Skagit Basin Ongoing Project Maintenance

This project represents a partnership between Skagit River System Cooperative (SRSC) and numerous landowners to address vegetation management needs on properties throughout the Skagit River basin that have been protected and/or restored using Salmon Recovery Funding (SRF) Board funds. The goal of this project was to ensure the success of previously revegetated riparian and floodplain areas with ongoing maintenance that included removing competing vegetation and invasive plant species, and planting additional native trees and shrubs. Work was completed on 11 different properties owned by five different landowners, and was highly beneficial for improving the long-term sustainability of these project sites. The project focus was on providing stewardship on the previously planted sites, not to increase the area originally planted or functionality.

This work will improve future contributions of large woody debris to the Skagit and Sauk Rivers. Large woody debris provides habitat complexity and refuge for juvenile salmon. Functioning riparian zones also provide nutrients, shade, and edge habitat complexity for Chinook salmon and other species that utilize these reaches. In addition, this work will provide estuarine and delta wetland habitat for rearing and transitioning juveniles. The result of this project will eventually be mature and functioning native riparian and floodplain forests along with emergent and scrub-shrub estuary wetlands which provide shade, nutrients, and edge complexity.

To steward and maintain 11 existing restore sites to ensure success