Battling Invasives

Invasive species are making Canal Shores unhealthy.  In our interactions with the experts, we have learned that a healthy ecosystem has layers, each layer ideally containing a variety of species:

• An herbaceous (ground) layer of grasses, flowers and groundcover that are the home to pollinators and other important insects and animals.
• An understory (shrub) layer of small trees and shrubs that provide food and habitat for birds.
• A canopy of trees, of varying species and age.

The primary problem that Canal Shores has with its invasives is in the understory, specifically with buckthorn and honeysuckle. That problem has manifested in three ways:

• First, within the understory, buckhthorn and honeysuckle are extremely aggressive competitors and they have left us with almost no other shrubs, greatly decreasing biodiversity.
• Second, they form dense thickets, starving the herbaceous layer of sunlight. Where buckthorn grows densely, there is bare ground underneath which also creates erosion problems on the canal banks.
• Finally, the buckthorn and honeysuckle leave no space for desirable trees to regenerate.

There are good reasons why it is illegal to sell or plant buckthorn or honeysuckle in the state of Illinois. They are parasitic plants that take over and leave the areas they populate in much worse health.

Not only is buckthorn bad for the other plants around it, but the berries produced by the females have a laxative effect on birds, while providing no nutritional content.

Many thanks to Brandon from Ringers Landscaping for allowing us to share his webinar. We highly recommend watching at least the first 18 minutes.

The work is well underway on holes 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12-18. We have applied for a burn permit from the EPA to deal with the cut brush. We are also recruiting a Landscape Architecture / Ecology intern whose focus will be on maintenance of cleared areas as well as site-specific habitat design and implementation.

Decades of neglect and mismanagement are not going to be undone overnight.  However, we have made a beginning and we will continue working toward our goal of making Canal Shores a healthy ecosystem that includes a variety of native and other desirable trees.

We hope that all members of the Evanston-Wilmette community join us. Check back here regularly for dates of upcoming volunteer work sessions, or join our volunteer mailing list.  Inquiries about tree donations can be made with Dan Bulf (dbulf@canalshores.org). This is a big job, but together, we can do it.

Spring Cleaning Time Has Arrived

The weather is warming up and the course is waking up.  Soon enough, we'll be teeing it up.

But first, another round of clean-up and clearing is in order.  Between now and Memorial Day, our gang of volunteers will be pitching in to help Superintendent Tony Frandria and his crew get the course tuned up for the season.

The first order of business is clean-up.  The winter weather downs trees and branches across the course and these need to be gathered up before fairway rough mowing can begin.

Our practice is to break down this material, pile it in a designated area on each hole and have it chipped.  The chips are used for mulching, hugelkultur and path building.  We also blow and rake debris into the treeline to suppress regrowth of invasives.

Once the clean-up is complete, we will resume our battle against buckthorn and other invasives.  Removal of these weed species improves the ecology of the property, and also increases sunlight exposure and air movement, which leads to healthier turf.

There are several hot spots on the course that will receive our clearing attention, including the 15th and 16th holes as part of our Metra Corner Makeover.

We will be working on Saturdays between 9:00 and 11:00, unless it is raining.  Many hands make light work - all are welcome to come pitch in.  Bring loppers, rakes, or chainsaws if you have them.

To stay up to date on all of our upcoming volunteer activities, we created a VOLUNTEER PAGE HERE.

Metra Corner Makeover - Spring 2017

Our generous volunteers and donors helped us complete pilot projects along Sheridan Road at our north end (6th hole) and on Central Ave in our middle (12th hole).  We are grateful for their support and dedication.

The Canal Shores Grounds Committee has now shifted its attention to the south end of the property, or what we call the “Metra Corner”.  This is the area that includes the 15th and 16th holes, which interact with the canal and the commuter train tracks.  It is also a point of major foot traffic, with commuters and school kids passing through the course in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

Like most of Canal Shores, the Metra Corner suffers from several major issues:

1. The golf on these holes is a combination of hard and boring due to a lack of interesting features and inherent strategy.
2. Turf health and quality, and the general ecology of the area, has been degraded as invasive species like buckthorn have taken over.
3. Safety issues exist because of the layout of the holes, and disorganization of space for golf vs. non-golf activities.

Our makeover of the Metra Corner has the overarching goal of the addressing the issues above, while improving the aesthetics of the property and fun of the golf holes.  A visualization of the makeover is below, with a descriptions of the steps.  As the makeover progresses, updates will be provided in additional posts.

THE STEPS OF THE METRA MAKEOVER
(click on images to enlarge)

STEP 1 – The Principal’s Nose

The 15th hole is a short par-4 that is tight off the tee and plays straight, with little strategic interest.  Although the hole has great potential, it currently suffers from being boring and hard.

