Oregon Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 6 No. 1 (2014)

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https://hdl.handle.net/1794/23412
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Browsing Oregon Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 6 No. 1 (2014) by Author "Ferra, Katie"

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    Monitoring Riparian Restoration Efforts in the Willamette Valley
    (University of Oregon, 2014) Scott, Jessica; Lahtinen, Johnmichael; Engbeck, Erin; Berling, Terri; Ferra, Katie; Gregory, Alexander; Otto, Natalie; Pemstein, Garret; Tan, Wayland; Tinkham, Gail
    The 10-student Environmental Leadership Program team, Wetlands Wildlife, collected data on Delta Ponds, a 61-hectare waterway site owned by the City of Eugene bordering the Willamette River. We used two primary monitoring activities to collect data on riparian communities and restoration efforts, focusing specifically on vegetative community type as well as biological indicators of survival and vigor. Six vegetative communities were subject to monitoring: Upland, Riparian, Wetland Transition, Emergent, Himalayan Blackberry and Recent Restoration. We collected data using protocols that were tailored to species identification, community mapping and vegetation health assessment. Overall, we found that the health of Delta Ponds appears to be improving; through community mapping we found a general increase in percent area cover for almost all target communities, with the Upland community displaying the largest increase, growing from 9% to 21% of the area surveyed. However, Emergent and Himalayan Blackberry actually decreased in percent area cover. We believe this general increase is due to extensive removal of the invasive Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus bifrons). Throughout monitoring efforts it was observed that there was a relatively high survival rate of riparian plantings with both tree and shrub plantings exhibiting a trend in growth over time. Various monitoring efforts including vegetation community mapping and riparian vigor monitoring were used to assist the City of Eugene in the prioritization of management resources and will serve as a baseline for future restoration efforts.