united only for the purpose of preserving and developing its character." The Olmstead plan saw the island as an integrated environment of generously spaced properties where the there are no walls, fences or boundaries. He recommended that nearly 50% of the island remain as common property and open land. Houses were to be no closer than 30 feet to any roadway; 60 feet for larger properties. No house should be taller than 30 feet. The island architecture should remain subdued, secondary to the attributes of the land itself. The plan proposed the entire circumference of the island be held as common property. At the more interesting points, especially on the high points of land where there are vistas of the bay, the public areas is increased. The roadways should provide for trees along the main road from the ferry to be a full 70 feet wide. These precepts are still generally observed on the island and account for the "integrity of the shoreline." What are the characteristics of this island's landscape? What trees, shrubs and plants grow well and fit in with natural attributes of the land and homes. Our Shores The roadways skirt the island for a third to a half of its perimeter and leaving a generous swath of land to the edge of the shore. In many places there are oak trees holding onto the rock at the shore line. In other places there are groves of birches. Shrubs that survive along the shore are the bay, Rosa Rugosa, blackberry, raspberry, barberry and the honeysuckle. Just about everything that grows can be found along the shore. Some of these do a nice job of providing protection from wind and the ocean and holding onto the thin layer of soil. Some of these can be maintained to both provide some shelter from the winds and erosion, but the bind weed, poison ivy and the bittersweet have over the years made a tangle out of much of the shore. After clearing, replacing or transplanting native species can maintain some of the original look, prevent erosion and still frame the wonderful views we all treasure. Sea facing bluffs or just inclines such as at Big Beach can be built up by using natural fiber nets like fishing nets to hold the soil and then let the goldenrod, wild daises and small Rosa Rugosa. We don't have any Russian Olives on Cushing's, but they are resistant to salt spray and provide a great wind screen and erosion barrier on the edges of beaches. Sea Buckthorn also has the same adaptations for salt exposed areas. The Point Here we have shorter growth area with sumac, crab apples, poplars, dead juniper and ferns in the open field areas. The juniper is beginning to grow back after having been decimated by the deer. The ferns are well established here, but compete with the bean and bittersweet for control in open areas. The Valley The "valley" running from Ottawa avenue down to Big Beach is an open area that attracts monarch butterflies, birds (goldfinches), fireflies because of the milkweed, tall grass and goldenrod. The fields between Ric Chase's and the Meacham's contain wildflowers, most notably paintbrushes, yarrow. There used to be Queen Anne's lace, everlasting and buttercups in these fields, We believe that some of these changes are attributable to the years of big deer populations. Conservation Land The north facing slope between Battery Foote and Battery Bowdoin down to the shore we have: growth hemlock, beech and white pine from the late 18th century forest with oak, maple, spruce, fir and pine, as well as open fields, and then lighter wooded areas with some hardwoods, but also having a mix of sumac and poplar. Animal Population The island has very few four footed inhabitants that are not dogs or deer. The deer are the principal owners of the woods. There are no squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons or skunks. We do have voles and mice. The resident bird watchers have educated us all as to the variety and number of birds that visit the island. Some species of birds need the low brush piles, raspberry, honeysuckle growth for nesting and finding food. Rotting brush on the ground provides insects. For the tall growth areas we need some dead wood for nests and insects that the birds feed on. Open fields where milkweed and other varieties are also important for the birds. The berries produced by the wild cherry, raspberry and bay attracts birds. Deer resistant plants Cynthia Thaxter's List I found these plants to be deer resistant in our garden on the island. We use no netting or barriers and have had good success. I have more extensive lists of shrubs and trees if anyone is interested. Allium, Chives Generic List from East Coast Gardening Books astilbe, baby's breath, balloon flower, baptisia, pegenia, bleeding heart, buddleia, butterfly weed, campanula, candytuft, chives, cinnamon fern, columbine, coreopsis, crown imperial, daffodil, dianthus, echinops, eupatorium, evening primrose, feverfew, flax, garlic, goldenrod, heath, heather, lamb's ear, lavender, lily of the valley, monarda, oregano, oriental poppy, ostrich fern, painted daisy, partridge berry, plumbago, purple coneflower, ribbon grass, rosemary, royal fern, sage, sea lavender, Shasta daisy, sprue, tiger lily, veronica, yarrow, Most New England seaside literature now has sections on deer resistant plants. Building variety into your open space Lawns are a spring delight, warm. During July most render great pleasure in mowing. By August these same green expanses are often brown and dry. There are many ways to consider the open space around our homes that creates the grace of approach and the views we all so cherish. Evaluate other ground covers, taller grasses for the edges, and some low growing sedums and wild flowers that Mary Thaxter and Sarah Meacham have experimented with in their fields. In planning your landscaping, it is worth looking at some of the individual homeowners solutions. Bill Meserve cleared out between the maple and birches between the two Meserve cottages. The Meachams planted lilacs along the road and carefully cultivated lawn interspersed with apple, fir and large oak trees, part open low growth and open fields. The Donnelly's home dominates down a hill where much of the underbrush has been cleared out between the trees. They have experimented successfully with