lake mills

Winter means we're back on the Elwha project. The goal is to get plant regeneration off on the right foot by putting thousands of native plants in the ground. Constructing access trails for hiking plants to revegetation sites is critical. With dam demolition nearing completion, and the park getting ready for the hordes of visitors that will come to view the newly drained reservoir, we're beginning to transform access trails into pathways ready for the public.

Hiking out to the planting site.

Clear, cold days. The worksite got two hours of sun.

Two sentinels, watching the old lake bed from their posts.

Only 30 feet left to demolish. These upper pieces will remain as a memorial.

Filling turnpike before covering with top dressing.

Taylor, posing with the tool of choice, demo site in the background.

One big chunk of cedar equals five cedar beams.

Shane, chief gravel coordinator.

Hot lunch.

Sam, scoring logs embedded in the fine sediment.

Brand new trail with a brand new feature. Three years ago this photo would be ten feet under water.

Elwha River, Lake Mills, Mt. Fitzhenry, and Mt. Carrie.

nursing the elwha

Throughout the year, 106,000 plants will be propagated, packed in bags, and hauled out to the former reservoirs of Lake Aldwell and Lake Mills to be planted. The Matt Albright Native Plant Center, the production facility for this effort located in Sequim, WA, was created to nurse the Elwha River back to health. Here's a day of cleaning roots and loading bags.

Potting shed.

Taylor, Chelsea, and Jenny, just getting going.

A devoted volunteer and revegetation crew leader Marisa Whisman sharing stories to pass the time.

Staging bags of plants in the greenhouse.

Thimble Berry and Salal, ready to go.

Rubus Leucodermis, Black Cap Raspberry.

Taylor, waiting for more plants to prep.

Aaron and Mike, still waiting.

Arbutus menzeisii and Sambucus cerulea, Madron and Blue Elderberry.

Populus balsamifera, Cottonwood.

Pseudotsuga menzeisii, Douglas Fir.

Symphoricarpos albus, Snowberry.

Pinus strobus, White Pine.

spraying

Large swathes of land adjacent to the Elwha River are exposed as the reservoirs are lowered. Some native grasses and trees are doing their thing, but there are also some invaders taking more than their share of resources. Reed canary grass seems to be leading the charge, so we apply herbicide.

The spray zone.

Glyphosate, courtesy of Monsanto.

Don't spill.

Three gallons ready to go.

PPE: sunblock, solar shades, nitrile gloves and long sleeves.

Wading through cottonwood.

Sam, givin' some.

JZ, style points on the raincoat.

Bending the reed canary grass away from the trees.

Elwha Dam canyon and natural regenerates.

Reed canary grass skeleton.

Natural willow tree regeneration.

seeding

After putting some plants in the ground we toss some seed on the ground. Mellow days on the river.

Lake Aldwell, seed's-eye-view.

Teamwork.

Fill your sack and don't spill. Rachele knows.

Hangin' out with the LEKT. AB and Wilson.

Trevor, spreading his seed.

Misty day of seeding on Lake Mills.

Packing seed, pouring seed.

planting

Winter is the time to get plants in the ground. Energy is stashed in the roots as they establish themselves in the soil. The trick is keeping your hands warm and mind occupied.

Lake Mills.

Small crew, big reservoir.

Tools of the trade.

Givin' the trees some love.

White Pine.