Category: Stewardship Tips

Japanese Knotweed an Unwelcome Invader

Do you know how to get rid of Japanese knotweed?

Japanese knotweed was first introduced to North America in the late 19th century for ornamental use, which actually is understandable.  Its hollow red tinged stems have distinct raised joints (nodes) that remind me a little of bamboo although it is not at all related. In fact, other common names for the plant are American bamboo and…
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Six Good Reasons to Plant Trees Beside a Stream

  The strip of land beside your stream is a great place to plant trees.  First of all, the 20 feet or so directly beside the stream probably isn’t practical to use for most other purposes.  Second, the banks are too steep.  Third, there will probably be seasonal flooding.  Besides, a forested buffer zone along…
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Let Sleeping Logs Lie

Let Sleeping Logs Lie

In the past, we thought it was a good idea to clean up the log jams that “choked up” steam channels.  As a matter of fact, Oregon used to have employees whose primary role was dynamiting log jams in rivers.  Today, things have changed.  We now understand that pulling logs and other wood out of…
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Noxious Weeds are Obnoxious

Anyone who owns or manages land in the north Santiam Watershed already knows how totally obnoxious some plants can be.  I mean, they just don’t get it, do they?  You keep pulling, or digging or spraying and like a bad penny they just keep turning up.  Sometimes it seems almost hopeless. Noxious weeds are obnoxious,…
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