Salt from winter maintenance ends up in our water and soil. Many plants can’t survive such salty conditions and end up poisoned or drought stricken. Yet there are a few plants that thrive by blocking the salt at their roots, or by taking up the salt into their systems to excrete or keep for nutritional purposes. These plants are called halophytes.
Did you Know? Halophytes Can Restore Salty Soils
A five-year pilot study, conducted by researchers at Queen’s University and Royal Military College Canada, examined four halophytic plants and their ability to restore salt levels in soil.
Within the first year, they found that three of the four halophytes (switchgrass, prairie cordgrass and side oats gramma) can handle high levels of chloride. The researchers also showed these plants can be harvested to remove chloride from the soil and repurposed as compost, animal feed or biofuels.
Plant Your Own
Many halophytic plants are native to Canada and can be sourced from native plant nurseries in Ontario. They’re ideal for parking lots and walkways along with other salt resistant native plants, like the groundcover wild strawberry (Fragraria virginiana).
Connect with Greening Corporate Grounds to discuss adding some of these salt-loving plants to your property as an easy pollution prevention project.
Easy Green Infrastructure Retrofits
Managing stormwater runoff and pollution with green or natural infrastructure instead of conventional grey infrastructure isn’t just for larger capital works projects. There are easy retrofits for existing features and maintenance practices that don’t require long-term planning and big investments that where applicable, can qualify for municipal stormwater credits too.
Erosion and Sediment Control
Erosion and sediment control isn’t something to worry about only during construction. Soil can become exposed because of poor landscaping practices or a lack of vegetation. Once exposed, soil can be blown by wind and washed towards catch basins when it rains.
Keep soil covered by planting, seeding and mulching. Regrade when required. Filter socks can be placed around catch basins as a temporary measure to keep sediment out.
Sweeping Plans
Sweep parking lots regularly to remove debris, sediment, dried winter maintenance de-icers (e.g., road salt) and vegetation as part of a pollution prevention plan.
Ditch Basic Swales
Swales are often overlooked, but enhancing them with native plant species, check dams and catch basin risers can make a difference. These enhancements treat and reduce the impact of stormwater by slowing its flow and allowing for its filtration, evapotranspiration, and infiltration into the underlying soil. The native plants also serve pollinators as vital habitat.
Get started for free with Greening Corporate Grounds. We can help you identify and plan for natural infrastructure retrofits.