One week after the team prepped soil for planting, Lindsey and Gabby plant native wildflowers.
Caleigh places a weed mat around a planting to reduce competition with grasses.
Claire worked hard to remove the roots of invasive Himalayan Blackberry and won the biggest root contest.
One week after the team prepped soil for planting, Lindsey and Gabby plant native wildflowers.
RESTORATION
There's a lot of work to be done on a farm, especially one focused on riparian restoration! It is not uncommon for our team to spend a few hours during the day removing Himilayan blackberries and reed canary grass along the bank of Goose Creek. These species are persistent and outcompete native riparian species. In some areas, the reed canary grass grew as high as the adjacent fence, causing it to collapse under the grass' weight. By removing the grass, we were able to restore the fence to its proper position. After removing all nonnative species from a neighboring block of soil, our team planted flowering species such as bleeding heart, Oregon sunshine, and camas that will help promote wild pollinators on the farm.
Additionally, several willows opposite the blueberry fields had overgrown, with their branches reaching into the road and slapping passing equipment. To prevent damage to the trees or equipment, we removed overgrown branches and planted them alongside Goose Creek in hopes that they will grow into new trees to help stabilize the creek bank.