Deadhorse Canyon Project
In April 2004, SUN set out to develop a pilot project that would apply the organization’s skills in vegetation surveying and GIS mapping to on-the-ground work performed by a local community group. SUN found a partner in Darryl Dobson of the Friends of Deadhorse Canyon (FDC). Deadhorse Canyon is located in Southeast Seattle, in Lakeridge Park . Dobson has been working for eight years with local citizens to remove invasive species, plant native trees and shrubs and improve habitat conditions in Deadhorse Canyon.
SUN and Friends of Deadhorse Canyon applied for a grant from the King County Natural Resource Stewardship Network to fund this effort. Funds provided will help SUN to produce a detailed vegetation survey of the park, including management recommendations for the FDC to implement. SUN will also be helping to set up monitoring plots. In addition, SUN will be assisting Friends of Deadhorse Canyon to identify and organize community resources to aid their efforts. SUN wishes to thank the USDA Forest Service, WA State DNR, and King County for providing funds for this project through the Natural Resource Stewardship Network.
In addition to a vegetation survey, Ramsay and Salisbury have been working with Friends of Deadhorse Canyon (FDC) leader Darrell Dobson to document all of the past planting activities that have occurred in the park. One of the goals of the project is to set up a system that will enable FDC to better document and monitor future activity on the ground.
In the process of surveying the park, Ramsay and Salisbury have discovered and documented interesting features in the park, including locally uncommon plants, heritage tree candidates, areas of previously undiscovered invasive species , and of course, the occasional dump site.
Three major goals of this project are 1) improved knowledge of the natural resources in Deadhorse Canyon; 2) guidance for FDC on conducting future restoration efforts; and 3) improving FDC’s ability to utilize community resources to meet their goals. In addition, SUN hopes to provide the group with the ability to monitor their efforts over time.
