UW-Restoration Ecology Network

Thrashers Corner Park, Bothell

A 48-acre parcel of riparian wetlands, upland meadows, second growth conifer forests and two salmon-bearing stream corridors. This former pasture land and quarry site was purchased to create a regional passive recreation park and major habitat reserve within the rapidly-urbanizing North Creek watershed.

2002 - 2003

2002 - 2003
Project name	Thrashers Corner Regional Park: Filbert Creek riparian restoration
Location	Bothell
Client	City of Bothell Department of Public Works
Students	R. Matson, S. Gudmundson (UW Bothell; Environmental Science), R. Bassi (UW Tacoma; Environmental Science), R. Price-Rayner (UW Seattle; Environmental Horticulture), S. Huntsinger (UW Seattle; Anthropology), T. Coleman (UW Seattle; Sustainable Resource Sciences)
Site description	a 0.2-acre riparian section along Filbert Creek was selected for this first restoration demonstration project in the Park. The site lies just outside a narrow wooded streambank and was dominated by a variety of non-native species (mostly reed canarygrass and creeping buttercup).
Restoration challenge	Client wished to remove non-native species and create a diverse native floodplain plant community to promote habitat and provide a demonstration of ecological restoration for the surrounding community. The restoration was to be established in an experimental fashion so results could be applied to future restorations in the park.
Restoration approach	UW-REN students, working with Bothell city staff and local community members, removed non-native species and applied mulch, mechanical and chemical control treatments to reduce reinvasion. Native trees, shrubs, grasses, and herbs were added with a focus on species to (1) rapidly establish a shade canopy to control reinvasion by non-native species and (2) promote establishment of diverse riparian forest and shrub communities. Study plots investigating the effect of mulch depth on soil moisture and exotic species recolonization were established.