Juneau Watershed Partnership – Native Plant Resource Center Final Report – Page 1 of 8

Juneau Watershed Partnership

Native Plant Resource Center Final Report A Partners for Fish and Wildlife Project

Prepared for: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service For Grant #F11C00552

Prepared by: The Juneau Watershed Partnership www.juneauwatersheds.org

Introduction a) Goal: The goal of this project is to test the feasibility of establishing a native plant resource center in

Juneau. The purpose of the Center will be to provide the Juneau Fish and Wildlife Field Office (JFO)

Habitat Restoration Program with a source of healthy and diverse plant species suitable for quickly

establishing vegetation at restoration sites for the benefit of fish and wildlife.

b) Location: The Native Plant Resource Center is sited on Southeast Alaska Land Trust (SEAL) property

adjacent to Montana Creek. A description of the SEAL Trust property can be found at:

http://southeastalaskalandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads45yI789N/2014/04/Spring-2014-1-

Newsletter.pdf

c) Project Summary: With Partners for Fish and Wildlife funds, the Juneau Field Office and Juneau

Watershed Partnership partnered to create a Native Plant Resource Center on SEAL Trust property

adjacent to Montana Creek. Labor for this project will be provided by young adults and staff from the

Juneau Youth Services Transitional Living Program (TLP). The purpose of the Center is to establish a

variety of native plants in containers from seed and cuttings. Additional plants will be salvaged from

areas that are slated for development such as road and trail corridors and housing lots. Plant types will

include grasses, sedges, wildflowers, ferns, shrubs, and trees. Grant funds will be used to purchase soil,

tools, and seed, and other supplies. JFO and JWP will establish plants in raised soil beds or pots, care

for plants, collect seed, and salvage plants from land development sites. JWP will also take part in

revegetation projects.

Establishment of the Native Plant Resource Center

a) Plant procurement: native trees were salvaged from highway right of ways (Sitka spruce, western

hemlock), gravel and sand quarries (red alder), and private properties (spruce and hemlock). Trees,

including root systems, were removed from the soil using picks to break up the soil. Trees were

Juneau Watershed Partnership – Native Plant Resource Center Final Report – Page 2 of 8

transported in buckets or tubs with their roots covered with water to reduce stress. Salvaged trees

were planted in 0.7 gallon or larger plastic nursery pots containing topsoil. Pots were placed in rows

and watered as necessary until planted on restoration sites.

b) Plant Propagation: Willow (Salix spp.) and black cottonwood trees were established in 0.7 gallon plastic

pots at the nursery in 2013. Cuttings were collected from dormant (early spring) and actively growing

(summer) trees. Cuttings were 25 to 45 cm long and 13 to 35 mm in diameter. All leaves or leaf buds

were trimmed from cuttings with the exception of 3-5 leaves or leaf buds that were left near the tops

of willow cuttings and a single leaf bud or 2 leaves near the top of cottonwood cuttings. A single

cutting was place in a pot that was filled with soil to within 1 inch of the pot rim. Cuttings were pushed

into the soil until the butt end contacted the bottom of the pot. The cuttings were watered as

necessary to keep the soil moist for at least 6 weeks. Cuttings collected from leafed-out trees were

potted and then placed in shallow pans of water to ensure a constant supply of moisture to the

developing root systems.

c) Other Supplies: Pots were purchased or used pots (more than 500) were donated to the facility by the

CBJ and private citizens. Topsoil was purchased at a reduced rate or donated by local contractors

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Photos from the Native Plant Resource Center

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Projects

Plants stored at the Native Plant Resource Center were used in several riparian revegetation projects in Juneau, Alaska as described below. As an ecotone habitat with both upland and aquatic characteristics, riparian zones exhibit levels of biodiversity and productivity that are disproportionately high relative to their size. In addition to providing habitat for birds, mammals, and invertebrates, riparian areas subsidize aquatic food webs; provide bank stability, shade, and cover; contribute large wood, invertebrates, and particulate organic matter to stream channels; recycle nutrients; and provide a buffer between upland land developments and sensitive aquatic habitat. For these reasons, it is important to re-establish the native plant community in impacted riparian areas to maintain the functions and values of the stream corridor. However, it is common practice to stabilize stream banks with riprap, which can remain unvegetated for decades if left to be re-established naturally. Although some revetments in Juneau have been partially vegetated, most consist of bare rock with little woody or herbaceous vegetation coverage. Yet, native vegetation can be established on revetments if soil is placed and native species are planted on the revetments, as was done in the projects described here. The ability of the plants from the Native Plant Resource Center to survive after being utilized in such projects is a testament of the success of the Center, and will demonstrate that the practice of re-vegetating revetments can be successful in restoring riparian habitat. The photo documentation provided as part of each project description is a demonstration of this success.

