It starts with a free class with 3 speakers:
- Geologic History of Puget Sound Shorelines, by John Bethel
- Puget Sound is post glacial landscape
- wind and wave action influence Puget Sound shoreline and bluffs, and the coastal retreat will continue (current average of bluff retreat is 0.3'/year)
- Coastal bluff processes, beach formation and longshore drift
- landslide is usually not covered by insurnace
- Sea level rise and shoreline man-made armor further limits already scarce habitat, Kollin Higgins, salmon and shoreline ecology
- Sea level rising is accelerating some coastal process, more flood events
- Puget Sound has strong salinity gradiant, steep hills, deeper trough
- bulkheads and armoring interrupt coastal process and lead to loss of habitat
- Marine Shoreline Ecology, by Steve Richmond, restoration practioner.
- many fish and wildlife species depend on beach in and out of water by coastal process
- resident Orca rely on Chinook Salmon, which depend on marine shoreline for habitat
- utilizing plants to manage water, stabilize slopes, and create wildlife habitat on your property
- landscaping practices that improve or weaken slope stability
- Invasive weed control and native plant selection (need ISA certified arborist)
- Human impacts and best practices:
- set back developement from bluff faces and shorelines
- consider armor removal where erosion risk is low
- consider working with your neighbors to increase the impact of shore friendly practices
- safely outlet intercepted water and use discretion with infiltration
- native trees, shrubs and ground covers are more effective in erosion control and water management.
- selectively prune for "windowed" views instead of cut the tree
- Remove invasives: knotweed, Egnlish ivy, Himalayian blackberry, morning glory
- Weeding is better done May, June, and Fall
I also picked up some brochures on native plants.
You are eligible for a free site visit to your shoreline property. Request a visit.
After lunch (bring your own), we had a short walk right next to the building to identify the native plants here. Then, I hopped in the car with Cloe and Zoe to go down for a beach walk with all the speakers and organizers, to see the topics we just covered in situ. It's very educational. Highly recommend anyone interested in invest in beach property to attend. My take-away is: do not buy beach property.
Only about 7-8 in the morning class (2 were late, so only heard two speakers). 3 of us did the plant walk between the parking lot and the building, in the light rain. Only me, 1 public, went down to the beach.
