Welcome to our New Newsletter Format!
February Article- Muskrats! Friend or Foe?
Seasoned weekend warriors just know that a lawn or garden project will most often come along with unexpected challenges. An ecological restoration project is no different. In both cases, we create environments with certain desired characteristics. Whether it’s a vegetable garden with minimal weed cover, a lawn free of moles, or a natural buffer without buckthorn, we strive to prevent certain aggressive species from changing these target environments. Species that have the ability to wreak havoc come in many shapes and sizes – from tiny, microscopic bacteria to rather large feral pigs. Even aggressive native plant and animal species can tip the ecological balance and cause problems. One species that repeatedly cause challenges for natural shore restoration is the native muskrat. So why do muskrats cause problems and how do we deal with these interesting but often naughty aquatic creatures?

Pollinator of the Month!
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth
( Hemaris thysbe )

Hummingbird clearwing moths are one of the few species of moths that you can observe during the day. They have an olive-green colored thorax with a pale white underside. Their antennae are black and their wings are clear with brown margins. The common larval host plants for these moths are trees and shrubs like cherry, plums, hawthorns, viburnum, snowberry, and others. The adults visit native plants for nectar, hovering over them like hummingbirds while they sip up the tasty liquid. Some common native plant they visit include Bergamot, Liatris species, Vervain, Milkweed species, and others!

Retail Nursery News!
We are getting ready for spring!
The germination greenhouse is up and running!


Invasive Species of the Month- Burdock
( Arctium minus)

Burdock is a non-native species from Europe. It has large green leaves with purple thistle-like flowers that grow up from the main stalk during its second year. The flowers develop into the large burrs that get stuck on clothing and pets during the fall. It has a deep tap root that makes hand-pulling difficult. It is also somewhat resistant to herbicide treatments. Management strategies include continual cutting of the taproot to exhaust nutrient resources.
Native Plant of the Month-
Joe-Pye Weed
( Eutriochium maculatum )

This is a wonderful shoreline plant that provides nectar and pollen for many different species of insects. It grows tall, loves wet soils, and prefers full or partial sun. Joe-Pye weed has a light pink flower and is a great plant for shoreline restorations because of its deep roots. Their flowers attract many different species of bees and butterflies during its long blooming period from July to September. After it blooms the flowers turn into seeds that get blown away in a strong breeze.
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Five Plants For...Deep Roots!
Mystery Plant of the Month!
This is one of our favorite woodland species because of it's unique flower hood. Can you guess what it is?

Do you like the new newsletter format?
Yes, looks as beautiful as a Monarch butterfly!
No, it's just as bad as Neonics!
Yes, but I liked the old one better!
Natural Shore Technologies, Inc. | www.naturalshore.com