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b) Bear Property Revegetation

Spruce, alder, and hemlock trees salvaged in 2011 were potted and held at the Center over winter and

then used to restore riparian habitat at the site of a house demolition on the banks of Montana Creek

in July 2012. Sixty-four red alder and more than 30 spruce and hemlock trees from the Center were

planted at the site.

Photo 1. Bear property site during demolition in

August 2011.

Photo. 3. Bear property site during revegetation in

July 2012.

Photo 2. Bear property site May 2012.

Photo. 4. Bear property site in July 2013.

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d) Riverbend Revetment Riparian Enhancement, Mendenhall River

The goal of this project was to establish native plant community on the revetment constructed on the

Mendenhall River at Postal Way (Alaska Housing Finance Corporation) in order to restore riparian

functions at this location. As part of this project, a total of 260 trees including 112 cottonwoods, 70

Sitka Spruce, 39 willow, 3 hemlocks, and 36 red alders, from the Native Plant Resource Center were

planted at the site. This project got some local attention in an article published in the Juneau Empire:

http://juneauempire.com/outdoors/2013-07-19/revamping-rip-rap#.U1HAgKKBX-w. Survival of

plantings will be evaluated in spring 2014. In late winter 2014, it was evident that some of the

cottonwood trees had been damaged by rodents.

Photo 1. The Riverbend Revetment in September

2012 before revegetation efforts occurred.

Photo 3. The Riverbend Revetment site after

planting occurred in August 2013.

Photo 2. The Riverbend Revetment during planting

in June 2013.

Photo 4. One of cottonwoods raised from a dormant

cutting at the Native Plant Resource Center planted

on the Riverbend Revetment.

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e) Jordan Creek Riparian Enhancement

The goal of this project was to establish a

native plant community in order to restore

riparian functions where bridge

construction at Jordan Ave. removed

riparian vegetation and armored

approximately 1,500 sq. ft. of riparian

habitat along Jordan Creek, a State of

Alaska designated impaired waterbody. The

project was identified and planned by U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff.

Implementation was jointly managed by the

USFWS and Juneau Watershed Partnership

(JWP) staff with field support from a 7-

person Southeast Alaska Guidance

Association (SAGA) AmeriCorps crew. On

August 13, 2013, topsoil was placed in the

riprap voids followed by planting native

trees, including red alder, black

cottonwood, Sitka spruce, and various

willow species. Grass seed was applied to

the soil to provide erosion control. The

project will ultimately restore 600 square

feet of riparian habitat. Restoring riparian

habitat at this site will benefit coho, pink,

and chum salmon, Dolly Varden char, and

Coastal cutthroat trout as well as migratory

songbirds and other wildlife species.

Photo 1. Jordan Ave. bridge prior to soil placement.

Photo 2. Jordan Ave. bridge during soil placement.

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g) Trout Street Bridge Revegetation

In July 2013, the Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT&PF) completed construction of a two-lane

bridge over Jordan Creek at Trout Street in Juneau, Alaska. Jordan Creek, a State of Alaska designated

impaired waterbody, contains spawning and rearing habitat for Dolly Varden char, Coastal cutthroat

trout, and pink, coho and chum salmon. The Jordan Creek corridor is also utilized by river otter, barred

owls, snowshoe hares, Alexander Archipelago wolves, and beaver along other wildlife species. The goal

of this project was to establish a native plant community in order to restore riparian functions where

bridge construction removed riparian vegetation along Jordan Creek.

USFWS staff worked with DOT&PF environmental analysts and engineers to ensure restoration of

riparian functions impacted during bridge construction. Riprap used to protect the bridge abutments

was covered with soil and planted with grass and native tree species. In partnership with the Juneau

Watershed Partnership (JWP), and with the assistance from Southeast Alaska Guidance Association

(SAGA) AmeriCorps volunteers, 50 native trees were planted in August 2013. Willow and cottonwood

trees were established in pots from dormant cuttings in partnership with JWP. These potted trees, as

well as Sitka spruce and red alder salvaged from road right-of-ways and gravel pits, were planted in

riparian areas next to the bridge. The project will ultimately restore 3,049 square feet of riparian

habitat. Restoring riparian habitat at this site will benefit coho, pink, and chum salmon, Dolly Varden

char, and Coastal cutthroat trout as well as migratory songbirds and other wildlife species.

Photo 1. The Trout St. bridge during construction.

Photo taken from the contractor’s (North Pacific

Erectors) website:

http://northpacificerectors.com/index.php/projects/

completedprojects/49-trout-street-bridge-repair-a-

upgrade

Photo 2. The Trout St. bridge after re-vegetation.