Nooksack/NNR/SF6 Project Maintenance Multiple Sites JITW01-NS-NNR-SF6/WWO01-057 This project is covered by one cooperative agreement and includes 4 sites, so there are 4 landonwer agreements associated with this project. The primary goal of this project is to vigorously maintain planting sites for a minimum of two years at which time the plants have become well established to survive competing invasive plants, climatic stress and damage from pests. The sites include previously planted sites at Tenaska (5 acres, JITW 2000); East Acme Farm (9 acres, JFE 2000)Todd Creek (1 acre, JITW 2001) and Nesset Farm (45 acres, BIA 2001) for approximately 60 acres annually. Nooksack Natural Resources plans on maintaining the four planting sites by manually removing and limiting invasions from nonnative plant species, reducing competition from competing lesser plant species by grubbing or tarping (experimenting with bio-degradable cardboard) amending soil where needed, replacing dead stock, increasing planting densities or thinning as needed, watering to promote root establishment, and installing fences and tree tubes to protect from insect and mammal damage. The NNR DNRW crew will conduct manual and mechanical maintenance using power brushers, machetes, and maddox, primarily during late spring through early fall, in between site preparation when maintenance conditions are most favorable and to aid in providing the DTW crew full time, year round employment. Beneficial habitat improvements will be accelerated by the rigorous maintenance program by increasing native planting survival and initial growth. Over time this will help to increase the availability of potential large woody debris loading along the Nooksack River. The projects that NNR will maintain along the South Fork Nooksack River, include areas used for primary transportation, holding, rearing and spawning habitat for native Nooksack spring chinook salmon, and bull trout. Other added benefits resulting from creating a healthy riparian corridor include reduced water temperature, improved water quality, and increased biodiversity. Project monitoring: The interplant and buffer monitoring protocols developed by LNR, UW-CSS and NRT will be used on these restoration projects. Accomplishment calculations are the following: Site 1 Todd Creek riparian area = 250 feet in length by 200 feet wide 250 x 200 = 50000/43560 = 1.15 acres Site 2 Tenaska (South Fork adjacent to Todd Creek) riparian area = 1,600 feet in length by 150 feet wide 1600 x 150 = 240000/43560 = 5.5 acres Site 3 East Acme Farm riparian area = 1,000 feet in length by 400 feet wide 1000 x 400 = 400000/43560 = 9.18 acres Site 4 Nesset Farm riparian area = 7920 feet in length by 250 feet wide 7920 x 250 = 1980000/43560 = 45.5 acres United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Grant Number 134100008
