Applecross Subdivision Sustainable Residential Ecosystem

University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 531 Sout College Avenue 15! "ownsend #all Newar$% D& 1'(1)
Introduction: Water quality management strategies in urban watersheds have historically focused on intercepting polluted water before it enters waterways rather than preventing its pollution in the first place. The opposite approach, curbing pollution at its source, will improve water quality more effectively while simultaneously delivering several additional ecosystem services that have been ignored in urban watersheds. Two aspects of urban watersheds are primary sources of non-point source pollution: impervious surfaces and excessive use of turf grass. A recently funded !"A Water #uality pro$ect %Water quality and ecosystem services from landscape best management practices that enhance vegetation in urbani&ing watersheds' will measure water quality and ecosystem services in a watershed vegetated primarily with turf-grass and a watershed vegetated primarily with meadow and forest. To understand the value of the differences between traditional and more heavily-vegetated, diverse landscaping, the pro$ect will first compare the costs of installing and maintaining lawns, meadows and forest cover and then measure the degree to which alternative landscapes with more vegetation improve water quality, reduce runoff, sequester carbon dioxide, conserve biodiversity, and provide natural pest control and pollination services, ecosystem services with considerable ecological and economic valuable. To encourage a national paradigm shift toward more vegetated landscapes this pro$ect includes a demonstration site in a nearby development, Applecross, Wilmington, "(. At )*+ ,. Ashview "rive an existing landscape of primarily cool season turf-grass will be replaced with a landscape that has -*. less lawn, +**. more trees, +**. more plant diversity and is designed to retain and filter /*. of the rainfall.

Objectives: pon installation, the monitored characteristics of the sustainable landscape at )*+ ,. Ashview "rive include the following: +' Water movement and remediation on site 0' 1arbon sequestration potential - calculated based on plant species )' 2est control services - measure parasitic wasps and insectivorous birds 3' 2ollination services - measure pollinators -' 1onservation of biodiversity - measure 4epidoptera larvae 5' 1osts of installation and management - trac6 monetary costs and environmental inputs and outputs on site 7' 8uman engagement with site Methodology: A grid system consisting of numbers and letters, sectionali&ed into 0*9 x 0*9 areas, is established to effectively monitor plant growth and water remediation on the site. The analysis is focused upon completion of the said ob$ectives utili&ing visual monitoring techniques. 2lant growth will be recorded based on a scale of + to ). + being dead, 0 being stressed, ) being vigorous. "etailed notes accompany quantified measures of plant vitality on possible sources of death, stress and vigor. :n-site water movement will be documented based on a comparison between soil permeability and storm water movement;remediation pre and post planting. <ain gauges will monitor the quantity of rain throughout the summer and comparative analysis of water movement upon installation, throughout the observation period, and upon conclusion is used to determine the successful placement of plantings throughout the Applecross site. "ocumentation of ecological services, beyond plant and water systems, includes record of insect activity, namely 4epidoptera larvae and parasitic wasps, and insectivorous birds. =oth insects and birds can be quantified in the category of pollinators due to their direct interface with flowers and fruits. To document the enhancements of the installed sustainable landscape at the Applecross, the above organisms are tallied into their respective genus and species, and ultimately tabulated for analysis. The increasing or decreasing analysis of wildlife interface permits expedient examination of the full beneficial effects on the site9s ecology. A surveyed measurement of human engagement with the site will be based on time spent outside in relationship to the previous landscape, neighboring landscapes and how the homeowners describe the landscape9s impact on their use and the overall benefit to the subdivision9s community.

Researcher Team >aculty Advisors: !usan =arton, 2h". Associate 2rofessor and (xtension !pecialist +3* Townsend 8all niversity of "elaware ,ewar6, "( +/7+5 sbarton?udel.edu %)*0' @)+-+)7Aules =ruc6, 2h",B A24" Assistan 2rofessor of 4andscape "esign +3+ Townsend 8all niversity of "elaware ,ewar6, "( +/7+5 $bruc6?udel.edu %5+*' 550-0/@5 ndergraduate Cnterns: Tim 2. !chofield, =! 4andscape 8orticulture and "esign, <esource (conomics +@0 Drubb <d Ealvern, 2A +/)-tschof?udel.edu %5+*'-@@)-*-)+ Budget: From NIWQ !rant" #ear $: Woody plant material: F++,*** 2erennial plant material: F0,*** Eulch: F+,*** >ertili&er: F-** Eonitoring equipment and tools: F@** Application to %WR& for internship support: F),-**