Earth Sanctuary

Earth Sanctuary is a 72 acre, privately owned nature preserve on Whidbey Island with a 500-year vision to reestablish an old growth lowland forested ecosystem on site. Continuing from previous UW-REN projects, this year’s student team is replacing invasive species stands with native vegetation along a fen shoreline, forest slope and road margin. Public education and view corridor design are also part of this project.

Saltwater Park

Saltwater Park is a City of Shoreline Park and a former quarry. The upper slope areas are dominated by stands of non-native Scot’s broom and experiencing severe erosion from informal trails created by park users. Following on a UW-REN project last year, this year’s student team is replacing the non-native vegetation with a biologically and structurally-diverse native plant community to create habitat, control erosion and provide environmental education opportunities for park users. Innovative approaches to erosion control and slop stabilization are being employed.

Waterford Park Native Plant Growth Areas

The Waterford Park neighborhood in Mukilteo contains a number of wetland Native Plant Growth Areas (NGPAs) that are highly impacted by their proximity to roads. Existing lawn buffers between roads and wetlands are being replaced with native plant assemblages that are designed to enhance the NGPA wetland habitats by filtering chemical, visual, and noise pollution while providing environmental education opportunities to the members of the surrounding community.

Snowberry Meadows

This site is part of a privately-owned forestland area that contains a series of ponds along the Tolt River near Carnation. UW-REN students are working with the landowner to suppress the early stages of non-native plant invasion, enhance forest structural habitat, and ensure water quality maintenance of the pond and stream system. Educational materials are being developed for future public outreach efforts planned by the landowner.

White Center Heights Park

This site is part of a neighborhood park located between Seattle and Burien. The northern section of the park recently was renovated with play structures and landscaping for active use. The UW-REN team is working with King County staff to enhance ecological function and restore native plant communities to wetland and pond ecosystems in the southern half. Non-native plant stands are being replaced and students are assisting in the development of a site-specific wetland education curriculum for school children and the general public.

Mosher Creek

Mosher Creek is a small tributary of the Snohomish River east of Everett. UW-REN students are working with Snohomish County staff to restore a narrow riparian slope located between a road and the stream. Monoculture stands of non-native reed canarygrass are being replaced by diverse riparian communities in experimental configurations that are testing mulch applications, plant dispersion, and different forms of plant materials for their overall effectiveness at suppressing reinvasion of reed canarygrass on this site. The results will inform restoration work being done by the county throughout the Mosher Creek drainage.

Yesler Creek

This high urbanized, site contains the headwaters of Yesler
Creek. The ravine riparian area is invaded with English Ivy and Himalayan blackberry. Continuing adjacent to a UW-REN project from last year, the student team is working to expand the removal of non-native plant stands and replace them with diverse native plant communities to enhance local habitats, maintain water quality, and prevent reestablishment of invasive species. Late successional evergreen trees are being added to replace the rapidly-aging deciduous overstory. The project is part of the Green Seattle Partnership effort to reestablish healthy forest ecosystems in Seattle City Parks.