How to Shade Reed canary grass when the Solar Eclipse is Over

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Written by SOLVE Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest Member, Gina Graziano

Well, the solar eclipse came and went but not quite long enough to shade out the Reed canary grass at Butternut Creek unfortunately. Students know well that Reed canary grass’  arch nemesis is shade so answering my question, “how do we get rid of Reed canary grass” with “the solar eclipse!” wasn’t too out of this universe, figuratively that is.

So we started to think a little more realistically about the ways we could defeat this invasive, allergy-inducing menace and realized coffee bags and mulch might be the perfect solution! Coffee bags, made from a grass called jute, will suppress the growth of Reed canary grass just next to a native tree or shrub and will eventually biodegrade. Mulch will help our native tree or shrub retain moisture in the warm, summer months and will also do quite a lot to suppress weeds!

So off we went, securing coffee bags into the ground with biodegradable stakes. Our plants look a lot better already.

Thanks so much, Aloha, for all of your incredible work at Butternut Creek this year. You persevered through some tough days of frozen plants on a frosty December morning to high peak allergies on a warm, May day. Your work will be long-lasting and make a difference for the entire watershed.

Thank you, Clean Water Services, for funding this project!

Aloha High School Braves the Cold

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It was a crisp, December morning and winter felt upon us…but that didn’t stop Aloha High School from coming out to restore Butternut Creek!  Students shivered over from their school to our site and we reviewed the concepts of our watershed.  We talked about the monoculture Armenian Blackberry creates and how we plant native trees and shrubs to stabilize our banks and increase biodiversity.

We talked briefly about the work the students have been doing in the swale behind their school and how they are in need of beaver cages to keep their native trees and shrubs safe!  Some students assembled tons of beaver cages while some opted to save our plantings from Armenian Blackberry.  The whole class worked diligently despite the cold and got a lot of work done!

A very chilly Butternut Creek thanks you, Aloha High School!

Aloha High 1, Blackberry 0

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And they’re off!  Aloha High School’s AP Environmental Science class got a running start on their first task as a Green Team this morning.  The class showed up bright and early to review watershed basics and begin our elimination of Armenian Blackberry.  Students remembered key components of Riparian Corridors and jumped right into cutting down and digging out Armenian Blackberry.   They surely impressed Meghan and I (Gina) with how much work they were able to get done within one class period!!

On a side note: It turns out that educating fellow classmates about the true origins of Armenian Blackberry (formerly known as Himalayan Blackberry) is a very effective way of impressing each other, as well.

These students brought their A-game today and we are looking forward to future match-ups to try to conquer plants that threaten the survival of our native ones.  This Green Team is definitely one to look out for this season.

Here’s to a successful school year!

Thank you Green Team students, teachers, sponsors and supporters for successful year!

Bioengineering at Butternut

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Butternut Creek in Aloha has seen more than its fair share of erosion but Aloha High School students are joining SOLV to create a healthier riparian area and stream.

Students joined us this week at Butternut Creek and did some bioengineering and planting at the site.  Oregon grape, ninebark, alder and red osier dogwood are all native species that were planted upland by the students.  These trees and shrubs will shade out invasive grasses and create a healthy habitat for the wildlife in the area in addition to taking up much of the pollution that would ordinarily just flow into the stream.  Students also cut willow stakes, harvested from native willow trees, and installed them along the eroding banks of the stream.  These will create an extensive network of roots to stabilize the banks, shade the stream to create cooler water, provide wildlife habitat and halt pollution from entering the waterway.