Hylebos Stream Team

Environmental Education at Brooklake

I was recently invited to assist the Pierce County Solid Waste Environmental Educators with a field trip for the 5th grade classes they have been working with.  Last Tuesday, two 5th grade classes came out to Brooklake for their culminating field trip. 

They tested the water quality and looked at macro invertebrates under a magnifying glass, then they were delivered to me for some service learning.  Can you guess what they were working on with me?  Blackberry removal, of course.  They removed blackberry long enough that it was still fun when they were done and had to move on, and begged to stay and work more.  The day ended with a walk over to see Brooklake and Hylebos Creek.

It always makes me feel good when kids really love the work they are doing with me, and removing blackberry was cited as the favorite activity by some of the kids.

North Fork Hylebos Creek

For the past couple months, we've been planning a new project in the Hylebos.  We're calling it the Spring Valley Restoration Analysis.

The Problem:
Hylebos Creek, just south of S 359th St, is depositing unusually large amounts of sediment into the stream channel.
This photo was taken in Feb 2007.  When I started working for the Friends in 2005, the gravel bar on the left didn't exist.

This is the same location in December 2008.  The creek is now flowing through the salmonberries on the right.

I was just at this site last week, and noticed that two cedar trees that were alive a year ago, are now dead, which I believe to be because their roots are inundated with water now that the channel has changed.  This kind of instability also makes it easier for invasive plants to get established.

Here is failed structure #1.  Once upon a time, the creek flowed over the logs.  Unfortunately, whoever designed this structure, faced the V in the wrong direction.  The downstream-facing V splits the stream, and it eroded the banks.  This should have been an upstream-facing V, which would have collected any sediment on the edges, concentrated the flow in the center, and carved out a nice pool.

Our big plan for this section of Hylebos Creek is to do an assessment of the creek, so that we can more accurately know what kind of stream work it will take to fix these problems, a wetland delineation (which we will need for an Army Corps of Engineers permit), and a conceptual design.

We are also planning on doing a forest health assessment of the Spring Valley Open Space (54 acres), which will lead to a forest management plan and recommendations for future actions. 

Picket Fence Planting

Saturday, February 28th was a beautiful day in the Hylebos, and 30 volunteers, an EarthCorps crew and I met at the East Hylebos Ravine to plant the picket fences that have started to gather sediment.

The main fences we planted on were actually on a very steep slope that is eroding.  This past winter took down part of a fence, but the others have been holding on and doing their job-catching sediment before it can get to the creek. 

I took this  photo from the trail, on the other side of the creek.

View looking down toward 2 students from TJ's Save the Earth and Environment Club, doing just that.

Students from Green River Community College plant trees on the slope.

Thank you to all the everybody that helped out on Saturday.  I had a really great day, and it was because you were all so inspiring.

I also want to add a big note of appreciation to the William and Elizabeth Hyde Fund, whose generous donation made Saturday's event possible!

Groups included:  Cub Scout Tiger Den, GRCC students, and TJHS SEE club.