Photo (above) by Brooke Thompson
Article By Kathy Grissom
On October 11th and 12th, there was a large turnout for the Rancho Breisgau Riparian Restoration project, with volunteers planting about 2,500 during these two days! The Bureau of Land Management and River Partners, with support from the Western Shasta Resource Conservation District, joined in a collaborative effort to plant over 30,000 plants in total which will help restore 150 acres of watershed between Battle Creek and the Sacramento River. Restoration efforts will improve fish habitat, reduce habitat fragmentation, and support the recovery of endangered wildlife species. This is an ongoing project with about 25,000 plants left to be planted.
BLM funded a Seeds of Success collection crew to gather local native seeds, which will increase the probability of the plants thriving in a changing climate. An old walnut orchard was removed and acres of invasive weeds were masticated and sprayed.
The land was then tilled, rows built, and drip lines installed. Josh from River Partners explained that planting in rows is effective for keeping the plants watered the first years, and that as the years go by, the rows will no longer be noticeable due to natural selection and varying rates of growth for different plants.
We planted sycamore, elderberry, box elder, coyote brush, rose, Oregon ash, blackberry, buttonbush, pipevine, and clematis. Later in the year oak and willow will be planted and then native grasses.
It was a very well-organized and fun volunteer opportunity and it will be exciting to watch that land turn back into a natural environment!
Photo (below) by Doug Mandel
