Fropm my soon to be resleased manual on ecodynamic property maintenence

The Basics of Ecodynamics.
Ecological Wheel of Balance by Steven J. Restmeyer

Holistic – referring to the sum of the parts as one unit.

The ecological wheel of balance was developed to help people in the landscape industry grasp the concept that in ecodynamics, holistic balance is the goal. When seeking a solution to a problem in the landscape, we must consider how the solution affects all life in the ecosystem in perpetuity. Each change that occurs can cause a wave. Like a pebble tossed into a pond. The rings radiate out and may be felt by all those living in the ecosystem. In time the waves lose magnitude or with the appropriate inputs and activity, the balance can be restored more quickly.
If we take drastic measures before considering all the ramifications, we may do more harm, sending an even bigger ring of waves wreaking havoc in it’s wake. A simple act of dormant oil application, for example, which is applied as a blanket application annually, could kill thousands of spider eggs, ladybug eggs, and any other egg the spray covers. Even a bird’s egg will be killed by the oil that blocks the pores and suffocates the embryo. This wreaks havoc in the populations that in nature would be delicately balanced at each rung of the food chain. So in essence, with each early dormant oil application, the ecosystem is put into a state of imbalance. Until the spiders return, and the nesting birds can forage for sufficient food, there will remain an imbalance and subsequently, pesticide induced infestations will pop up through the season.
We can tip the scales on our favor by cultivating gardens that support the insects, birds and plants that we desire. It sounds difficult, and it is. Fortunately, nature is doing all the complicated work. Our job is to observe closely and respond to the cause, not the symptom.
When applying the principles of ecodynamics, one can use a wagon wheel to illustrate the ecosystem. Each element is represented as an individual spoke within the one wheel. The wheel can only roll along with all the spokes intact and balanced. When we have a balance wheel, the wheel can roll without much effort. When any aspect of the ecosystem is either in excess or depleted, it will create either a longer or shorter spoke, resulting in an ecological wobble. The wobble will in turn require changes in other spokes in order to make the proper adjustments to the wheel. Some of these occur naturally over time. Others may require a steward’s hand to assist in moving back to a balanced sustainable wheel that can roll along freely.
For example, when trees are pruned in a woodland setting, more sun reaches the ground, thereby heating the understory and ground and causing more evaporation of moisture in the soil. The increased airflow under and throughout the canopy will also increase the drying of the soil surface. Many woodland plants that require moist soil will feel the effect and attempt to grow deeper into the soil if they can. Whether we want to believe that they feel it or not plants do, in fact, respond to sun, gravity, and moisture in their environment. How do they know that it’s the sun warming their leaves? Do they “feel” it? Perhaps they do not feel it as we do, but they are at the least aware of the sunlight and move toward it. This shows an awareness. One June day, when I was sitting quietly in the woods, I noticed a catbrier vine that was close to me move slightly. It was the new growth, about three to four feet long and it seemed to move with the slightest of air current. It had a circular swaying motion and I noticed that the new leaf on the stalk acted like a sail and the stalk was moving first toward my shadow and then to me. It certainly “saw” or sensed the lesser light cast by my shadow and seemed to follow it, possibly by a slight movement in the leaf stem to turn the leaf as a rudder in the breeze. It was a bit un-nerving and it changed everything I thought I knew about plants.
But back to that woodland that we pruned. Why prune it at all then? Sometimes a woodland environment will benefit from a pruning. When excessive mosquito populations gather due to lack of airflow, pruning the lowest branches up to a height of 6- 10 feet can increase airflow dramatically, which in turn, will help blow them away, literally. Mosquitoes detest breezes. Never prune more than 25% of the growth from a tree. Some of the effects as a result of over pruning may be;
1-Some birds return year after year to the same place to nest and will not feel secure if the environment is so vastly changed. They may seek other habitats to nest, feeling too exposed to predators. For every nest site lost, there will be approximately 1600 more insects a day that are not consumed.
2-Newly exposed tree trunks may suffer from sunscald. Extreme daily temperature changes in winter may cause the bark to crack and bleed. Keep the south side of the canopy more intact to sufficiently shade the trunk and plant evergreen shrubs on the south side of the tree.
3-Greater soil moisture evaporation due to increased sun and airflow may be detrimental to woodland habitat by reducing topsoil moisture levels. This in turn will have an effect on plant, fungal and insect population balance. This will translate later into lack of food for birds that may depend on insects, fungi or plants (berries, seeds) that depend on greater soil moisture for long term sustainability.
4-Removal of all dead wood from the property will force woodpeckers and other over-wintering birds, like the nuthatches, brown creepers, and chickadees to find other habitats for winter foods, effectively removing an important part of the insect control mechanism.

