The opportunity to view nature up close is but one of the benefits citizens receive from the Bryan Park Naturalization Project.

The banks of Bryan Creek are lined with native wildflowers that do more than attract a variety of animal species and insects to the park.

Bloomington Parks and Recreation began planning the Bryan Park Naturalization Project in October 2002, with hopes to improve the park's wildlife habitats, provide educational opportunities for residents and help the environment.

"We are trying to provide a habitat and improve water quality," said Steve Cotter, natural resources manager at the city parks.

The project entailed planting native flora along the creek bank that runs through the park to slow erosion and provide wildlife habitat.

"It is a work in progress," said Cotter. "We are now fighting weeds back to help the native plants establish themselves."

According to Cotter, the department was asked to participate in the project by the Wild City Initiative, with the support of the local Center for Sustainable Living (CSL).

The initiative's goal is to have Bloomington certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

As of now, Bloomington is registered. According CSL President Lucille Bertuccio, the city has 162 homes and six schools certified.

Community certification requires 300 certified homes.

"We are trying to certify Bloomington as a community wildlife habitat," Bertuccio said.

City parks personnel hope the Bryan Park project will move the initiative closer to its goal in another way.

"Hopefully (this) will encourage people to do things in their own yards," Cotter said.

While the project has had broad support, it hasn't been debate-free.

To establish native plants along the 2.5 acres of creekside land, many plant species that would hinder the growth of the native plants had to be removed or killed.

A certified herbicide applicator advised city parks to spray a one-time application.

According to a parks and rec staff report, the chemical used was glyphosate, an active ingredient in the herbicide Round-Up.

Many groups, including the CSL, worry about potential health risks involved in using herbicides.

"We don't know the health effects of herbicides and pesticides," Bertuccio said.

In the past four years, Dr. Paul Winchester, professor of clinical pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine, has studied the outcomes of pregnancy in Indiana and the United States in relation to environmental pesticides and nitrates in drinking and surface water.

He found that low birthweights were highest when pesticides and nitrate measurements in surface water were at their peak.

According to a city of Bloomington 2007 report, city drinking water has low levels of chemicals, including nitrates. These levels are less than the Environmental Protection Agency allows.

According to Cotter, the Bryan Park project will help clean this tributary of Clear Creek, which already is heavily polluted with PCBs.

Because of the concerns raised by project supporters, a test plot of about 3,000 square feet was set aside for alternative methods of eliminating non-native plants. The department spread wood chips over some areas and newspaper and plastic over others to rid them of grass and other pesky plants.

Bertuccio said that the most effective way to kill unwanted plants is to use the lasagna gardening method. This involves cutting the area and then layering newspaper, straw, weeds, coffee grounds and other organics on top.

She said the problem is that it takes a while to see a difference. But because working with the public demands quick change, the city chose to use the herbicide.

Cotter confirmed that the herbicide was sprayed only once, and now the department uses volunteers to pull the weeds.

Bertuccio said the project is improving the park and the environment.

"We appreciate the parks and recreation department and the work they do with the naturalization of Bryan Park," she said.

Brad Trimble can be reached at bctrimbl@indiana.edu.