Landscape designer Amy Dutt visited the Adena Brook Rain Garden while she was in the area to check on the progress of the Graham School rain garden. Amy designed their rain garden. Perhaps you noticed the large area in the front yard of the school where the grass has been removed by Todd Burger’s students. Water will be redirected from the roof to a gradual cascade of retention pools that will be planted and mulched. A meander of stones will add to the design. The plants may be added before school ends next week or planted in the fall when the students return.

Today Matt Panko from the City of Columbus Department of Sewerage and Drains was measuring capacity in the manholes on Overbrook Drive. The city takes these measurements during dry weather and rain events as a way to plan solutions to sewer overflows.

There will be a public meeting about the proposed city bond package appearing on the ballot this November.  This will be one of four meetings, one in each quadrant of Columbus.  The northern Columbus meeting will be here in Clintonville:

Bond Package – North meeting

TUE, June 10, 2008

6 – 8 p.m.

Whetstone Park of Roses Shelter House

Chris Gawronski, Chair

Clintonville Area Commission

There’s still time to pull garlic mustard. The cooler weather gives us more time. I guarantee you’ll hear songbirds and woodpeckers as you work–Blenheim neighbor Katrin Pullian had her binoculars and even saw a Great Crested Flycatcher. Jim Roberts from Watershed Organic Lawn Care will pick up the piles and bags after the next second Saturday clean up, June 14. 

Many of us wisely choose tap over bottled water as a strategy to keep our landfills free of tons of bottles. Some of us filter or distill our tap water, some drink it straight from the tap. Here is a response to a question I asked about the quality of Columbus’ drinking water and a website consumers often visit called Environment Working Group (EWG). Thank you to Scot Folz for his immediate response:

I am the manager of the section that is responsible for regulating public drinking water systems in central Ohio.  I took a look at the EWG web site and the report in general has some good information however I don’t always agree with their interpretation or presentation style.  The ranking appears to be based on detection of contaminants regardless of source, concentration or known health affects.  Ohio is more densely populated and industrialized state so one would expect to see some increase in detectable contaminants.  This alone does not provide a reasonable indicator of health and safety.  I agree with you in that “healthy, clean, and safe” are subjective and do not provide sufficient information on the quality of water.  As a regulator we use the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the regulatory limits established under it as the measure of quality.  There are as many opinions as to whether the regulatory limits are sufficient or not as there are experts.  Many groups such as EWG feel that the regulatory standards need to be tighter and include many more contaminants.  We all want the cleanest water possible and water systems can, with sufficient funding, improve water quality in most cases.  The costs associated with water treatment is quite high and the regulatory limits do take into account the ability of water system, and therefore their customers, to pay for the level of treatment required to maintain water in compliance with the limits.  A recent example of this was with the change in the Arsenic limits.  The old limit was 50 ug/l (parts per trillion) and there were proposals to lower the limit somewhere between 2 to 10 ug/l.  Health effects, available treatment technology, cost associated with treatment and laboratory detection capability were all considered in where the new limit would be set.  I think we all would agree that we don’t want any arsenic in our water however the cost associated verses the improvement in public health protection didn’t support setting a regulatory limit of 2.  The current arsenic limit is 10 ug/l.  To a large extent what is “healthy, clean, and safe” is a matter of opinion and should be formed on a solid base of factual information.  Those with compromised or weak immune systems (infants, elderly, cancer patients, etc.) should take extra care.  The distiller unit you are using, assuming it is a quality unit that is certified by a third party such as the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), should remove about everything from your water.  I too drink water from the City of Columbus and without any concern.  The City takes the treatment and safety of the water very seriously.  If you have specific questions about the US EPA rule writing and standards setting I encourage you to call the Safe Drinking Water Act Hotline at 800-426-4791.  For any questions regarding public water systems in Ohio feel free to contact me. Scot Folz

Sisters Samantha and Molly stopped to chat and look at the rain garden today. They knew what a rain garden was and what it did and said when they were kids they picked up litter with other neighbors.

“We lived on the corner of Indian Springs and Overbrook!” They lived with their Dad, Jack Wilson, at 190 Overbrook years ago.

Samantha now has an organic farm in southeastern Ohio and Molly owns Coyote Trails School of Nature in Bend, Oregon. They talked about the wonder of the Adena Brook neighborhood–the ravine, brook, and the families who live here like Carina and Mark Carter. Molly shared a story about being in Chicago on a travel layover when she met a man who also had lived in Ohio. They chatted as they waited for their flight. When they discovered they had both lived in Clintonville he exclaimed how much he loved the neighborhood and told her a story of a wonderful man who had planted a tree in a friend’s yard when she was struggling with cancer. That man was her Dad! Molly and Samantha said the tree was still there.

