Spring Peeper Meadow: Revegetation Practices in a Seasonal Wetland Restoration in Minnesota

In 1995, the state of Minnesota provided funding for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum to demonstrate how wetlands can be restored. The Arboretum undertook restoration of a 7.5 acre seasonal wetland and an adjacent 7.1 acre wet prairie. Challenges encountered included the need to remove the existing cover of reed canarygrass, an invasive perennial. Patterns of plant establishment and the efficacy of site preparation and hydrologic restoration efforts are reported. The introduction of propagules had the intended effect of immediately accelerating the diversity of wetland plant species. Overall, 256 species were observed 4 yr post-flooding; 113 were intentionally introduced as plants or seeds.