Insect Habitat Created Through Native Vegetation Consideration in the Little Westham Creek Floodplain
Leah Purdy
Laura Sokol
RES
Richmond, VA
Authors: Leah Purdy, Laura Sokol
One of the biggest opponents of stream restoration, in the Mid-Atlantic, is the pushback it receives when communities are concerned about forested habitat loss due to tree removal when regrading floodplains. While forested habitats are important, they are also one of the most abundant habitat types in Virginia. The temporary deforestation of restored floodplains presents an opportunity to provide vital pollinator habitat through thoughtful vegetation considerations.
Insect populations have been declining rapidly over the last few decades. By planting valuable pollinator host and forage species in restored floodplains, stream restoration practitioners can create vital pollinator habitat that may ease the concerns of those opposed to restoration over forested habitat loss.
A photographic insect survey, completed monthly at Little Westham Creek from May to October of 2024, identifies insect taxa that have populated the site post-construction and looks at their relationship to the replanted floodplain.
The restoration of Little Westham Creek, located on the University of Richmond campus, significantly altered and improved the existing habitat of the degraded half mile of stream. A mid-successional forest covered most of the site and contained a high presence of invasive species (Chinese privet, porcelain berry, Japanese honeysuckle, and Japanese stilt grass). Besides a few select trees, all the existing vegetation was removed within the project limits. This allowed RES to develop a plant mix that was better adapted for the local ecotype and improve habitat biodiversity.
This presentation will examine the post-restoration vegetation coverage and insect biodiversity found within the pollinator habitats of the floodplain. We will discuss specific plant species selected, discuss their associations with the insect taxa found, and share findings and photographs from the surveys conducted in the restored floodplain.
About Leah Purdy
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About Laura Sokol
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