BPNA received a HAND Neighborhood Improvement Grant to plant native species along the creek in Bryan Park.BLOOMINGTON — Jim Opiat didn’t mind the muddy knees or cold air that accompanied his spring gardening Saturday. He knew his hard work, and that of about 40 other volunteers, would pay off — in three-to-five years.
"I bring my grandkids over here all the time," he said. "So I’m looking forward to saying, ‘Hey, I planted this.’"
Opiat is one of many from the Bryan Park Neighborhood Association participating in planting more than 2,000 native Indiana plants purchased with a $17,063 Neighborhood Improvement Grant awarded by the Bloomington Redevelopment Commission for the Bryan Park Creek Naturalization Project.
The plants are being planted along the eastern portion of a creek at the park to improve wildlife habitat, reduce the need for mowing, and stabilize the creek bank. Both flowering and nonflowering species will bring color and variety to the creek, officials say. Species to be planted include black-eyed Susan, fire pink, spicebush, coneflower, palm sedge and beak grass.
Jon Behrman, with the firm Eco Logic, has spent years designing and studying the project. His group drilled the planting holes and guided the placement of plants from a nursery in Muncie.
Since spring 2003, Eco Logic, along with the association and the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, have planted similar flowers along the creek that stretches between Woodlawn Avenue on the east and Henderson Street on the west.
Though much of what was previously planted now looks to some like overgrown weeds, he says flowers will begin to bloom and take color over the next several weeks. Behrman said the benefits go further than just having pretty plants to look at.
"Each of these plants has a relationship with a bird or an insect," Behrman said. "That’s the kind of relationship we’re trying to bring back to this site."
