The Tesch site is an alluvial floodplain. Before restoration took place, invasive Reed Canary Grass, 10 ft stands of Himalayan Blackberry, and patches of English Ivy were the dominating vegetation throughout the site. This occurrence was not allowing proper native vegetation to establish and form healthy riparian buffers. Massive erosion was taking place leaving a very steep stream bank. Therefore, intense restoration measures were conducted. Eradication of non-native invasive species was the first and most important step conducted. Once the invasive growth was inhibited, mass planting of native trees and shrubs took place. Now, the project is currently being monitored and maintained so that invasive vegetation can be inhibited giving the new native vegetation a chance to become established and form the healthy riparian zones in time to come.
