Hi everyone,
I live in Raleigh, North Carolina, and there’s a public walking trail near my home that runs along a river. Over the past year and a half, we’ve had several major storms, and parts of the river have become dammed up. As a result, there’s now a fairly large bare area along the trail (see picture). The soil there is very soft topsoil, and currently nothing is growing.
I know this isn’t technically my property, but I’d really love to help beautify the area and make the walkway more attractive — both for people and for local wildlife. I was wondering:
• Would it be appropriate to relocate shrubs from nearby areas?
• Would planting native plants or wildflowers be a better option?
• Are there specific native species in the Raleigh area that would do well in soft, possibly flood-prone soil?
I want to make sure anything I do is responsible and beneficial to the ecosystem. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
by jdm09007
1 Comment
Planting natives will be the best way to support wildlife. Native insects are often dependent on native plants for host relationships and will then feed the birds and other wildlife.
I would be hesitant to transplant established shrubs, unless you know they can tolerate it! There are several good resources online with native plants lists, some that even give you local climate requirement ranges so you can tell if a species will thrive in wetland habitats in your area.