Wetland Restoration

As co-chairs of Insitu's Green Committee, Corinne and I are on the lookout for ways that Insitu can give back to the community in which we live. This weekend the Columbia Gorge Ecology Institute organized an event specifically for us.

A wetland in nearby Snowden was in need of some restoration. There's a long story behind this particular property, but the short version is that the previous owner was attempting to dry it out so that he could build on it - violating the Critical Areas Ordinance that is designed to protect areas just like this. A neighbor whose property includes part of this wetland went through hell and back trying to stop him, and eventually was able to buy the property and enlisted CGEI to help repair the damage.

A small group from Insitu (smaller than we would have liked) volunteered part of their Saturday to help plant new trees, fill in the gully that was used to drain the area, and pull thistle (2 pickup trucks full!) to help the wetland recover. We hope to return next year to see how it's doing.

- Mike (& Corinne)