Nisqually Indian Tribe's Riparian Restoration Plantings

C AT H Y S A M P S E L L E

NISQUALLY INDIAN TRIBE RIPARIAN RESTORATION

PLANTINGS

-  Permanent restoration crew since 2007 through Salmon Recovery Program

-  Project landowners: NIT, NLT, the Refuge, private individuals, others

-  Funding: Internal, NRCS, WA Dept. of Ecology, Foundations, etc.

-  Since 2007, installed over 260 acres of plantings

-  Two to three years of maintenance following installation

-  GIS database to compile As-builts & monitoring data

-  Monitor survival rates & canopy cover – on the ground the first three years, then remotely through GIS

-  Performance standards: 70% survival after three years, 15% cover after three years

Braget planting: -  Tribally owned, co-managed

with Refuge -  Dikes surrounding 100 acres

removed in 2006 -  53 acres planted 2007-2009

Image: Google Earth 2010

Image: Google Earth 2011

Image: Google Earth 2013

- After 3 years, 70-80% survival with exception of 3-acre area of complete failure

ArcGIS remote sensing of canopy coverage (Image: NAIP 2011)

Wilcox Flats: -  44 acres since 2011 -  Sandy soils & limited

access -  Exposed portions of the

plantings struggle

-  NRCS planting: 13 acres, 5750 plants in 2012

-  65-75% survival -  Replanting has been

necessary in spots

SRFB planting: 6 acres, 3000 plants in 2012 -  Exposed section: almost complete failure -  Replanting planned for Winter 2015

Ohop planting -  100 acres, 70,000

plants, 2009-2012 -  USFW monitoring

grant -  Large volunteer

component

Year 3: 70-90% survival, 15-25% canopy cover