The Mat-Su Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership is hosting a riparian planting day at Jay Nolfi Fish Creek Park in Big Lake on Saturday, June 4, 2022 from 10 a.m until 2 p.m.
This family friendly event will include planting trees, shrubs and flowers along the streambank of Fish Creek to improve both stream habitat and the public space. Food will be provided by Floater’s Pub and other activities will be both educational and entertaining. Please fill out this interest form to help ensure enough food is provided: https://forms.gle/3eRmYrZKCHHWqcKf6
Work or gardening gloves are recommended, as are boots or shoes that can get wet and dirty. Some tools will be provided, but you can also bring your own shovel, rake, or wheel barrow.
Fish Creek supports five Pacific salmon species and the section of the stream adjacent to the Park is an important sockeye salmon spawning area. Plants along waterways create riparian buffers that help prevent bank erosion and pollution from entering the water. Plants provide shade and food inputs to streams that are important for healthy fish populations. Additionally, plants create habitat birds and other wildlife and improves the aesthetic value of the park.
Special thanks to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for the technical expertise and project coordination. Thank you to the Knik Tribal Conservation District for donating the plants, and Floater’s Pub for donating food for the event, with additional support from Big Lake Community Council, Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association, Trout Unlimited Southcentral Alaska Chapter, and Susitna River Coalition.
Want to learn more about why healthy riparian areas are important for fish? Check out this Riparian Area Science Summary!
Questions? Contact grant.robinson@tu.org or jessica.speed@tu.org for more information.
