We look forward to getting your students ready for their field trip with this pre-trip presentation. Students will learn history of the region, land use changes through time, native plants and shrubs used, safety and preparations.

2. The First People
•The Nisqually Tribe
•“Squally-absch”, or “People of the
river, People of the grass country”.
•Traditionally lived off the land and
rivers
•Salmon are important to their diet
and culture.

3. European Settlers came….
• Cleared local vegetation
• Farmed crops and animals
• Ditched creeks

4. Modern Life….

5. Our region changed…
1972 1996

6. How does this affect wildlife?

8. Ohop Valley Restoration

10. The Ohop Valley Story
 Ohop Creek is the 2nd most important salmon-producing
tributary of the Nisqually River.
 A century ago, the creek was drained into a ditch. This was
done to dry-out the valley for dairy farming.

11. Restoration Activities
• Re-meander stream
• Removing old buildings
• Removing invasive plants
• Replanting the large
floodplain

12. Why Re-meander a stream?
 Meander= to follow a winding, bending course.
A river is always changing shape due to
natural erosion processes.
Improves connection with other streams
within the floodplain
Provides temperature control
Creates different speeds of water, giving
fish rest areas instead of one fast stream

13. Ohop Creek
Replanting 100 acres
along the river.
Installing 40 log jams 400
trees

14. Ohop Creek
Realigning ditched channel

15. Engineered Log Jams
Mimicking
Nature

16. Our Purpose
Replant native vegetation to re-establish a healthy
riparian zone.

17. 5 Main Reasons We Plant Trees For Salmon
A. Roots hold dirt, preventing erosion which can smother
the redds within the stream.

18. 5 Main Reasons We Plant Trees For Salmon
B. Large woody debris (LWD) provides pools,
resting spots, feeding areas, and hiding spaces
from predators.

19. 5 Main Reasons We Plant Trees For Salmon
C. Trees provide shade, keeping stream temperatures low, a
necessity for the survival of salmon.

20. 5 Main Reasons We Plant Trees For Salmon
D. Trees provide oxygen, which is good for not only
the salmon, but us too.

21. 5 Main Reasons We Plant Trees For Salmon
Lastly…
Provide habitat for bugs, which are food for the
juvenile salmon!
Trees drop leaves, which feed the base of the food chain
in the stream!

22. What is a
Native Plant?

23. Native Plants are
Native to our Bioregion!

24. Red Alder Alanus rubra
Red alders can grow to be
more than 120 feet tall
Have the ability to fix
nitrogen, contributing to
the abundance of this
limited nutrient

25. Oregon Ash Fraxinus latifolia
The Oregon ash is a
deciduous tree that can
grow over 80 feet tall and
live up to 250 years

26. Balsam PoplarPopulus balsamifera
Balsam poplar is a fast
growing deciduous
tree that can grow up
to 98 feet tall.
Bees collect resin
and use it to seal
off intruders, such
as mice, which
might damage and
infect the hive.

27. Sitka Spruce Picea sitchensis
The Sitka Spruce is an
evergreen tree that can grow
over 340 feet tall and is the
largest species of spruce
Natives used softened pitch to
patch and waterproof boats,
harpoons and fishing gear.

28. Pacific Crab Apple Malus fusca
Natives would cook
and mash the
apples
The wood is hard and
somewhat flexible and
was used to make tool
handles, bows, wedges,
and digging sticks.
The Pacific crab apple
can grow up to 30 feet
tall and has can look like
a multi-stemmed shrub

29. Red Osier Dogwood Cornus sericea
Red osier dogwood is a woody,
deciduous shrub with a rounded form
and can grow in thickets of up to 3-10
feet
Natives
sometimes
used the
branches for
basket rims

30. Twinberry Honeysuckle
Lonicera involucrata
Twinberry is a deciduous
shrub that grows
between 6-10 feet with
a 6-10 feet spread
The berries are
incredibly bitter and
attract birds, bears,
and small mammals

31. Pacific NinebarkPhysocarpus capitatus
Pacific Ninebark is a deciduous shrub
that can grow 10-15 feet
Natives would use
parts of this plant
for medicinal
purposes

32. Cascara Rhamnus purshiana
Cascara is deciduous
and can grow as a
shrub up to 15 feet
tall or as a small tree
up to 50 feet
Natives used cascara as a
medicine to wash
wounds and to reduce
swelling

33. Swamp Rose Rosa pisocarpa
Swamp or cluster rose is a
deciduous shrub that grows in
thickets up to 3-6 feet tall
Bears rose hips that attract and
provide food for birds and
mammals

34. Rose spirea Spiraea douglasii
Rose spirea or hardhack is a
deciduous shrub that grows in
thickets of 3-12 feet
Reproduce from rhizomes (an
underground stem) that allows it to
grow in thickets

35. Sitka willow
Salix sitchensis
A large, deciduous shrub
that can reach heights of
25 feet
Natives pounded the bark and applied it
topically to wounds as a healing agent, ground
it to a powder and mixed with cereal to make
bread and used it to make rope

36. Remember,
Safety First!
 Walk, don’t run.
 Stay in sight of the group at all times.
 Shovels:
 Sharpened regularly, which makes them dangerous.
 Never carry shovels over your shoulder.
 Tip should always be pointed towards the ground, like
walking sticks.