Growin’ in the wind
Locals call it the ‘blow zone’ — and for good reason. From Cape Blanco State Park to Butte Creek, steady winds rake Oregon’s southern coast at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, making it a challenge for anything to thrive. Trees, and the salmon and other native fish that need them to survive, are no exception.
That’s why Dustin Williams, foreman for the Curry County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Vegetation Management Program, is helping Sitka spruce and other native seedlings grow tall and strong.
Thanks to a $10,000 grant from Portland General Electric’s Habitat Support customers, Williams and his crew have already planted 10,000 trees within the Elk and Sixes rivers and Floras Creek drainages. The extensive habitat restoration project covers 12 miles of streams and rivers and includes 10 different properties.
The work, however, continues long after the trees are planted. Young seedlings require about two years of tender loving care before they can survive the zone on their own. That’s exactly what the district’s workers provide.
Crew members spend dry, summer months watering and, once the trees get older, they clear encroaching grass and other vegetation, reducing competition and allowing branches to spread toward the sky. As seedlings mature, roots hold stream banks together, lessening erosion, and canopies cast cooling shade. The results are many, including vastly improved habitat for salmon and steelhead.
“The task of ensuring the young trees survive can be daunting for sure,” Williams said, “but the benefits are definitely worth it.”
For an additional $2.50 donation per month, you can directly support projects like this by adding Habitat Support to your renewable power option. The funds are administered by The Nature Conservancy. It’s easy to add Habitat Support to your renewable option online.