PROJECT REPORT
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT Dear friend, Thanks to your support, a total of 73,075 trees/shrubs were planted to restore 49 hectares of land in Oregon. Planting trees in areas that have been degraded or deforested helps the environment by accelerating and assuring the re-establishment of healthy forests. Through reforestation, the canopy is restored, ecosystems are made whole, and biodiversity can thrive. None of this would be possible without you. On behalf of everyone at One Tree Planted, thank you! What follows is a report outlining the project you supported in Oregon. I hope you enjoy reading it and truly feel the impact you have made.
OVERVIEW This wetland restoration project supports the Promise The Pod Orca Initiative and contributes to the restoration of the Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Native species have been planted on degraded land to improve water quality of the local Tualatin River. Planting native species on the ground along critical watersheds helps to ensure the downstream health of salmon, people and orcas. The reestablishment of the plant communities of Wapato Lake will also improve water quality by stabilizing soils, consuming nutrients, and shading portions of the shallow lake margin. This will contribute positively to the water quality of Wapato Lake and adjacent streams. Organic material will be cycled through the plants, leading to improved soil health — and increased potential for carbon sequestration in the plants and soils at Wapato Lake.
TREES/SHRUBS PLANTED 73,075
SPECIES PLANTED 8
WOMEN INVOLVED 10
HECTARES REFORESTED 49
INDIGENOUS GROUPS ENGAGED 1
ACRES REFORESTED 121
JOBS SUPPORTED 15
WILDLIFE SPECIES BENEFITED 12
SPECIES PLANTED Eight native species were planted across 121 acres near the Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge: red osier dogwood, western crabapple, mock orange, pacific ninebark, swamp rose, geyer willow, sitka willow, and douglas spiraea. According to the specific soil and hydrologic tolerances of each species, fields and wetland areas were planted with a site specific mix of woody and herbaceous species. Species diversity was prioritized in order to maintain a complex assemblage of scrub-shrub, emergent wetland, and upland and wet prairie plant communities. As a whole, native plant community diversity will be maintained and enhanced over the course of several years through monitoring, interplanting and introduced species control.
SPECIES PLANTED THROUGH THIS PROJECT Douglas Spiraea (Spiraea douglasii) Pacific Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus) Sitka Willow (Salix sitchensis) Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) Western Crabapple (Malus fusca) Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii) Swamp Rose (Rosa pisocarpa) Geyer Willow (Salix geyeriana)
SPECIES
IDENTIFICATION & USE Of the 73,075 species planted in this project, the dominant species were Douglas Spiraea (29,750) and Pacific Ninebark (15,650). There are roughly 100 species of Spiraea worldwide, with 2 varieties of Douglas Spiraea: Menzies and Douglas — the variety used for this project. Douglas Spiraea, also referred to as Spiraea douglasii, is a deciduous shrub naturally occurring from southeast Alaska to northern California, and occasionally in Colorado, Missouri and Tennessee. Douglas Spiraea have oblong to oval leaves containing pale, grayish wooly hairs on the underside. Its flowers are bright purplish-pink and crowded in fragrant clusters. This species is typically used for revegetation along streamsides and other water sources, as it is drought tolerant, grows quickly, and spreads through underground colonization — making it one of the more dominant wetland species. Douglas Spiraea’s dense thickets serve as escape habitat and cover for certain wildlife species, and as a barrier against humans or livestock. It also attracts pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds, and is sometimes browsed by black-tailed deer. There are two primary species of Ninebark: eastern and western. Western Ninebark, also referred to as Pacific Ninebark or Physocarpus capitatus, is a longloved perennial shrub that grows rapidly, achieving multiple stems of 2 to 4 meters in height and forming an erect-arched appearance. This species can be found from southeast Alaska down the California coast, decreasing in frequency as it progresses eastward, with just a few stands in Idaho and Alberta. Pacific Ninebark are most easily recognized by reddish papery bark, which peels off in thin layers, giving rise to its name. Its leaves are toothed and 3-5 lobed, and its flowers are small and white with yellow centers. In an ecosystem, pacific ninebark provide good cover and nesting sites for birds and small mammals, as well as streambank and lakeshore stabilization, making it an excellent choice to help restore the Wapata Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING OUR COMPANY AND CREW MEMBERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT WHILE BEING PART OF THE RESTORATION OF WAPATO LAKE!