replanted groups of native ferns in areas where it was too rocky for lawn and an invitation to predatory varieties. The Nolans cleared in the woods at the far end of Little Beach and planted some selected fern varieties (ask them about these varieties). Many islanders clear out all the sumac. The sumac although scrub is a well adapted plant that provides some attractive growth and color along the shore areas. What to clear, what not to clear? Each particular area will have some varieties that are worth preserving. Areas with tall grass and wildflowers, bay honeysuckle or raspberry will hold moisture, attract birds and insects and provide variety around your home without compromising the open space. Often transplanting local varieties that are already doing well on the island is better than going to a garden store and purchasing possibly less adapted varieties. Invasive Plants The Landscaping Committee is presenting this list to make islanders aware that there are certain plants that are undesirable and should NOT be planted on the island. We are all familiar with the bittersweet that has engulfed the battery and beyond. Need I say more! By definition an invasive plant grows and matures rapidly, spread quickly, can flower and or set seed all season. It has no know diseases or pests to control it. It thrives in many habitats and is difficult to remove or control. As a result these plants are a serious threat to native plant communities. Common Name Latin Name Trees Black Locust Robina pseudoaccacia Shrubs and Vines Autumn Olive - Elaeagnus embellata Annuals or Perennials Goutweed or Bishops Weed - Aegopodium pdagraria Trees On Cushing's we cultivate trees to create the wonderful alleys of shade along our roadways. Along the shore the white birches are the favorite. Groves of birches can be protected by oaks or a smaller evergreens as they are more fragile and are shorter lived than other common trees. The shoreline is held by bay and sumac. There are other wonderful shrubs which create protection from the wind for you plantings, hold the soil and don't obscure the view. Bay is successful at this but has been vulnerable to disease. The most commonly used windbreak shrub is the Russian Olive. Some of the seaside landscape books show this used wonderfully along shore bluffs or beaches. It has a wonderful silvery green color, grows easily and produces berries which attract birds. There are trees which are native to this region of Maine and thrive in protected inland areas, then there are trees and shrubs which survive well in exposed windy areas where there is little soil to support their growth. Some of the trees best used as a windbreak along the shore edge and able to withstand the rough conditions are some of the smaller pine or spruce varieties such as Japanese Black Pine and dwarf blue or black spruce. the Mugo Pine, Scotch Pine, Dwarf Siberian stone pine, Dwarf white pine, Dwarf Ontario white pine, pitch pine. Native Trees White Pine - Relatively fast growing native Maine tree is a wonderful specimen plant in yards that will accommodate a tree that's 80' tall at maturity and 40 feet wide. These trees are abundant in the conservation area in groups. In other spots they can be found singly. Red Pine - More tolerant of dry conditions than white pine, this tree is a fine ornamental. Its clustered needles have an attractive dark green appearance, and it's a great windbreak tree. White spruce - Some call it 'cat spruce' because of the unpleasant small emitted by broken white spruce branches. But white spruce is a fine 60-ft tree. It's also faster rowing than non native blue spruce. (Blue spruce is not invasive and is a good landscape tree). Sugar maple - They took a licking in the ice storm. But sugar maple remains a great native tree that grows 75 feet tall and 50-feet across. Red maple (not red leaf Norway) is another field tree that will take wet soil as long as it's not mucky. White oak - This native tree is for yards with ample space, since they ultimately reach 80 feet with a width just as great. The oaks are our shoreline anchors. They seem to be able to spread their roots around large rocks and gain fairly secure footing. There are some along the Little Beach short that are in danger of falling over due to erosion of the bank on the seaside. Black Cherry native tree sporting white flowers in the spring followed by small red fruits that turn black when mature. Easily grown, prefers full sun, ordinary soil and is drought resistant once established. Birds love the fruit. There are some of these on Cushing's. They are generally small and often overwhelmed by the vine weed. Ash (white or green) - This is a fast growing shade tree with handsome compound foliage 50-80'. It prefers full sun and ordinary soil and is drought resistant once established. This tree is an excellent selection for seaside gardens. Little Leaf Linden - I believe that this is the variety at the end of the path between the two Thaxter houses. This is a large wonderful tree which has withstood many harsh winters without damage. The Berry Bushes Blueberry - Blueberry likes acidic soil where oaks grow. It is also thrives on the point. In areas where you have cleared and maybe have some small oaks growing, transplanting or introducing more blueberry makes an attractive and useful ground cover. Raspberry - The island raspberry used to be more prolific than now. Whether we have cleared more of the original growth, or the years of heavy deer population reduced the frequency, it is hard to say. The most frequented locations for raspberry picking have been the point on the shore side of the path towards Big Beach, behind the laundry (now not as productive), Cellar Point, along the shore between the McCarthy and Nolan house. These areas are close to the shore. The sumac has been allowed to grow, and often we used to find juniper in the these areas. Much of the juniper has disappeared from the island. Blackberry - Blackberry is a scourge in your backyard, but along the roads to the dump and the point, and on the road to Whitehead where there is a lot of sun, they produce the most delicious juicy fruits in August. Elderberry - There are still a few of these around. More to come, flowers and ...grasses, shrubs..
|
||||