|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Restoration work planned along the Sacramento River at Turtle Bay Exploration Park has been a long time in coming. Finally, armed with a generous state grant, the park's caretakers will reverse years of past abuse and neglect. They'll be able to restore much of the riverbank to the way it's supposed to be. There's much more to this three-year project than ripping out blackberry bushes. The plan involves taking a thorough look at 340 acres within Turtle Bay for an ecological revitalization. The idea is to reintroduce native plants that will provide a springboard for the river's health. It's an idea we can all rally around. The addition of indigenous plants will attract more environmentally friendly insects, which in turn will provide a steady diet for salmon and steelhead. The native grasses, shrubs and oak and cottonwood trees will draw more songbirds and other wildlife. The plants and trees have further beneficial effects, in that their roots create a filtering system that traps and breaks down pollutants from parking lot runoff. Extra shade cools the water flowing into the river, which is another boon for fish. The benefits are plentiful and should be enduring. For one thing, "You'll see more turtles," said Brian Joseph, Turtle Bay's vice president of programs and education. Some of what we see of Turtle Bay from the trails and roads are high-quality wetlands and diverse riparian forests. A closer inspection reveals something else: the damage done decades ago by gold dredging from the early 1900s and gravel mining to build Shasta Dam. Agriculture also has taken a toll. These environmental scars haven't healed so nicely. Piles of rock were left behind and non-native plants and weeds were able to gain footholds. Some of these invading plants are the Himalayan blackberry, the tree of heaven and black locust. Star thistle is an annual problem in a meadow at Turtle Bay's arboretum. Also in line for sprucing up is a former "burn dump" off Hilltop Drive. The $915,000 grant for the restoration work recently was awarded by the state's Wildlife Conservation Board. The money comes from Proposition 12, which was approved by voters in 2000 and is not tied to California's sorry budget. The land due for the environmental face-lift is the property of the city of Redding and the McConnell Foundation, but under long-term lease to the park. "Restoration of the site is just as important as the buildings," said Terry Hanson, Redding's community projects manager. Turtle Bay officials want to hire the Chico-based group, Sacramento River Partners, to assist in the planning and restoration work. This nonprofit group has a lot of experience in the rehabilitation of the Sacramento River's riverbanks. Letting nature take its course could mean a 100-year wait or longer for a riparian forest to become established and mature. Getting a jump-start through plantings and irrigation will shorten that time frame dramatically. Another advantage is that the work won't be done somewhere out in the boondocks. We'll be able to appreciate it up close. It will be highly visible to Turtle Bay's visitors and provide lessons on the environment for schoolchildren on field trips. The main beneficiaries of the landscape upgrade will be the wildlife
living along the river, but human beings will reap benefits too. Users
of the Sacramento River Trail will hear more birds chirping. And, eventually,
fishermen could see the return of more fish. Everyone who appreciates
nature stands to gain. The project is truly a gift for all. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||