We are borrowing a simple strategy of positioning fairway and greenside bunkers to create options and angles for our golfers.  Aggressive players can challenge hazards to gain advantage on the hole and make an eagle or birdie.  Conservative players can navigate safely navigate around hazards while still having a chance at par.

To add quirk and interest to the hole, we are creating a Principal’s Nose bunker complex, inspired by the original at St. Andrews and others around America.  There is an existing set of grass bunkers in the left center of the fairway that will be shifted and rebuilt.

STEP 2 – Greenside Bunkers

The bunkers front left and right of the green are out of position and in a state of serious disrepair.  The left bunker will be removed and turned into fairway creating an alley for players to play running approaches.  The right bunker will be shifted and rebuilt closer to the green in a rugged, “gash” style.

The existing layout of the 15th hole provides only one good option for play – straight down the middle.  The new bunker configuration will introduce strategic options and risk-reward considerations for our players. Golf is more fun and interesting when it is a test of both the mind and execution.

STEP 3 – Replacing the Spruce

There is a large spruce tree on the right side of the fairway on #15 that has was likely planted as a yardage reference marker.  It is a non-native tree in an inappropriate position.  We are exploring options for moving it, and will do so if it is cost-effective.  Otherwise, we have obtained permission from the City of Evanston Forestry Division to remove the tree and replace it with natives that are more appropriately positioned.  If funds allow, the new plantings will be incorporated into the establishment of a new native area.

STEP 4 – Buckthorn Removal on #15

As is the case in many areas of Canal Shores, buckthorn and other invasive species have encroached on the canal side of the 15th hole, narrowing it considerably.  Previous efforts by our staff and volunteers on the 3rd and 12th holes have widened playing corridors, improved turf quality, highlighted specimen trees, and enhanced aesthetics.

We intend to remove the buckthorn and other invasives along the left side of the 15th fairway up to the canal ridgeline.  Going down to clear and restore the canal bank is a much larger project for which we are not yet prepared.  Our Ecology firm, Planning Resources Inc., has provided us with an advisory statement on the intended work on the 15th and 16th holes (click here to read the PRI letter).

STEP 5 – Revealing the Stone Wall

With the help of our neighbors, we have discovered an old limestone wall along the right side of the 16th hole.  It is currently overgrown by buckthorn and other invasive shrubs.  This is exactly the kind of unique feature that makes Canal Shores so special, and we intend to uncover and restore it to the best of our ability.

Volunteer days for this work are currently being organized.  Email me, or sign up on the Canal Shores website if you would like to donate or volunteer.

STEP 6 – Round Rail Fence 

The wood round rail fence that we installed as a part of our 12th Green Project has been very well received by the community.  That fence style will be the standard for the boundaries of the property.  It defines a boundary but leaves an open feel, while drastically improving aesthetics.

The chain link fence behind the 16th green will be replaced, increasing visibility into the course for people driving and walking down Noyes Street.  A new section of fence right of the 15th green will be installed, which will help direct foot traffic away from the 15th green and the private neighbor property that borders that corner of the course.

STEP 7 – Reconfigure #16 Tees

The current tee configuration on #16 is suboptimal.  The back tee position is dangerous – it is too close to the back of #15 green.  Shots that go long put players at risk.  The tee shot from the back tee is also too difficult for almost all of our players.  Further, there is no tee box on the near side of the canal.  The forced carry over the canal is mandatory, which is beyond the strength and ability of many of our players.

The back tee will be shut down, making room to reroute the walking path behind 15 green.  The right and left tees will be expanded, to create more day-to-day variety, and a new forward tee on the near side of the canal will be added.

STEP 8 – Reroute Walking Path

Although Canal Shores is welcoming to walkers of all kinds, we want to keep them safe and minimize potential damage to greens. The path that many school kids and commuters currently take through this section of the property has two main problems that we intend to address.

On the 15th, walkers tend to walk too close to the green, or on it.  The new fence and removal of the back tee on #16 allows us to route walkers away from the green and out of potential harm’s way from golfers.

The area between the 16th hole and 17th tee holds water, and so we will be creating a drainage feature and establishing a formal path for walkers to keep them out of conflict with golfers on #16 and the 17th tee.

STEP 9 – Expand #15 Fairway and Green

As a rule of thumb, more short grass equates to more fun for golfers.  Therefore, we will be working hard to improve turf health, and expanding the fairway and green on #15.  We will give our players a larger target, and more options for how to approach it through the air or along the ground.

CONCLUSION

Although this “bootstrap” work is nowhere near what could be accomplished with a larger scale renovation of Canal Shores, we do believe that we can significantly improve the experience that our visitors have in this section of the property and course.  While the Master Planning process unfolds, we look forward to pushing forward with improvements in every way that the commitment of our volunteers and donors allows.

12th Green Makeover Pilot Project - October 2016

Led by students from North Shore Country Day School, dozens of our volunteers contributed hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to the successful completion of our makeover of the 12th green complex.

