Dominion volunteers help power Mentor Marsh planting project

June 13 wasn’t a typical day on the job for Erin Patch.

The Kent resident led a team of 10 Dominion Energy employees who volunteered several hours to help plant an estimated 11,000 native species at the Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve.

While such volunteer efforts aren’t unusual for the company’s Energizing Our Communities program, the marsh project was a new experience for Patch.

“Water in the boots, spiders everywhere; I saw a leech,” she said, insisting it was “super cool” as opposed to creepy. “It was fun. It was not an easy day, but we had a blast.”

The program also donated $2,500 to the cause, which was another step in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s plans to restore the marsh to pre-phragmites days.

Patch serves as supervisor of gas operations for Dominion’s Geographical Information System department, which maps all the gas lines in the area.

“It was way different from my desk job, but super awesome,” she said.

The plants — and volunteers — were shuttled to the marsh east of Corduroy Road via amphibious vehicles

Ten species of historical Mentor Marsh wetland plants (based on Museum Herbarium records), were installed, including marsh milkweed, blue-flag iris, giant bur-reed, blue-joint grass, soft-stemmed bulrush, and several sedges.

A similar planting was done by volunteers in 2017, when 19,000 plants were installed.

In March, 200 million seeds of native marsh plants were spread via helicopter on about 40 acres.

“March’s aerial seeding was broadcast adjacent to last year’s plug planting location along the east side of Corduroy Road,” said Museum Biodiversity Coordinator David Kriska. “(We were) planting within the same plug planting area as well as thinning and spreading out last year’s plantings. …

“The planting includes over 6,000 marsh milkweeds to aid in our quest to take Mentor Marsh from the biggest phragmites marsh in Ohio to the biggest marsh milkweed marsh in Ohio. Why? To aid the ailing monarch butterfly while boosting the ecotourism destination that Mentor is becoming.”

Along with Dominion’s program, funding support comes from Sustain our Great Lakes and the locally based Wild4Ever: Wildlife Conservation Foundation.

The museum, which manages much of the 765-acre property, began restoration efforts with small grants in 2012 and 2013 by spraying “aquatic-approved” herbicide to fight nonnative phragmites.

A larger grant in 2015 enabled more spraying and the use of a Marsh Master (part pontoon, part tank) to mow, press and chop the invasive plants. Efforts included harvesting phragmites for biofuel.

Last year, about 2,800 native trees were planted.

Don’t Miss

>> Sub Zero Mission seeking volunteers