Restoring our meadows: A deep dive into native habitat renewal

Tate keeping an eye on the new growth in the meadow.

Upland meadows are rare on Mount Desert Island, making the Preserve’s meadows at Little Long Pond ecological treasures worth preserving. This habitat faces threats from invasive species like glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea). To restore balance, Director of Natural Lands Tate Bushell and his team have taken a data-driven approach—commissioning botanical surveys, referencing a 130-year-old plant dataset, and studying regional meadows for inspiration and reference. By eradicating invasive monocultures and reintroducing native plants, we aim to maintain a biodiverse meadow that will sustain wildlife and support a resilient ecosystem for generations to come. 

Newly planted Joe Pye Weed

Read more about how plants were chosen for the restoration and the challenges of keeping the meadows healthy in Tate's blog posted in Natural History of Ecological Restoration.

Click here to read Tate's blog.

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