Hundreds of native trees and shrubs were planted on Sequim resident Jack Janis’ property to restore a diverse forest along the floodplain of the Dungeness River. (Erin Hawkins/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Hundreds of native trees and shrubs were planted on Sequim resident Jack Janis’ property to restore a diverse forest along the floodplain of the Dungeness River. (Erin Hawkins/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Landowners, restoration workers aim to improve health of Dungeness River

By Erin Hawkins

Olympic Peninsula News Group

SEQUIM — Landowners living along the Dungeness River are working with restoration crews to improve the health of the river and its inhabiting species.

Jack Janis is one of 60 residents with property on the river who have allowed a team involved in a Dungeness Repair and Recovery Project to take out invasive species of shrubs or trees and replace them with native plants.

“It’s beautiful. This is what Sequim was 150 years ago,” Janis said of the restoration work the crew did on his property.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“I could not believe the effort that went into this thing.”

The project started in 2013 with funding from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to work with property owners along the Dungeness River to help restore the floodplain by creating a diverse forest.

Sara Doyle, stewardship coordinator for the North Olympic Salmon Coalition and District 1 representative on the Jefferson County Noxious Weed Control board, said the river has changed a lot throughout the years.

The salmon coalition is working with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and the Clallam County Noxious Weed Control Board to remove invasive plants such as butterfly bush from the river’s floodplain and restore it with native plants such as western red cedar and western hemlock.

These native plants help restore salmon habitat and create pollinator areas for birds, bees and butterflies, Doyle said.

“Overall, our goal is to have a diverse forest — any planting we do has shrubs and trees,” Doyle explained.

So far, the team has removed an estimated 70 acres of butterfly bush and completed 70 acres of planting and seeding.

Doyle said butterfly bush is becoming a species of concern and the Dungeness has one of the worst infestations in Washington state.

The salmon coalition contracts a Washington Conservation Corps crew of six people to take out invasive plants, and to seed and plant new native plants on residential or public property.

“They do everything,” Janis said. “They came out and wrapped all these trees and shrubs,” he added, explaining the wrapping acts as a small greenhouse to help the plants grow and protects the plants as the crew works.

The crew planted an estimated 400 trees and shrubs on Janis’ property. The service was provided free of charge.

The crew took out Janis’ blackberry bushes and English ivy plants and replaced them with paper birch trees, mock orange, western hemlock, vine maple, Indian plum, ninebark, red osier dogwood, red alder and red western cedar.

“It’s really been wonderful engaging landowners in the river,” Doyle said.

“It’s been wonderful to hear their stories and connect them with the restoration work, helping them feel like they can make a difference.”

The crew will continuously work with the landowners over time to help them maintain their property. It will continue to visit the site to check on the plants and replace any dead ones with new ones and help with site maintenance.

“The attitude of these people, they want to do well,” Janis said of the crew’s efforts.

“There’s a future for America when I see jobs like this.”

________

Erin Hawkins is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach her at ehawkins@sequimgazette.com.

Hundreds of native trees and shrubs were planted on Sequim resident Jack Janis’ property to restore a diverse forest along the floodplain of the Dungeness River. (Erin Hawkins/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Hundreds of native trees and shrubs were planted on Sequim resident Jack Janis’ property to restore a diverse forest along the floodplain of the Dungeness River. (Erin Hawkins/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Sequim resident Jack Janis gives a tour of his property where the North Olympic Salmon Coalition’s crew landscaped and planted hundreds of trees and shrubs in order to improve the health of the floodplain along the Dungeness River. (Erin Hawkins/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Sequim resident Jack Janis gives a tour of his property where the North Olympic Salmon Coalition’s crew landscaped and planted hundreds of trees and shrubs in order to improve the health of the floodplain along the Dungeness River. (Erin Hawkins/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

More in News

Parker Brocious, 6, from Cedar Hills, Utah, studies tubs containing plankton, krill and other small ocean creatures used by the Port Townsend Marine Science Center for education purposes while on a road trip with his family on Tuesday at Fort Worden State Park. Parker’s father Tyler is at left. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Science education

Parker Brocious, 6, from Cedar Hills, Utah, studies tubs containing plankton, krill… Continue reading

Port Angeles approves lodging tax fund requests

Vacancy on committee brings legal questions

OMC hires family medicine physician

Dr. Calvin Kuo will join hospital in August

Colton Dufour, left, and his mom Cherie Tachell. (Cherie Tachell)
Boy seriously injured following hit-and-run

Condition is stable, but more testing underway for Sequim teenager

Applications open for Forks council seat

The Forks City Council is accepting applications to fill a… Continue reading

Bridge inspections set on Hood Canal

Bridge preservation engineers from the state Department of Transportation will… Continue reading

Port Townsend Farmers Market opens Saturday

Farm-fresh eggs, mexican pastries and smoked fish available

Adella Banning, 6, of Port Angeles pretends to take to the road on a all-terrain vehicle maintained by Clallam County Search and Rescue during Saturday’s Kiwanis Kids Fest at Vern Burton Community Center and a section of adjoining Fourth Street. The event featured numerous public safety displays as well as other youth activities hosted by area community service agencies. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Kids Fest

Adella Banning, 6, of Port Angeles pretends to take to the road… Continue reading

Clallam letter details Trump administration impacts

Clallam cites economy, tourism, healthcare

Rhonda Kromm is the new Port Angeles School District assistant superintendent. She replaces Michelle Olsen, the newly hired superintendent.
First bonds issued for develop plans for PAHS, Franklin Elementary

Construction at new Stevens Middle School to start in May

UPS Store closing Port Angeles location

UPS is closing its UPS Customer Center at 3216… Continue reading

Single-lane traffic near Kalaloch Campground

Erosion near Kalaloch Campground has caused a temporary lane closure… Continue reading