Author Archives: kbroadli

Rain Gardens: A Low Tech Approach to Stormwater Management

by Angela Nelson, CESCL

Thanks to Angela Nelson and 2020 Engineering for sharing their expertise on this emerging approach to stormwater management. At the end of the article, we offer a list of plants we believe would be well suited to rain garden plantings based on our experience of field growing them in our sandy loam soil.

What They Are

Raingardens are landscaped depressions designed with specific soil characteristics that are gaining popularity as stormwater filtration and retention devices in lieu of more traditional civil engineering methods. They are a part of a new approach to stormwater management termed Low Impact Development (LID). In low impact development, the landscape component of the project is integral to the stormwater management design, enhances water storage, and attenuates storm flows (Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual for the Puget Sound). Rain gardens are aesthetically pleasing, providing beautification to commercial and residential landscaping while at the same time treating and slowing down stormwater flows in a way that mimics natural systems. Continue reading →

Native Pollinators

Matthew Shepherd & Mace Vaughan, The Xerces Society

“The conservation biology issues are not simply esoteric concerns relevant only to middle-class bird-watchers and bug-netters. These issues should strike a chord in every person who cares about where our food comes from and whether it is wholesome to eat.” — Stephen L. Buchmann and Gary Nabhan, The Forgotten Pollinators

Pollinators are among the hardest working creatures of the natural world. Pollination, the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of the same or another flower, is necessary for plants to produce seeds and fruit. Up to 80 percent of the world’s flowering plants rely on animals – pollinators – for this transfer. Insects pollinate two thirds of the world’s crop species, whose fruits and seeds together provide 15 to 30 percent of the foods and beverages that we consume-approximately one out of every four mouthfuls. Continue reading →

Enhancing Nest Sites for Native Bee Crop Pollinators

by Mace Vaughan & Scott Hoffman Black

The European honey bee receives most of the credit for crop pollination, but the number of managed honey bee hives is half of what it was in the 1950s; and this number continues to decline. Native bees, however, also contribute significantly to crop pollination and, on farms with significant natural habitat located nearby, may even provide all of the required pollination for some crops.

To support the native bee community, it is essential to provide nesting sites, in addition to floral resources. Unfortunately, heavily managed farm landscapes often lack the untilled ground, tree snags, plants, and small cavities that native bees require for nest construction. Improving the nesting opportunities for these important pollinators will increase their populations which can lead to higher crop yields, reduced dependence on imported European honey bees, and improved on-farm biodiversity. Continue reading →

Site Evaluation for Habitat Restoration Plant Selection

by Julie Whitacre, Fourth Corner Nurseries

While making decisions about which plant species are appropriate for restoration projects, several physical characteristics of the project site should be considered. Each plant species has preferences for physical conditions; some plants are very widely adaptable to moisture regimes, soil conditions, and light levels, and others are fairly demanding in their habitat requirements. Charts detailing the habitat preferences of northwest native plants are available in the “Resources” section of our website. This article will focus on riparian projects, with examples of species common in western Washington, Oregon and British Columbia; similar steps, however, can be adapted to other habitat types. Continue reading →

Selecting Native Plants for Wetland, Riparian, and Wildlife Buffer Plantings

by Richard T. Haard, Ph.D., Propagation Manager, Fourth Corner Nurseries

For the past 15 years the protection and enhancement of wetlands has become a major mission for state and federal governments. With the passage of the Clean Water Act, the new regulations have affected how we practice agriculture and conduct commercial and residential developments. In addition, riparian habitats have been enhanced or given protection, in part because of the listing of some fish species under the Endangered Species Act. Continue reading →