We have been busy at Nelson Creek this last summer. Vegetation surveys: Pam Wright headed up a crew with Andrea Berkley, Columbia Land Trust, establishing permanent vegetation plots throughout the Nelson Creek property. These inventory plots will be monitored to document the change due to our restoration efforts.
The Nelson Creek committee met in July to update everyone as to what has been completed and what still needs to be done. We welcomed Kris Parke to the committee. Kris has been involved for several years monitoring upper Nelson Creek for fish populations. He volunteered to head up a fish survey in Jack's Slough. Andrea reported that CLT now has funding to proceed with restoration projects that will include site preparation and replanting with native species. We expect to get started this winter.
In August, Louis LaPierre led a mammal trapping event (see photos below; left to right: Louis LaPierre, Paul Meyers, Ann Kastberg, and Melissa Knudson; deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus)). This was a follow-up verification survey to last year's survey. The group put out traps in the evening and came back the next morning to inventory the catch. (Ann camped out on site to guard the traps) Several "critters", all of one species (see photo), were trapped. Louis has been monitoring large animals with motion cameras this past year. Elk, black-tailed deer, Columbia white-tailed deer, coyote, birds, (and people) have been photographed. Sadly, the cameras were lost in last winters high water event. The cameras worked right up until they were inundated. It is amazing how much water can move in there following a heavy snow/rain event.
Kris and Ann headed up a fish/tadpole survey in Jack's Slough in August. There is a mass of various water insects, lots of tadpoles, but, no trout or salmon found. It was a very interesting and fun day.
Columbia Land Trust will be holding a volunteer appreciation evening on October 27th. Ann will be presenting her experience with amphibian surveys. A notice has gone out to committee members and volunteers. Everyone is welcome to attend. We really appreciate all the great help and time donated by our volunteers.