The Eco- Approach; .
In the case of pruning the woodland as described above, a steward should consider the following;
1-It’s always best to prune before or after nesting season. Leave some areas untouched. Remember that you are pruning to open up a channel for air flow. Start in the center and “hollow” the canopy up to the desired height. Leave lower branches in the corners and parts of the border of the woodland to serve as cover for woodland songbirds. These soft-billed birds devour insect pests every day, all day when they have young to feed. They are considered an integral part of all effective and sustainable EPM programs. A lack of birds will cause an increase in insect pests and the ecological wheel will wobble as the spokes become imbalanced. The wheel of sustainability may grind to a halt if the birds are not encouraged to nest on site again. Cane shrubs left intact or planted ahead of time will provide low cover where smaller woodland birds may nest. Sometimes old nests may serve as a clue. Use your tracking skills to see what signs are left from past or present nesting birds. If I know I’ll be pruning a year in advance I’ll plant shrubs and install birdhouses in advance.
2- Be sure to leave lower branches on the southern end of the continuous canopy. Never over do it when pruning. You can always come back next year.
Note: For some professional arborists, it is nearly impossible to consider holding off from pruning when nesting birds are in the area. However, if pruning is only one of many tasks you perform on the land, it may be possible to eliminate pruning of trees in the spring. I’ve lost some jobs by refusing to prune where there were nesting birds. On the other hand, I also gained respect and loyalty from other clients who felt the same way. By following nature’s dictates in my duty to serve these clients, I had the opportunity to unfold the intricate fabric of life in my gardens. My more loyal clients, being more committed to the holistic health of their environment, were far more valuable to me.

3- Reduce soil evaporation in the soil by supplementing the natural leaf litter with wood chips and additional leaves. The leaves can be ground with a mower or leaf mulcher for aesthetic purposes and to reduce the scattering of leaves in the fall and winter seasons. Grass clippings can be spread lightly over the area so as not to clump. It is very important to keep the soil from heating up to much in the summer, especially with shallow rooted woodland understory plants. Apply a thicker layer of mulch where the midday sun reaches the ground.

4-Leave as much of the pruned wood on the property as possible. Leave trunks intact and standing up to 6-12 feet wherever possible. This makes excellent forage for winter birds and woodpeckers. They will also supply cavity nesting sites for birds and other animals. When dead trees must be removed, place birdhouses in nearby trees or shrubs to compensate for the natural loss and leave the trunk in sections to decompose on site. Doing this will help maintain the balance of wood decaying insects and birds that feed on them. You can lay the trunks along paths and edge planting beds, they can be used as arbors and rough walls around a compost pile. Rustic benches and fences can also be made. The brush can be piled neatly and compacted in a low heap and covered with leaves if a wildlife habitat for small mammals is desired. These piles can be places where predators like hawks, owls, eagles and fox may find a reliable food source.

