NATIVE PLANT REVEGETATION & RESTORATION PROGRAM

With a successful thriving vegetative barrier, stormwater pollutants from the built environment will be filtered before entering our waterways.

The viability of these plants was largely affected by soil types, moisture availability, weed control and light conditions. Those plants that received adequate moisture and sunlight thrived and were able to establish good root zones.

In areas which have been disturbed in the past, invasive species (blackberries, noxious weeds, ivy) impede the ability of native plants to grow. To restore a healthy riparian area requires removal of the invasive non-native plants and replacement with native plants appropriate to the site. If removal is followed by planting of native vegetation (and some TLC), the invasive species can be held in check and a healthy riparian area established. Given care in their first year or two, until they are well established, plants thrived without pesticides, fertilizer or extra water.
Involving property owners and local residents in volunteer efforts promoted citizen stewardship and community-wide public education and outreach.

A web page was used to disseminate information, provide photographic documentation, and aided in the development of teaching tools for adults and 3 area schools.

The North Kitsap School District and West Sound Academy secondary and high school were involved through 1) citizen advisory committee, 2) field trips concurrent with watershed education curricula, 3) students working on the project. Kitsap County’s Juvenile Alternatives to Detention program participants worked on crews.

Young adult students from the Natural Resources class at the Northwest College of Arts volunteered, assisted in design, provided signage and played an integral role throughout. Designing and establishing a demonstration garden at the local park was also a unique opportunity to work with these students, several community groups, young and old and to design a larger landscape plan.

While the community supported the revegetation efforts, the project sustained one blow when a road-widening project impacted a portion of the established riparian zone. This was attributed to the lead agency ignoring the existing right-of-way permits held by the grantee. Many of these plants did not survive this disturbance and the new pavement also compromises the survivability of the remaining plants and trees.

Immediate concerns were significantly increased potential for direct storm water discharge to Liberty bay, undercutting beach erosion and loss of any buffer between the road and eroding shoreline. Long-term risks could include degradation and loss of stabilized soils.

The City has since constructed a curb to divert some stormwater to vegetated areas and slowing the flow. Many other areas are being monitored awaiting action by the joint local government project. Ecology recommends minimizing future impacts to the restoration sites and shoreline buffer within Poulsbo’s/Kitsap County’s long term vegetation management plan for the trail.

Seamen from the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln offer ‘ship-to-shore’ help volunteering the day after Christmas

For more information on Native Plants, check the following resources:

• Propagating and Landscaping with Western Washington Native Plants" by Michael Leigh. This is available online from WSU at http://gardening.wsu.edu/nwnative

 

• To find native plant lists specific to your own area go to www.wnps.org 

 

• "Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest" , by Arthur Kruckeberg, is the classic reference on this subject and a wonderful addition to book collections.

 

• Is your garden missing a key ingredient? Are your flowers and veggies stunted? Learn how to compost at: www.kitsapgov.com/sw/compost.htm

 

• For USDA's website offering tips on backyard conservation go to: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/

 

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