Detention Basin Wetland Development

As part of the construction of parking lots for the new ORNL Conference Center, a large detention basin was created in late 2005. Rather than seed this basin with the standard, non-native fescue grass mix, a decision was made to establish native vegetation more appropriate for wetland conditions.

Thus, during early 2006 vegetation was established using both plants and seeds purchased from local sources and plants transferred from other wetlands on the ORR. These plants were supplemented by volunteers that grew from the existing bank of seeds in the soil. Additional plantings of shrubs were made in 2007. The only maintenance to the basin has been a few spot sprayings of herbicide to eliminate some invasive plants.

Photos taken from December 2005 through August 2008 show the development of the wetland vegetation since the basin was created.

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The table below lists the species growing in the detention basin and indicates whether they are volunteers or were intentionally planted.

Species Growing in the Basin
(click on underlined common names to see pictures¹)

¹ All photos by Mike Ryon unless indicated otherwise.

² Contact the sources by following the links or contact below:

Ernst Conservation Seeds

Mellow Marsh Farm

Nashville Natives

Warren County Nursery

Wykles Nursery (no web page)
538 Country Lane
Lenoir City, TN 37771
(865) 986-4599