Marine riparian vegetation is important to salmon in that it provides direct foraging opportunities (e.g. chinook foraging on winged insects), indirect foraging opportunities (e.g. increase survival of surf smelt spawn, eaten later by salmonids, orcas, etc.), and improvements to nearshore habitats (e.g. recruitment of large woody debris and leaf litter to the shoreline.)

The goal of this project is to work with Great Peninsula Conservancy to move their marine riparian area towards late successional conditions (i.e. conifer dominated) in the Union River Estuary on a site associated with a large levee removal project. Our objectives are to improve vegetation conditions along a total of at least 1/2 mile of shoreline and covering an area greater than 5 acres.

The scope of work for this project will entail hiring a native revegetation specialist to oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of both a planting plan and noxious weed control plan in the project area. No permits are required for this project. However, ESA Consultation and Cultural Resource Review will be conducted by the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group as a part of the levee removal project environmental documentation.

For more information on the levee removal project, see Klingel Wetland Restoration #11-03-001.