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Randy Heffner, founder of Aquascapes Unlimited, takes his Earth-protection job seriously. Heffner and his team grow native wetland plants for restoration, conservation and stormwater projects to landscape contractors and non-profit organizations nationwide. Wetlands help with soil stabilization, minimize nutrient transfer, provide wildlife habitats, filter stormwater and help recharge groundwater systems, he said. “By using natives in wetland restorations, we’re trying to mimic what would be in that same community. Plants that have a genetic component of being local—known as ecoregions,” he said. “Then the bugs, bunnies, birds and bees would recognize those plants for habitat.” Most of the nursery’s plants are seed-sown, winter hardy native wetland perennials that are grown without mechanization, irrigation or heavy chemicals. And the nursery began implementing sustainable growing practices years ago, including recycling, reuse, watershed management, ebb-and-flow benches, nutrient recapture and the use of wind power. Wetlands are regulated by various agencies, from federal such as the Army Corps of Engineers through state agencies and local components. Heffner and his crew help customers choose the correct plants. Selecting a variety of plants is an important consideration of wetland restoration. “It’s critical to create a more natural environment and not a monotypic stand of plants,” he said. Aquascapes Unlimited is located on 20 acres in Bucks County, Pa. The 20-acre site is a certified National Wildlife Fund habitat that contains vernal pools, a restored woodlot, 10 acres of wet woodlands and open meadows. “We practice what we preach and our site is used by educational institutions and regulatory agencies as a model of conservation,” he said. The production of Aquascape’s plants is set up much like a typical nursery, except for irrigation. “We grow in containers with impervious bottoms, which allow us to use much less water than a conventional nursery,” he said. “We bottom water everything, so we’re delivering water to the root zones of the plant. There’s no loss through evaporation. All of our water is God given—it all comes from the sky—and we hold it in irrigation ponds.” Aquascapes Unlimited also grows ornamental aquatic species for sales to local garden centers and designers. The nursery grows about a quarter of a million plugs a year. “For us it’s about getting good plants out in the market and promoting what the value of wetlands brings to the environment,” he said. For more: www.aquascapesunlimited.com. |
Explore the May 2011 Issue
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