Eleven members and friends of the Tualatin Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited met at Neitzel Farms near Seaside Saturday, May 15 to further the restoration of this stretch of the Necanicum river. In attendance were Site Manager Doug Ray, as well as one of the Neitzel family, Les, who dedicates countless hours to maintaining the restoration work on the farm. Our volunteers included Jeff VanHoy, Don Kaster, Mike Coddington, Bill Schoen, Jeff Disney, Sharon Cook, Tyrone Snelling, George Wilson, Alan Moore, Michael Ellis, and, the man who attends EVERY work party, John Burger.
We planted several hundred Cottonwoods along the off stream wetland and about eighty Ninebark plants near the mainstem of the Necanicum. We also maintained some previous plantings of conifers by mowing and mulching. The weather was most cooperative. It didn’t rain or get too hot. As you can see from the before and after photos, the entire crew came through with all limbs and body parts intact in spite of the fact that several were operating power tools!
We all had a great time listening to Doug’s plans for the Necanicum and how the work we are doing will help shape the restoration of the watershed. There are some exciting opportunities coming up on the Necanicum and it is exciting to be involved in this restoration work.
The Coho fry that over wintered in the off channel area are gone now and have been replaced by the this years hatchlings. It was really nice to see the structure being used by the fish.
Mowing non native vegetation
Planting Cottonwood trees
Planting Ninebark
Spreading mulch
After the work was done, Doug took us over to the North Coast Land Conservancy's Circle Creek property and showed us some primo Steelhead and Sea Run Cutthroat runs. This kind of info is just a side benefit of participation in these work parties.
Our next work party will be in mid July and will be a weekend long event planned around fishing for native Sea Run Cutthroat trout! Stay tuned to this site for more information, or, e mail tvturestoration@gmail.com and ask to be put on the e mail list for the next work party/fishing trip.
