The last year or so has been filled with good news about the East Lents Floodplain Restoration Project  along Johnson Creek.  Construction was completed this January, and the second phase of plantings by Environmental Services' Watershed Revegetation Program wrapped up in mid-February.  On top of the nearly 25,000 native trees and shrubs planted last year, Phase 2 added 24,052 more native tree and shrub seedlings and over 5,000 live pole cuttings of willow, dogwood, and ninebark (that makes yard work look easy!).  This spring, native wetland plants will be added, and next winter 16,000 more trees and shrubs will be planted.

Watershed restoration projects like this one help Oregon's nursery industry and other parts of our economy (see this report from Ecotrust).  All these native trees and shrubs will help fill in the natural area park, stabilize the restored stream banks, and shade the water for salmon and other native critters that live in and along Johnson Creek.  It might look like a bunch of little sticks right now, but just wait... 

(Want to contribute to the transformation of Johnson Creek? Join the Watershed Wide volunteer event this Saturday!)