YOUR IMPACT ON THE MAP The Oregon - Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge Restoration project supported the planting of 73,075 woody and herbaceous plant and shrub species across 121 acres near Wapata Lake and the Wapata Lake National Wildlife Refuge. By reforesting this area, this project aims to improve the water quality of Wapata Lake, which feeds into a drinking water plant upstream. It will also promote an efficient regeneration of native wetland ecosystem and wildlife habitat.
DOCUMENTING YOUR IMPACT Through authentic and informative storytelling, we help donors relate to the people who plant their trees and to the impact they're making for the planet. We share photos, videos, and updates from our global projects across our social media, website, and other media to create a personal connection to the incredible work happening on the ground.
PHOTOS FROM YOUR PROJECT
THE FUNDING PROVIDED BY ONE TREE PLANTED WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE INSTALLATION OF NATIVE PLANTS AT WAPATO LAKE. MANY THANKS GOES TO THE DONORS, AS YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS PROJECT HELP WAPATO LAKE ENHANCE WATER QUALITY, PROVIDE CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES, AND RESTORE CRITICAL WILDLIFE HABITAT WITHIN THE TUALATIN RIVER BASIN. PLEASE EXTEND A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED IN HELPING WAPATO LAKE BECOME A WETLAND, ONCE AGAIN!
BIODIVERSITY BENEFITS Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on earth at all levels, from genes to ecosystems, and all the processes that sustain life. Reestablishing the diverse plant communities of Wapato Lake will provide safety, nesting and foraging habitat for migratory birds and pollinators, as well as various species of resident wildlife including beaver, river otter, songbird, and waterfowl. The nearly 1,000 acres of scrub-shrub and emergent wetlands of Wapato Lake will provide critical winter waterfowl habitat, as well as resting and nesting locations for spring songbird migratory and summer habitat for a plethora of species. Furthermore, organic material will be cycled through the plants and lead to increased soil health, as well as increased potential for carbon sequestration in the plants and soils.
WAPATO LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANIMAL SPECIES: Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) American Beaver (Castor canadensis) Coyote (Canis latrans) Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa) Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Additionaly many other migratory birds
COMMUNITY
BENEFITS
The local community benefited from this project through improved water quality, carbon sequestration, enhanced outdoor and recreational opportunities, collaboration on local restoration work, and the economic values Wapato Lake provides. Previously converted to agricultural land for over 100 years, the planting site saw a decline in water quality, which severely affected the local Tualatin River and a nearby drinking water plant. The reestablishment of the plant communities of Wapato Lake will work toward improving water quality by stabilizing soils, consuming nutrients, and shading portions of the shallow lake margin. This will likely contribute positively to the water quality of both Wapato Lake and the adjacent streams. In order to achieve the greatest ecological return on investment, project leaders collaborated with the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, an IPLC group located near the planting site. After consultation and partnership with the local tribe, a strategy was developed to restore the refuge’s unique abundance of Wapato plants. In doing so, this project brought about an increased community connection to the Wapato Lake, as well as augmented economic activity in the form of recreation, such as hiking, bird watching, waterfowl hunting and volunteer monitoring and plant installation. What’s more, as the plants establish, so will their ability to sequester atmospheric carbon in greater amounts — a future benefit to the community. Additionally, two research projects have been initiated at Wapato Lake following the beginning of this restoration work. The first project aims to quantify soil accretion and carbon sequestration potential, and the second is utilizing environmental DNA sampling to monitor changes in wildlife utilization as the habitat is restored. This research and innovation will not only benefit the field of natural resource management, but ecosystem restoration, allowing for better, more successful restoration projects in the future.
U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS THIS PROJECT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FOLLOWING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:
WHAT ARE SDGS? Sustainable development entails seeking out solutions that not only boost the economic outcomes of developing and poorer nations, but also work to limit (or eliminate) our impact on the planet. Trees are one such solution. From creating jobs and reducing hunger to improving gender equality, cleaning air and water, absorbing carbon, protecting life on land and water, and more, planting trees can address all 17 sustainable development goals.
“Thank you for supporting this important wetland restoration project. By restoring degraded lands and returning this newly designated wildlife refuge back to its native species composition, you are not only supporting the wildlife that inhabit this special ecosystem, you are also making an impact for the indigenous peoples, local residents, and visitors. ”
Meghan Danny
Global Projects Support Specialist
Brittney Burke
Director of Projects North America