Sometimes I miss the signs of a healthy forest for the invasive trees - or bushes, as the case may be. Working in St. Louis urban streams, it's easy to see nothing but bush honeysuckle, Euonymus (aka winter creeper) and other non-native species that are crowding out the natives. The dominance of these few species decreases biodiversity, eliminating habitat and food sources for some wildlife, and contributes to erosion, thanks to their shallow root systems. Today, walking through the underbrush at Watkins Creek, I came across not one but two trilliums in bloom. This might be the first time I've seen this plant in the wild. For me, that's what it's all about. I didn't have my camera with me; the sketch is courtesy of MDC.

Of course, you come across other forms of beauty when working with water. The second photo shows the artwork created by Ralph Rollins from the bounty of the Confluence Trash Bash on March 28.