{"id":24308,"date":"2017-08-29T09:00:41","date_gmt":"2017-08-29T13:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/?p=24308"},"modified":"2017-08-28T22:34:04","modified_gmt":"2017-08-29T02:34:04","slug":"what-its-tiniest-residents-tell-us-about-broad-branch-streams-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.foresthillsconnection.com\/news\/what-its-tiniest-residents-tell-us-about-broad-branch-streams-health\/","title":{"rendered":"What its tiniest residents tell us about Broad Branch Stream’s health"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Broad Branch stream in summer 2017. (photograph courtesy of Dani Churchill)<\/p><\/div>\n

by Sarah Becker<\/em><\/p>\n

Tucked away in the Forest Hills community flows the recently restored Broad Branch stream. At first glance one would not assume that just a few years ago the stream was “daylighted” and freed from the pipe where it had been confined for years. <\/p>\n

With the help of additional stewardship after the initial restoration ended, the area has matured and reestablished itself as a part of the community and the ecosystem.<\/p>\n

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Broad Branch stream, only three years after the stream was “daylighted.”<\/a> (photo courtesy of Dani Churchill)<\/p><\/div>\n

Dani Churchill, a habitat restoration and urban forestry intern with the Rock Creek Conservancy, has been leading stewardship in the area this summer. For her, maintaining the integrity of the restoration consists of watering newly planted native grasses, perennials, and trees<\/a>, as well as removing invasives throughout the over six-acre swath of land. Both activities encourage the establishment of native plants, which in turn clean and filter stormwater runoff before it even enters the stream. <\/p>\n

Dani has also worked with volunteers from the neighborhoods and from local businesses to keep the restoration clean, and to improve the aesthetic appeal of the area. The stewardship activities build upon the investment that went into the initial restoration, and are ensuring its success.<\/p>\n

While some signs of the stream\u2019s improving health are evident – the surrounding greenery, tadpoles, and other wildlife are thriving \u2013 other indicators are not quite so apparent. Dani and I visited the stream on August 8th to look at benthic macroinvertebrates, the small organisms that cling to the rocky streambed and reflect the true health of Broad Branch. Since the stream had been covered until 2015, the macroinvertebrate population has had relatively little time to establish itself. However, it is apparent that a macroinvertebrate community is starting to take hold.<\/p>\n

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Macroinvertebrates collected during the August 8th sampling: small fish leech (left); damselfly larva (top center); dragonfly larva (bottom center); water boatman beetle (right)<\/p><\/div>\n

During our collection we found seven different macroinvertebrates.<\/p>\n