The Elements of Ecodynamics

pH. In the soil and on leaf surfaces, pH will determine what type of organisms occupy that habitat. As acidity rises, so does the fungal growth. Not all fungi are bad, in fact, soil life and plants that grow there rely on fungi in order to thrive.
More Acidic Soil- Fungi are generally more obvious and dominant in acidic woodland habitats. Mushrooms are the reproductive part, referred to as fruiting bodies, of the vast network of thread like roots that form the mycelia of the fungi. These mycorrhizae, literally translated as “fungi roots”, mine minerals and cellulose from rotting organic matter and return it to the soil nutrient network.
More Alkaline Soil- when we look more neutral soil pH levels of 6.0- 7.0,fungi become less abundant and bacteria more abundant. Soils that support turf grass and prairie plants generally require a soil pH of 6-6.8. In a natural grass land ecosystem, ash left after a prairie fire will raise the pH slightly and keep it at the same level indefinitely. In turfgrass management, annual lime applications can help with our necessary interference with prairie fires. When fescues are dominant, pH can be as low as 5.5 without any noticeable detriment. In nature, fescues are found in woodland borders and open fields where soil pH levels tend to be more acidic.
The pH of the plant leaf surface or the skin of a fruit is just as important as the pH of the soil. Fungal leaf diseases like black spot or powdery mildew can be treated preventatively by spraying a calcium carbonate solution on the surface of the leaf. For long term control of fungal problems, increase both airflow and soil pH by adding lime as needed.

Airflow. Circulation of air is extremely important both above and below ground. There’s nothing more uncomfortable than a stuffy garden in midsummer. Fungal problems increase. Mosquitoes linger longer when the air does not move. In order When air cannot move easily through the soil, water also cannot move freely through. A lack of oxygen will create an anaerobic condition. Without oxygen, most plants’ roots die from rot. There are some exceptions. Some plants developed specialized roots and can withstand marshy wet saturated soils. Anaerobic soil is easy to identify. The sulfur like smell of rotting eggs will be unmistakable. I’ve seen this situation on construction sites where topsoil was buried under layers of subsoil and compacted by trucks and heavy equipment. The microbes digesting the organic matter ran out of oxygen and the soil develop an anaerobic condition, causing the rotting egg smell. By using microbial mixes and core aeration, this soil was restored to a healthy condition over the course of the year.
Organic matter (crust). A layer of organic matter will always be seen in wild undisturbed environments covering the topsoil. This crust, when undisturbed, will prevent erosion partly due to the increase in soil porosity and partly due to the soil life that creates a firm structure and network of roots.
In woodland environments, it is clear to see that the leaf matter covers the ground creating this crust. Biological activity in the soil will digest this crust over the course time as it’s buried by the next year’s layer. Prairie environments have a thatch like layer of crust that will decompose over the course of the year in healthy soil if soil moisture is sufficient.
This crust is not to be confused with topsoil. Topsoil is where the roots grow, the crust is a blanket of organic matter that covers the soil.
In turf grass ecosystems, the annual thatch is digested when the proper moisture and biological profile are present. There are many products that incorporate soil microbes as a de-thatcher that will continue to digest lawn clippings when a mulching mower blade is used, recycling the nutrients back to the soil. We will cover this in more detail later. The maintenance of this crust is also essential for annual weed control. When the protective crust that covers dormant crabgrass and chickweed seeds is disturbed, the seeds germinate. When they reach maturity and drop their seed on the surface of the crust and infestation may soon follow if the proper preventative measures are not followed.
This is why power raking is avoided when a lawn is well established. Power raking is never necessary and only creates the illusion of further dependence on chemical weed controls. Topdressing a lawn with a finished, weed free compost mixed with fescue seed is the best way to repair the crust. For more information, refer to the chapter on turf grass.
Insect &. bird diversity. Although actually represented by two spokes on the Ecological Wheel of Balance, birds and insects are inseperable in the ecosystem. The longer an ecosystem remains balanced, the more diversity will be seen in the populations of birds and insects. Birds that occupy your landscape habitat will require hundreds of insects each day to feed their young. In the winter, birds will often seek insect eggs along branches and trunks or larvae under dead bark on trees or in mulch piles. This is why it’s important not to remove all the dead wood from a property. I recommend a small pile of branches somewhere in a corner out of sight. Also try leaving trunks and branches of dead trees as forage for these hard working allies. Trunks can be left standing 6-12 feet where they wil not pose any hazard when they eventually fall. The remaining branches and trunk can be left as footpath borders and garden benches n the case of ery large trunks. Be creatie with how you arrange the dead wood. It doesn’t have to look like a pile a debris. You will notice a decrease in ichneumon wasps when this wood is removed. These wasps are the best defense against boring pests that can kill trees.
Soil life diversity. Diversity is the key to any ecosystems health. The more diversity there is, the more checks and balances are in place. Soil ecosystems are no different. Micro fauna and micro flora can be found by the millions in a teaspoon of healthy soil. Beneficial nematodes parasitize many different pests in the soil. They are abundant in older soils that have not been treated with insecticides and fungicides. They are available through many mail order catalogues but it is important to get nematodes that have been raised on live food in order for them to be reproductively viable. Nematodes raised on commercial feeds will tend tobe sterile. Add to that the earthworms and other insects and you have a microscopic jungle under your feet. An earthworm’s digestive tract acts as an incubator for soil microbes and the waste, or “castings” are one of the best ingredients for soil inoculation or compost teas. Ecological land care requires the care and cultivation of soil over time without the use of toxins. As I always say; Don’t treat your soil like dirt. It’s the source of all life on land. Organic matter in soil is like a nutrient bank, holding valuable nutrients that would otherwise leach out or run off into streams and groundwater. We will be discussing different soil types and their characteristics in subsequent chapters.
Plant diversity. There is, in every ecosystem, a community of different plants that are often found growing together. Certain soil pH levels and biological profiles, insects and birds that rely on these specific plants will also accompany these plant communities. A diversity of plants will, in turn, support a diverse population of both insects and birds. Berries are often scarce in landscape ecosystems that are designed for aesthetics. Mountain ash, juniper, magnolia, dogwood, holly, privet and honeysuckle will provide some of the berries that are so coveted by catbirds, orioles, tanagers and other birds. Try adding blueberry, cranberry, bramble berries, currants and gooseberries to your plant list and you will see more of these elusive colorful birds that are an asset to any garden.

