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| The Fix-the-Creek Gang [L-to-R]: Carla Staedter, Mark Rogers, Travis Walters, Michael Ellis, John Burger, Keith Williams, Erle Norman, Janet Davis, Jeff Price, Andy Andrews |
Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited
starts project in the
Tualatin Valley
starts project in the
Tualatin Valley
by Mark Rogers
Sunday October 27, 2013 eight hearty
volunteers of the TVTU Fix-the-Creek gang met at Derry Dell creek in Tigard to
continue the work of restoring a neighborhood creek that may soon support
native cutthroat. On location the team replaced invasive interloping plants with
new native plantings.
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| NEW Plants - Staged and Ready! |
The City of Tigard, in the person of
Carla Staedter, has been working on the creek for the past eight years. The streamside restoration funds, now
exhausted, have been invested well and volunteer help is needed to continue the
gains. In steps TVTU thanks to the efforts of Mark Rogers!
Next summer the next big step will be
the replacement of some very fish unfriendly culverts with a new culvert under
Walnut Street (separate funding). This will open the upper creek to the
cutthroat that have been confirmed in the lower creek.
For those who are unfamiliar with
Derry Dell creek it flows year round through a greenway down to Fanno creek at
Woodard Park. Most of the two plus miles of creek includes a paved public trail
except for a half mile section on the West fork that is gravel. A great place
for slow walking and even slower thinking. The upper creek is home to brook
lamprey, sculpins, dace, some surprisingly large crayfish, several salamander
species and frogs. Great blue and even green heron visit on occasion. It is
well populated with invertebrates of course. This past year Tigard has been
able to purchase, with funding from the local park levy, the last stretch from
Walnut Creek to Woodard Park. Plans on this piece include a re-meander of the
creek, riparian restoration and connection of the Derry Dell trails with the
Fanno Creek trail system.
Another project in the works will
connect the Fanno trails from Beaverton through Tigard to Cook Park at the
confluence of Fanno Creek with our namesake Tualatin River. On Sunday we
planted 500 plants, ferns and a few native grass plugs, pulled some invasive
blackberry, ivy and bittersweet (locally known as nightshade). Initial watering
of the new plants was provided from above.
All this in just a couple of hours -
What fun!
Erle and Mark - playing in the mud! Michael Ellis
Thanks so much to those involved from TVTU: Mark
Rogers, Janet Davis, Travis Walters, John Burger, Erle Norman, Andy Andrews, Jeff
Price, and Michael Ellis.
And especially to Mark and Janet for
finding this local project! And Carla and Keith for coordinating the efforts with City of Tigard!
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| Travis clearing the way for native vegetation! Michael Ellis |
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| Mark confirming his boots are tall enough..... Michael Ellis |
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| A satisfied fern! Michael Ellis |