Before getting to the project recap, a little background on "The Boys", as they came to be known. NSCDS has a senior service requirement. CJ, Sam, Dillon, and AJ came to us and asked if they could do their service hours at Canal Shores. It just so happened that we were hoping to add a native plant and habitat area behind the 12th green. The adjacent sidewalk is heavily trafficked, and we thought the community would appreciate the natural beauty. We asked them if they wanted to see our idea through – planning to fundraising to implementation – and they agreed.



They put together a video and started an IndieGogo fundraising campaign.
 

Canal Shores 12th Hole Pilot Project from CJ Charnas on Vimeo.

Their campaign was successful, and we supplemented the money they raised with donations from the Honourable Company of Reverse Jans Golfers outing.

The Grounds Committee’s intention for this pilot project was to holistically apply the principles we have been exploring in the development of our Master Plan – community golf, outdoor recreation, and ecological stewardship working together in harmony. We hope that in seeing the transformation of this small piece of the property, our players and community can get a sense of what might be accomplished with more robust resources and expertise.

The 12th green complex makeover included several components:

• Clearing and cleanup of the invasive species overgrowth around the perimeter. 
• Bunker reduction and reconfiguration. 
• Replacement of the dilapidated boundary fence. 
• Preservation of a large “specimen” tree. 
• Installation of a new native plant area. 

Following is a recap of the work, which took place over the course of one year. We received so much volunteer assistance, that it is impossible to thank everyone enough.

CLEARING & CLEAN-UP

As is the case with every area of Canal Shores, years of neglect on the perimeter of the property and along the canal banks has led to invasive species such as buckthorn and riverbank grape vine taking over and choking out more desirable native plants and trees.

We started in the fall, worked through the winter, and finished in the spring with reclaiming the area inside of the canal bank ridgeline.



Cleared material was stacked and topped with mulch to create hugelkultur mounds that can be planted. Uncovered ground was seeded to provide golfers with more playable width.



We did not continue down the entirety of the ridgeline on #12. The picture below shows the line of demarcation. Notice that in the cleared areas, large trees are now visible.



The perimeter of the property presented additional challenges beyond invasives – challenges created by people.

We did remove the invasives and dead trees. That material was combined with debris left behind by landscapers who were using the course as a dumping ground. We also filled numerous bags with trash left behind by people who confused the course for a garbage can.



We found several paths that had been created by neighbors entering the property in the spot most convenient to them. This is an ongoing challenge for us. We want Canal Shores to be open and integrated with its neighborhood. However, it is dangerous for people to wander onto the course in blind spots where they cannot see players and players cannot see them. On #12, we built hugelkultur mounds that will be planted to close off some of these paths. Over time, we will be working to direct our non-golfing visitors to enter and exit the property in places that are designed to minimize danger and conflicts with our players.

In cleaning up the perimeter treeline, we were able to uncover one of the historic lampposts designed by Evanston architect Thomas Eddy Tallmadge. Making reminders of Canal Shores’s unique setting visible from the course is one of our goals.



On this side of the green, it was also necessary to address the damage done to the green pad over the years by cart traffic. We repaired the cart path, installed posts to direct carts onto the path in front of the green, and added railroad ties to keep players from driving up on to the side of the green. The green side was built up, shaped to encourage drainage, and planted with fescue and other grasses for a more rugged look.

BUNKER WORK

Our general perspective on bunkers is that they are expensive to maintain and they slow down play. Therefore, if we are going to have a bunker, it is needs to be cool looking, playable, and strategically relevant. This perspective has led us to remove several bunkers throughout the course, including a fairway bunker on #12.

Our original plan with the bunkering on the 12th green (pictured below before work began) was to a) rework the front-left bunker to give it more character and make it easier to play from, and b) remove the other three large “saucer” bunkers which we felt were ugly and did not add to the strategic interest of the hole.



Once we started, it got a little more interesting and involved than that…

The first order of business was to remove the left bunker by filling it in with sand, shaping the slope, and laying sod. Given that we had just the smallest of clues about how to do that, we lucked out when Brian Palmer (Superintendent at Shoreacres) showed up to help, with his sod cutter.



Fortunately for us, the winter was mild enough to give the grass a chance to take root and a year later new players might not even know that a bunker had once been there.



While we were standing around admiring our handiwork, Brian mentioned that the area that we had stripped behind the green resembled the eden bunker on the famous Eden hole at Shoreacres. He ambitiously suggested that we turn this green complex into an homage to C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor’s Eden template, which is in turn an homage to the 11th hole at the Old Course at St. Andrews. Sounded like fun to us, so we went for it.

The first step was to rework the front-left Hill bunker to reduce the footprint, give it a gentler upslope for easier escape, and add character.



By late spring, the grass had grown in nicely and had the rugged, aged look we’re after.