Some people who have lived here for decades declare the 2008 spring wildflower show the most spectacular ever. Removal of invasive plants that out-compete native plants is a big part of the reason the park is looking so beautiful. Our mentors visit and say they are awed by our conservation efforts. Elayna Grody often says, “the native plants and wildlife thank you.”

In April and May we removed more than 10,000 pounds of invasive garlic mustard and honeysuckle from the Adena Brook woodland. And we just kicked off the work season! We planted native trees and shrubs along Overbook near the rain garden and Greg Cunningham installed 2 new wood duck boxes. There’s so much more that Adena Brook Community neighbors do to better the neighborhood. To name a few: Have you noticed how well the Cooke Road/Indianola corner is maintained? Thank Adena Brook neighbors Mark and Carina Carter. The Robinsons and Platts pick up litter between clean ups. Judy Robinson inspires others to adopt streets for litter maintenance, and she also initiated invasive removal by Clintonville Woman’s Club members. Ann Almoney and Dominic Julian photograph wildlife so you see first hand the wonder of wildlife in our backyards. Greg Schneider continues to guide our efforts to maintain and add new plants to the rain garden. An education sign will be installed at the Adena Brook Rain Garden site.

It’s time to invite you to support our work. Any donation amount is appreciated. As many of you know, we do not charge dues or offer memberships to belong to Adena Brook Community. Instead we ask for donations from those willing and able to support the specific projects and tasks we decide to do each year. Make your check payable to “Adena Brook Community” and mail it to PO Box 14055, Columbus, OH 43214. Thank you!

Davey Tree planted a Tuliptree in the grassy area at the southwest corner of Overbrook and Indianola. This tree was a result of successful bidding at the annual Clintonville Chamber of Commerce awards dinner and silent auction. We hope it will grow into a welcoming entrance to those who live and visit this part of the Adena Brook neighborhood.From the ODNR website:

Tulip poplar, found throughout all of Ohio, is named for the appearance of its showy flowers and the silhouette of its large leaves, both of which resemble tulips. It is also known as Tulip Poplar and Yellow Poplar, in reference to the fluttering of its leaves like those of the Poplars, and for the yellow colors of both its flowers and fall foliage. 

Tuliptree is the tallest tree of eastern forests with the straightest trunks, achieving heights of well over 100 feet with 4 foot diameters, when not prematurely harvested. It frequents moist woodlands and edges of fields, especially on downslopes where water drains. Its lightweight wood, often used as a base for veneer, is straight-grained, relatively soft for a hardwood, and has a faded olive-green color.

Native throughout most of the Eastern United States, it quickly reaches a height of 80 feet and a breadth of 40 feet, but it can grow much taller. As a member of the Magnolia Family, it is related to the Magnolias (including Cucumbertree) and the only other Tuliptree (Chinese Tuliptree).”

It’s seed is a favorite of the cardinal. The tree serves as food for the tiger swallowtail butterfly. 

I think the bees buzzing about might be energizing us! Or we have too many things to do in too little time. Whatever it is, we’re driving fast. I’ve received several emails reporting speedy drivers in the Adena Brook neighborhood. I’m taking it to heart and slowing down. The police noticed too. I saw Columbus Police on motorcycles with their radar guns on Cooke Road between High and Indianola Avenue today. Other related news: several neighbors said they called the Columbus Call Center (www.311columbus.gov) to request a “wildlife crossing” sign with hopes drivers will slow for wildlife, if not for their own safely. In the last months, neighbors report squirrel, opossum, a fox, bluejay, and raccoon kills by cars. 

The Columbus Dispatch reports on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 that there is an insecticide called Tree-age which kills the Emerald Ash Borer beetle when its larvae eat tree tissue treated with the chemical. It costs about $200 to treat a 16-inch diameter tree. Makers of the insecticide say it needs to be applied every year. Dan Herms, an Ohio State entomologist, said “more research needs to be completed on Tree-age before it’s known how much of a weapon it will be. Other insecticides have been effective.”

Neighbor Andy Steinman treated a couple historic ash trees on his Adena Brook property and writes: 

Susan: some folks might want to know that one can treat for the ash borer with a 90% success rate.  However, this is a long-term commitment.  We have several very mature ash trees on our property and in our general vicinity of the ravine… I have chosen two very important ash trees to save.  The others I will have removed carefully so that we do not destroy any other trees.  I highly recommend Dave Alhum of Alhum & Arbor Tree Preservation [876-5622].  I am sure there are others who can treat for the borer but folks should ensure that they are using a qualified company.  Elayna Grody gave Dave a great endorsement when I told her whom I was using.