October 2019 – SSU Restoration Ecology

On October 4th, 2019, twelve of us from Restoration Ecology met with Tom Tolliver from Sonoma Land Trust (SLT) at one of SLT’s sites that neighbors the Sonoma Raceway. The goal of the day was to remove decommissioned irrigation lines that fed encouraged riparian vegetation plots.

Class meets with Tom Tolliver from Sonoma Land Trust at entrance to property
Photo©: Corbin Matley

Tom first gave us a quick rundown of the site’s history at part of the Sonoma Land Trust and where exactly we would be working, a slightly isolated segment upstream of the road access to the stream. After the briefing, we followed Tom in our very comfortable 4WD SUVs. After some more briefing and a warning to be on the lookout for a distressed mother cow, we split into two teams; left bank and right bank.

Moving upstream, Tom pointed out a number of features implemented and engineered by SLT. These features included rocks secured into areas of the creek vulnerable to erosion, and many oak trees protected by fencing and fed by irrigation lines. These were the lines we would be removing. Most of these features and efforts are intended to prevent the erosion and deterioration of the riparian area around the creek. Cattle grazing is practiced in the surrounding grasslands.

We started removing the irrigation tubing by finding a line on the ground and pulling it up out of the vegetation. As we pulled up more and more line we tied the larger tubing in the smaller “spaghetti” lines that ran off the larger tubes to feed the trees.

After two or so hours of work, we stopped for some lunch. We used a nice shaded patch of grass under an oak tree by the road entrance. Lunch was still productive in that we got to hear about other SLT projects and properties from both Tom and Mariah Chastain, who is an intern at SLT.

Our lunch hangout spot under the shade of an oak tree.
Photo©: Corbin Matley

After some rest, my group returned to the left bank to finish pulling the irrigation lines. Along the way we noticed many large and intriguing spiders with very thick webs.

The work finished quickly after the second round of pulling. We brought the coiled and folded tubing back to the vehicles where we added them to the existing pile. After this the work was complete and we left the cite to return to campus.

Pile of decommissioned irrigation lines.
Photo ©: Corbin Matley

The victorious Restoration Ecology class with SLT Tom (right) after successfully removing decommissioned irrigation lines.
Photo©: Jacob Andrews

An Afternoon Stroll through History

On September 7^th, Wendy St. John and I went on a walkabout through the outskirts of Copeland creek nearest to the community garden of SSU. We began a conversation about the history of the creek, where the headwaters were, recent projects and the controversy of the term invasive species.

It’s fascinating to hear that this creek wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for agriculture and human action, when we think of the actual restoration of this “natural” ecosystem.

What is Natural?

The Headwaters, which is abundant with water all year long, remain as it was some years ago around the Fairfield Osborn Preserve. The current nature of the creek at lower elevations is intermittent, but was not always as we see it today.

Before European settlers arrived in this area, the surrounding areas were a floodplain. The desire to use the land for agriculture and other types of development led to the channelization of Copeland creek. We see in the photo below the “un-natural” straightness of the creek through campus. This poses a question for future restoration projects wanting to restore the creek to its natural state. Would the safety of the newly populated land be at risk reverting the creek back to its natural state?

Map of Sonoma State University Campus, Rohnert Park, California showing part of the Copeland Creek running through it. Photo © Sonoma State University Website

This would be highly impossible as it poses that we take the creek out and create the floodplain that was once dominating the land. With the campus and surrounding community, including agricultural lands, this is not a valid option.

Native and non-native: A controversy for the ages

Another problem arises with restoration in the terms of removing the invasive plants in order to promote native species.

Take Himalayan Blackberries for instance. They are widely seen as a problem, which in many cases they are. Invasive species, just like people are trying to live their lives and can’t be blamed or ridiculed for being introduced to a place that isn’t their original home.

This is a photo of a wall of the non-native Himalayan Blackberry during a Copeland Creek volunteer work day on Sonoma State University Campus, Rohnert Park, California, April 25, 2017. Photo © W. St. John

On the ecological standpoint, the introduction of the dreaded blackberry has served as food and shelter for many of the creek critters, as well as for people who live in the area.

In the course of restoration efforts over the past few years, we’ve found that removing Himalayan blackberry can allow more growth of our native species, the California blackberry. We have also had some early success with the restoration technique of stacking succession, which introduces new native species quickly by simultaneously planting the understory with native grasses as well as later successional shrubs and trees.

This is a photo of the native California Blackberry during a Copeland Creek volunteer work day on Sonoma State University Campus, Rohnert Park, California, November 14, 2017. Photo © C. Mendelz

The Takeaway:

We can take what we learned about the history and construction of the Copeland creek to understand what restoration is needed for future projects.

We can use Copeland creek as an example to teach people that we do have a lot of power to change a natural landscape, even if we can not revert it back to its “natural state” due to ecological and safety reasons. We also have the power to restore and rebuild areas of the creek that have fallen ill from agriculture runoff, climate change and human disturbances by reintroducing native species and controlling the invasive species.

Next time you’re thinking of stepping out of your dorm, or class room to get a glimpse of history, just walk down to the Copeland creek on campus, right at our fingertips.