Tap into the give, and take
Published 3:20 pm Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Anyone who’s tried to eradicate Himalayan Blackberries from their yard can tell you that they’re a stubborn adversary. Invasive and thorny, the non-native pest is capable of establishing up to 500 canes in a square yard, utilizing an aggressive root system to suck water from neighboring plants and quickly overtake everything in their path.
They often enlist the help of unwitting accomplices, such as birds and other animals, who consume the ripened berries and further scatter the digested seeds.
The destructive nature of the Himalayan Blackberry has put them at the top of the most wanted list of the folks involved in the critical local effort to restore salmon habitat. Given the tenacity of their foe, they know they can’t win the battle alone. Thankfully, they’re enlisting scores of volunteers who, when armed with heavy gloves, shovels and picks, can be an effective force against the relentless invasion.
The Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force is teaming up with the successful United Way Days of Caring campaign to mobilize volunteers to help restore a healthy ecosystem on the North Stillaguamish River. The plan is to attack the dense thicket of blackberries, knocking them down and pulling out the roots. The effort will then shift to replacing the weeds with native plants and shrubs that will provide the necessary shade and erosion control needed to protect and nurture the endangered population of salmon. With funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the event is part of a regional approach associated with the “Puget Sound Starts Here” campaign.
This is just one of the many projects seeking volunteers this year. People interested in lending a helping hand with the ongoing stream restoration project on Whitehorse Creek near Arlington (set for Friday, Sept. 18 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) are encouraged to contact Claire Atkins-Davis at 425 252-6686 or via email at claire@stillysnofish.org.
If slaying blackberries isn’t up your alley, there are a host of other projects on both Friday the 18th and Saturday 19th that might better match your interest and talent.
Check out the United Way web site at www.uwsc.org and click on the Days of Caring button. Those without computer access can give the volunteer center a call at 425 374-5534 and talk to the friendly folks at United Way about the various volunteer opportunities at non-profit agencies throughout our community.
