11/21/2016

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Elliott Menashe www.greenbeltconsulting.com

READINGTHELAND

siteassessment&evaluationusingvegetativeindicatorsINTRODUCTIONTO

LANDSCAPESONTHEEDGEdesign&implementation

ofprojectsonPugetSoundshorelines

&urbanravinesNov15‐162016

vegetative&otherindicators

mustbeinterpretedin

contextwithother

availablesite‐characterizationinformation

THEMOREYOULEARNABOUTTHEWORK SITETHEBETTERYOUCANDOYOURJOB

CONSIDER:micro‐topography

aspectslopegradient

soilshydrologymicro‐climate

how do thesefactors affect

landscapedesign?

VASHONISLAND,KINGCOUNTY

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NATIVESPECIESASINDICATORSOFSITECONDITIONS

COUPEVILLE,WHIDBEYISLAND

salal

oceanspray

madrone

ASSESSASAPLANT

COMMUNITY

PacificMadrone

PENNCOVE,WHIDBEYISLAND

indicatesadry,sunny,well‐drainedsitewithsandyor

gravellysoils

(probablysouthorwestfacing)

HOODCANAL

(Arbutusmenziesii)

OCEANSPRAY(Holodiscusdiscolor)Fulltopartialsun

DrytomoderatelydrysitesNitrogen‐mediumsites

SoilpHof5‐7.5

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SALAL(Gaultheriashallon)

•Nitrogen‐poorsoils•Undisturbedareas

DOUGLASFIR(Pseudotsugamenziesii)

•Drier sites•Well‐drained soils•Deep, loam soils

GREENBANK,WHIDBEYISLAND

BIGLEAFMAPLE(Acermacrophyllum)

•Moist,well‐drainedsoils•Nitrogen‐richsites

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WESTERNREDCEDAR(Thujaplicata)

•Wettomoistsites•North/Eastaspects•Nutrient‐richsoils

REDALDERSONSTEEPSLOPES

Indicatespastdisturbance:•maybeclearing•maybelandslides

and/orpresenceofseeps

&springs

CAMANOISLANDFROMWHIDBEYISLAND

SALMONBERRY (Rubusspectabilis)

•disturbedsites•springs&seeps

•wetsoils•nitrogen‐rich

soils

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SKUNKCABBAGE(Lysichitumamericanum)

wetlandsoilsorganicmucksoilsnutrient‐richsoilswetlandindicator

indicatescriticalarea

Sitkaspruce

Redcedar

MOSSES

•Shade•Lowsoilfertility•Compactedsoil•Moistsoil•LowpH

(usuallyinacombinationoftwoormoreoftheabove)

OLYMPICNATIONALPARK

WESTERNSWORDFERN(Polystichummunitum)

Nitrogen‐richsoilsHumus‐richsoilsMoistareas

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TREEGROWTHHABITTELLSASTORY

SINCLAIRINLET,KITSAPCOUNTY

“GUARDIAN”&“SENTINELTREES”

DOUGLASFIR PACIFICMADRONE

HIGH value for slope protection

Exposed&adaptedto

harshconditionsResistanttostormdamageResistanttosalt‐ladenwindExceptionallywell‐rooted

DOUGLASFIR,ADMIRALTYINLET,ISLANDCOUNTY

indicatesstrongprevailingwinds

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suggestspastlandslidefrombelow

•treeisadapting•rootingissecure•providingslopestabilization

•shouldnotbecut

Curved-trunked Douglas Fir

“Jack‐Strawed”TreesonSlope

indicatesarecent

deep‐seatedlandslide

Curved Tree Trunks (Pistol Butt)

couldindicate“SoilCreep”couldbesomethingelse……..

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DENSEPATCHESofREDALDERonSLOPE

indicatespastmass‐soilmovement

PORTSUSAN,PUGETSOUND

old‐growthstumps

onsteepslopesindicateafairly

stablesite

OLD‐GROWTHCEDAR,URBANRAVINEDOUGLASFIR

WindthrowedTreesShallowsoils?Changesinhydrology?

Recentloggingorclearing?

Atypicalwinds?Thepresenceofrootrot?

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“PARKEDOUT”SITES&LAWN

soilsmaybe

compacted

SMUGGLER’SCOVE,WHIDBEYIS

SURFACEROOTS

•compactedsoils•highwatertable•poordrainage

•shallowirrigation

treesgrowingonbeachindicatesminimalwaveenergyandshorelineerosion

HOLMESHARBOR,WHIDBEYISLAND

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READINGTHEWEEDSTOLEARNABOUTTHESOIL

CLINTONBEACH,WHIDBEYISLAND

indicates:•erosion•hydrology

•soilchemistry

CommonDandelion (Taraxacumofficinale)

•Disturbedareas•Compactedsoil•Clayeysoil•Acidicsoil

CommonHorsetail(Equisetumarvense)•Water‐receiving•Verymoistsoils•Disturbedareas

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CreepingButtercup (Ranunculusrepens)

•heavyclaysoils•wetsoils

•poordrainage•nitrogen‐richsoils

Stingingnettle (Urticadioica)

•disturbedsites•acidicsoils

•highlyfertilesoils•dampareas

oftenassociatedwithRedalder

NAVITIISLAND,FIJI

Palmtreesindicate

It’stimeforabreak

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