Next up was the front right Strath bunker. This pot bunker needed to be created from scratch, and Axel Ochoa stepped up to the challenge. Working from a photo of a bunker at Garden City Golf Club, Axel added his own spin and made a beauty.



We let the grass grow up on the top and right to tie the Strath into the tall grass that runs down the entire right side of the hole. By late spring, Axel’s pot bunker looked like it had always been there.



Tom Tully expanded the mowing of the green out to the edge of the pad, including the creation of a false front that gives the green a sense of tilt that didn’t previously exist. The improved visual and bunker placement makes the approach both more strategic, and much more interesting.



While this work was happening on the front bunkers, creation of the Eden bunker behind the green was ongoing. The original plan was to excavate the bunker and do root trimming all in one day. We made arrangements to borrow an excavator, had 10 volunteers ready to work, and…it snowed more than a foot. Plan B – dig it out by hand.



The mild weather over the winter allowed us to chip away at excavating the bunker. During the course of that process, we decided to give the back edge more of a natural look to contrast with the straight front edge. As soil was removed, it was dumped behind, shaped and planted with fescue that we removed from the berm.



After the dig out, the root cutting, the shaping and the planting, Tom filled our new Eden bunker in with fresh sand…



…and by Spring, it had grown in beautifully.



Although the work was grueling at times, it was tremendously satisfying to bring this new configuration to the green complex to life. We gave a small taste to our players of what is possible at Canal Shores.

FENCE REPLACEMENT

A while back, the Grounds Committee began discussions to address the myriad fence styles that exist around the property. The lack of a unified look is a missed opportunity to tie the segregated sections of the property together. We settled on wood round-rail for the boundaries, split rail for internal directional fences, and wood poles with safety netting for containment.

The chain link fence behind 12 green was collapsing and had several weed trees growing up through it. The City assisted with the tree removal, and our friends at Fenceworks did a great job on the removal and installation.

This new fencing is the perfect complement to the naturalized look we are working to achieve on the course and surrounding native areas.

TREE PRESERVATION

The mulberry behind the green does not fit the technical definition of a specimen tree. By arborist’s standards, it is a low value tree and its trunk was split. By the current standards of Canal Shores, however, it is a big old tree that looks great in its location. Therefore, in spite of the advice from every expert to cut the tree down, we decided to save it.

The tree was struggling under its own weight, as it had never been properly maintained. Our friends at Nels J. Johnson thinned out the crown, and then rodded and banded the trunk to protect it against further splitting.



The tree looks healthy and happy now and will be with us for years to come. As is the case with many of the non-invasive, lower-value trees on the property, we will let nature take its course and replace them with better species when they die off. For now, we are making the best of what we have.

NATIVE AREA INSTALLATION

The first order of business in creating the native area was to cave in the ugly berm that bordered the fence. Unfortunately, we found out that the berm had been built more from construction debris than soil, so it took considerable effort by our volunteers to shape and recondition that large space. Lucky for us, we have committed folks involved in this transformation.



With the shaping complete, Steve Neumann and his designer finalized the layout for planting. Midwest Groundcovers generously supported the project and gave each of our donated dollars 5x its normal spending power on plant materials.



(Click here to see a larger PDF of the design)

The Logic Lawn Care crew and our volunteers then sprang into action, fighting through the rain to get the installation done.



Although the 12th green makeover became a much larger project than originally intended, the finished product was well worth the effort. Beyond the result though, the process was a joy. The community and camaraderie that has developed within this dedicated group of dream chasers is priceless.

Stay tuned for news on our next project. We are far from finished…

Our wonderful volunteers who pitched in and service providers who discounted and donated:

• The Golf Geeks Crew – Axel Ochoa, John Creighton, Brian Palmer, Peter Korbakes, Scott Vincent, Brad Germany, Brendan McCarthy, David Horowitz, Scott Laffin, Jim Raymond, Craig LaVasseur, Garrett Chaussard, George Michel, Rick Spurgeon, Max Sternberg, Akbar Mustafa, Todd Quitno, Brian Bossert.
• The Boys from North Shore Country Day School – CJ, Sam, Dillon, and AJ.
• Pat Goss, Emily Fletcher, David Inglis, Maureen Palchak and the Northwestern University Athletic Department staff.
• Lisa Quinn and the First Tee of Greater Chicago staff.
• Steve Neumann and the team from Logic Lawn Care, and our neighbors from Evanston Terrace.
• Our Board Members Ray Tobin, Tim Pretzsch, Mike O’Connor and our Superintendent Tom Tully.
• The fine folks at Turf Ventures, Fenceworks, Nels J Johnson, Midwest Groundcovers, and other landscapers who donated soil.
• MWRD and the City of Evanston Forestry Division.

3rd Hole Invasives Pilot Project - June 2015

Full recap coming soon...