The Washington Conservation Corps in partnership with city of Bellingham, established, maintained, and monitored a native plant restoration site near Anderson Creek in the Lake Whatcom watershed for a four-year period from 2018 through summer 2021. At the test site, Washington Conservation Corps applied three site treatments that are restoration methods used by the organization.
Study Goals:
The goal of this impact evaluation was to assess the effectiveness of different Washington Conservation Corps restoration methods spanning a four-year period. This study uses a design with randomized control to ascertain correlations between site treatments and plant survival. The site treatments applied to native plant live stake are Plantskydd® deer repellant application, blue tube installation, and a reference (control).
Research Question:
The research question is:
- Does additional investment in initial restoration techniques and post-restoration care of installed plants lead to increase in successful outcomes?
Findings:
The evaluation found the following:
- This assessment shows statistically significant high native plant survival and low string trimmer damage for the blue tube treatment.
For more information, download the full report.