Restoration Happenings

Site restoration efforts have been in full force this summer season! Between Saturday Restoration Work Parties, Scout groups, and ongoing projects there has been a lot of work getting done at the Nature Preserve. Recently, Eagle Scout Kelly Keil completed a project to entirely reconstruct our Native Plant Garden trail. We’ve also been continuing work on our “Uplands Restoration Project” by managing noxious weeds. In order to continuously support the growth of the 1,620 newly planted native trees, volunteer groups have been creating weed barriers around young trees. The weed barriers will help to promote growth and success of the new trees.  

This summer season alone, Restoration Work Party volunteers removed nearly 3,000 square feet of dense Himalayan and evergreen blackberry thickets. We’ve been working diligently to remove these invasive species of blackberry because they can out-compete native plants due to their vast underground root systems and fast growth rate. Volunteer efforts have also been working to remove many other invasive weeds that can degrade soil quality and out-compete native plants, this includes common tansy, herb-roberts, and hedge bindweed, just to name a few! 

Also fighting battles on the invasive weed front this summer has been a student from Green River College, Brian Thornquist, who is working to complete his Senior Capstone project with SHADOW. Brian has been studying various removal techniques of the invasive yellow archangel weed.  

Our restoration work season is not over yet! If you are still interested in attending one of our final Restoration Work Parties before the winter, please check our calendar for dates and details! https://shadowhabitat.org/events/