Riparian Plantings (Volunteer Events)
Although they comprise a small portion of the landscape, riparian zones are among the most diverse biological systems on earth, playing a role that no man or machine can ever fill. A riparian zone is the land adjacent to a stream, usually filled with an abundance of vegetation. These zones serve many important functions in a watershed including:
- Slower storm runoff from urban areas
- Filtering of pollutants and excess nutrients from agricultural and urban areas
- Supply of large woody debris to the stream
- Stream bank stabilization
- Keeping stream temperatures cool
- Enhancement wildlife habitat
- Prevention of growth and spread of invasive species
An added benefit for humans includes:
- Contribution to the natural beauty of the land
- Added privacy from neighbors
- Possible increase of property value (bank stabilization and added natural beauty)
- Less costly to maintain as native plants don’t need fertilizers and pesticides
- Reduction of the use of lawnmowers and trimmers
In the Pacific Northwest the riparian zone functions as primary habitat for salmon populations. After salmon spawn and die, their carcasses provide natural marine derived nutrients for the land around them. This fertilizer plays a huge role in the production of a healthy riparian zone. A healthy riparian zone in turn provides shade to the stream, keeping temperatures cool for young salmon. Decaying plant matter provides food for the insects that young salmon eat. It also helps to reduce erosion, preventing eggs from getting buried in silt after a storm.
SPSSEG helps to restore riparian zones as part of their projects, be it a culvert removal or stream rechannelization. Often this type of restoration involves hundreds of concerned citizens and students volunteering on a Saturday or series of Saturdays to come out and help put native plants in the ground. Plantings are a great way to give a riparian zone a head start in restoring itself to full function with in a watershed.
SPSSEG Planting Projects
Projects Submenu
- Beachcrest Estuary Restoration Project
- Frye Cove
- Engineered Log Jams (ELJs) and Large Woody Debris (LWD)
- Estuary Improvement and Bulkhead Removal
- Fish Passage Barriers
- Habitat Assessment
- Pre- & Post-Project Monitoring
- Silver Creek Dam
- Rocky Creek
- WRIA 11/12 Nearshore Assessment
- Forage Fish Surveys
- Powell Creek
- Beach Seining
- Allison Springs
- Mashel River Restoration Project
- Riparian Plantings (Volunteer Events)
- Midway Creek Culvert Removal
- Little Skookum Creek Estuary Restoration
- Case Inlet Bulkhead Removal
- Greenwater River Floodplain Restoration Project
- Ohop Creek Restoration
