reading the land - university of washington botanic gardens...storm damage resistant to salt ......
TRANSCRIPT
11/21/2016
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Elliott Menashe www.greenbeltconsulting.com
READINGTHELAND
siteassessment&evaluationusingvegetativeindicatorsINTRODUCTIONTO
LANDSCAPESONTHEEDGEdesign&implementation
ofprojectsonPugetSoundshorelines
&urbanravinesNov15‐162016
vegetative&otherindicators
mustbeinterpretedin
contextwithother
availablesite‐characterizationinformation
THEMOREYOULEARNABOUTTHEWORK SITETHEBETTERYOUCANDOYOURJOB
CONSIDER:micro‐topography
aspectslopegradient
soilshydrologymicro‐climate
how do thesefactors affect
landscapedesign?
VASHONISLAND,KINGCOUNTY
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NATIVESPECIESASINDICATORSOFSITECONDITIONS
COUPEVILLE,WHIDBEYISLAND
salal
oceanspray
madrone
ASSESSASAPLANT
COMMUNITY
PacificMadrone
PENNCOVE,WHIDBEYISLAND
indicatesadry,sunny,well‐drainedsitewithsandyor
gravellysoils
(probablysouthorwestfacing)
HOODCANAL
(Arbutusmenziesii)
OCEANSPRAY(Holodiscusdiscolor)Fulltopartialsun
DrytomoderatelydrysitesNitrogen‐mediumsites
SoilpHof5‐7.5
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SALAL(Gaultheriashallon)
•Nitrogen‐poorsoils•Undisturbedareas
DOUGLASFIR(Pseudotsugamenziesii)
•Drier sites•Well‐drained soils•Deep, loam soils
GREENBANK,WHIDBEYISLAND
BIGLEAFMAPLE(Acermacrophyllum)
•Moist,well‐drainedsoils•Nitrogen‐richsites
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WESTERNREDCEDAR(Thujaplicata)
•Wettomoistsites•North/Eastaspects•Nutrient‐richsoils
REDALDERSONSTEEPSLOPES
Indicatespastdisturbance:•maybeclearing•maybelandslides
and/orpresenceofseeps
&springs
CAMANOISLANDFROMWHIDBEYISLAND
SALMONBERRY (Rubusspectabilis)
•disturbedsites•springs&seeps
•wetsoils•nitrogen‐rich
soils
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SKUNKCABBAGE(Lysichitumamericanum)
wetlandsoilsorganicmucksoilsnutrient‐richsoilswetlandindicator
indicatescriticalarea
Sitkaspruce
Redcedar
MOSSES
•Shade•Lowsoilfertility•Compactedsoil•Moistsoil•LowpH
(usuallyinacombinationoftwoormoreoftheabove)
OLYMPICNATIONALPARK
WESTERNSWORDFERN(Polystichummunitum)
Nitrogen‐richsoilsHumus‐richsoilsMoistareas
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TREEGROWTHHABITTELLSASTORY
SINCLAIRINLET,KITSAPCOUNTY
“GUARDIAN”&“SENTINELTREES”
DOUGLASFIR PACIFICMADRONE
HIGH value for slope protection
Exposed&adaptedto
harshconditionsResistanttostormdamageResistanttosalt‐ladenwindExceptionallywell‐rooted
DOUGLASFIR,ADMIRALTYINLET,ISLANDCOUNTY
indicatesstrongprevailingwinds
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suggestspastlandslidefrombelow
•treeisadapting•rootingissecure•providingslopestabilization
•shouldnotbecut
Curved-trunked Douglas Fir
“Jack‐Strawed”TreesonSlope
indicatesarecent
deep‐seatedlandslide
Curved Tree Trunks (Pistol Butt)
couldindicate“SoilCreep”couldbesomethingelse……..
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DENSEPATCHESofREDALDERonSLOPE
indicatespastmass‐soilmovement
PORTSUSAN,PUGETSOUND
old‐growthstumps
onsteepslopesindicateafairly
stablesite
OLD‐GROWTHCEDAR,URBANRAVINEDOUGLASFIR
WindthrowedTreesShallowsoils?Changesinhydrology?
Recentloggingorclearing?
Atypicalwinds?Thepresenceofrootrot?
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“PARKEDOUT”SITES&LAWN
soilsmaybe
compacted
SMUGGLER’SCOVE,WHIDBEYIS
SURFACEROOTS
•compactedsoils•highwatertable•poordrainage
•shallowirrigation
treesgrowingonbeachindicatesminimalwaveenergyandshorelineerosion
HOLMESHARBOR,WHIDBEYISLAND
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READINGTHEWEEDSTOLEARNABOUTTHESOIL
CLINTONBEACH,WHIDBEYISLAND
indicates:•erosion•hydrology
•soilchemistry
CommonDandelion (Taraxacumofficinale)
•Disturbedareas•Compactedsoil•Clayeysoil•Acidicsoil
CommonHorsetail(Equisetumarvense)•Water‐receiving•Verymoistsoils•Disturbedareas
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CreepingButtercup (Ranunculusrepens)
•heavyclaysoils•wetsoils
•poordrainage•nitrogen‐richsoils
Stingingnettle (Urticadioica)
•disturbedsites•acidicsoils
•highlyfertilesoils•dampareas
oftenassociatedwithRedalder
NAVITIISLAND,FIJI
Palmtreesindicate
It’stimeforabreak
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