Mineral diversity. Copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, magnesium, phosphorus, boron, selenium, chromium, and vanadium are just a few of the many mineral elements necessary to maintain a healthy environment. Minerals come from the earth, locked into the molecular matrix of rock. However, animals cannot absorb the minerals in this form. And only a few plants can, lichen being one of them. On a molecular level, minerals have to be connected to a carbon chain in order for them to be easily utilized by organisms within the ecosystem. This is called chelation. Bacteria and fungi in the soil are responsible for this. Once the minerals are circulating within the biosphere, they are passed from plant to animal and up the food chain to eventually return to the soil again to be consumed by the bacterial and fungi and reused as it climbs through the food chain again and so on and so on.
The color of autumn leaves is due to the minerals left after the chlorophyll withdraws from the tissue. Now think about all those leaves being taken away. All those minerals that the soil worked so hard to make available to support life are being taken out of the equation. The ecosystem never really reaches that balance.
Chelation is necessary so that the biosphere maintains the proper relative proportion of each element. When there is an excess of one element, it will bind with any available mineral that matches the outer electron shell footprint. What this means is that the element that is it’s complement will become less available and create a trace element deficiency syndrome while this element is actually still present. It’s just not available. That is why ecological soil management relies on the application of rock dusts and compost teas that contain living microbes that digest the mineral elements. This way, we are following the natural law of mineral proportions as dictated by the soil life itself.
Water and moisture. To do without water is surely a torture, even to plants. But too much of a good thing is also not so good. Short periods of drought will encourage plants to grow roots into the deeper soil, seeking moisture there. These deeper roots will help the plants withstand more environmental stress like high winds, extreme heat and cold or longer droughts.
Water attracts a variety of animals. Clean surface water should be available to support the wildlife populations. Salamanders, snails, frogs and tadpoles that live in the water will attract. Kingfishers, herons, small mammals, will spend more time there hunting their daily meals. When designing a water feature, it’s important to place the feature close enough as possible to a window view so that the wildlife can be observed without it being disturbed. When a water feature must be approached to be observed, all of the more secretive wildlife will flee the scene before you get there.