~Thunder Creek Project~
Thunder
Creek Project
Project Partners: Salmon Recovery Funding Board, local landowner
Estimated Cost: $20,000
Project Summary: The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group will conduct
invasive species control on Himalayan blackberry and Japanese knotweed and
to plant native trees and shrubs in the riparian zone along Thunder Creek
and Samish River. Weed whackers and mowers will be used to cut and mulch blackberry,
followed by a fall spray of Rodeo. Injectors will be used to apply herbicide
to Japanese knotweed starting in summer of 2004 and continuing through spring
2005. Several repeat treatments are anticipated to affect stems likely to
be missed during initial treatment. Existing canopy is comprised of deciduous
species, so conifers will be interplanted to enhance plant composition and
provide eventual LWD recruitment. Areas now dominated by invasive species
will also be planted to extend the vegetated riparian zone beyond its current
extent.
11/6/04 Planting Party: Thank you to our volunteers, who contributed a total
of 78 hours,
planting 340 native plants in an area that was once dominated by the invasive
Japanese
Knotweed. Although the rain that day made it pretty muddy, all were in good
spirits, and
coho salmon were both seen and heard (jumping) in the creek.
