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Botanical survey finds high plant diversity in Carbondale parks; consultant urges less mowing and invasive control
Summary
A city‑commissioned inventory led by Chris Benda (the "Illinois Botanizer") documented about 640 plant species across surveyed Carbondale parks and recommended preserving areas around Carbondale Reservoir and the mudline bike path, reducing mowing, and removing invasive vines.
A March–2024 plant inventory of Carbondale parks and green spaces documented a high level of plant diversity and identified specific areas the city should prioritize for conservation and different management approaches, consultant Chris Benda told the City Council on April 22.
Benda, described in the staff summary as the “Illinois Botanizer,” said the survey of 10 city‑owned parks found roughly 640 species overall, with particularly rich biodiversity along the Carbondale Reservoir, Evergreen Park and the Mudline bike path. He reported a county record for a sedge commonly called chairmakers rush found near the reservoir’s mudflat and said he identified a state‑champion winged elm on the reservoir periphery. Benda also said he recorded 13 oak species across sites, and noted oaks’ importance as keystone species and hosts for caterpillar diversity.
“Plants are my thing in Southern Illinois,” Benda told the council, summarizing the 89‑page report he produced for the city. He described the floristic quality analysis (FQA) used in the study to assess the natural quality of plant assemblages and said the inventory should serve as a baseline for future planning.
Benda recommended limiting mowing in selected areas, replanting landscaped sites with Midwest‑provenance native species, and prioritizing removal of invasive vines that climb and can kill trees — for example, Japanese honeysuckle and winter creeper. He suggested preserving the most peripheral shoreline around the reservoir, where high‑quality sedges and spring ephemeral wildflowers occur, and recommended using tree census data from the report to guide future planting choices.
In response to a council question about sources for native plants, Benda pointed council members toward local vendors he has used: Mighty Rivers Nursery and Southern Wood Gardens in Alto Pass, which he said sell stock sourced closer to the region. He cautioned that even the same species from different regions are not always equivalent ecologically.
Ending The inventory provides baseline data and tree census information city staff can use to inform planting choices, mowing regimes and invasive species removal priorities. The consultant recommended expanding the inventory to include additional city‑managed lands and holding a public presentation to dive deeper into the report.
