When I was young, my Uncle taught me to hunt, fish, and enjoy nature. Later in life, I heard and assimilated the aspirational phrase, "Take only photos, leave only footsteps". This goal may still be appropriate in a National Park. However, due to the volume of daily visitors at the Union Bay Natural Area (UBNA) even footsteps need to be limited to the approved gravel trails.
I found the following email, from David Zuckerman at UW Botanic Gardens, a wake up call that explained the current situation.
Dear Larry,
I'm reaching out to inform you that we're replanting once again along UBNA shoreline and would appreciate spreading the word that birders and others need to heed the signs and stay out of fenced areas so as not to trample the plants to provide them time needed to establish. The gravel loop trail is the only formal path in UBNA established for the visiting public to enjoy the vast public amenity UBNA is. All other paths are social and negatively impact vegetation and wildlife creating voids for invasive and noxious weeds to gain an easy foothold. And, as you are aware, shorebird habitat, i.e. mud flats, will be maintained along the Central pond corridors as negotiated with WSDOT. The vast majority of the new plants going in along the shoreline are forbs and graminoids...these will only enhance shorebird habitat if they have a chance to take hold.
Remember, fencing is temporary and will be removed once plants have had a chance to root in.
Thank you for understanding and supporting this important UBNA restoration project.
David
The email included the following three graphics.
Frankly, I was stunned by the scope of the required plant restoration.
Thank you Larry for alerting a fellow off-graveler to the way my past steps have been loving nature to death.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. Thank you for your comment!
DeleteYou're right. We frequent walkers must stay on gravel paths. I'm tempted by shortcuts, but that's a lame excuse for trampling plants. Thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI often walk on the very edges of the gravel path, wanting to quiet my footstep noise, so I can enhance my hearing of songbirds in the woods.
ReplyDeleteI've wondered to myself what exactly makes all that crunching noise - tiny rocks bumping together?
Thanks for your blog post Larry.
It is interesting how much noise gravel can make. A while back I noticed that the smaller the crushed rocks the less noise it makes. (asphalt and grass being even quieter course) Sadly, I was informed that the smaller the rocks the higher the cost.
DeleteHi Larry,
ReplyDeleteMy gravel paths seem to be splendid bedding material for weeds, both common and exotic, and I've wondered how the Arboretum keeps theirs weed-free. It's not foot traffic and appears not to be manual weeding, so how do they do it? On the plus side, gravel infused with sand or soil is nearly as quiet as asphalt.
I bet your readers would be interested in any general observations of effects of SR 520 construction over the years. The SDOT peninsula looks as though it will come out ahead but it's been a very rough ride.
Tom
That is a good point about how gravel paths quieting down over time. I have noticed that the fallen leaves, especially when wet, help to quiet the pathways. Ultimately, turning to soil if left in place. While the 520 construction has been a major disruption for the area, I am optimistic that in total the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks. The peninsula will be a huge opportunity for the expansion of the Arboretum at a time when the demand for in-city green spaces has grown exponentially. The bike and walking path is a significant climate-impact improvement. The quieter road surface is nice. The removal of 520 road runoff from Union Bay should have a positive long-term impact on the local fish and while also helping the salmon passing through to recover. I would think everyone would agree the mitigation process has been challenging but just the pure fact that mitigation is happening is a huge positive step forward compared to when the first 520 was built. I hope I am around to see how it all turns out.
DeleteYes! Tom gravel is a perfect seed bed. Used to collect lots of baby firs and maples this way.
ReplyDeleteI remember in my Cub Scout handbook on nature trails - stepping toe first, instead of heel, will give you the quietest approach to wildlife.
Hi Larry,
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to thank you for your generous donation to support UBNA restoration efforts! And, of course, your heartfelt message above is being heard and understood by many of your blogger friends. These funds will definitely be put to good use. Annie and I just met this academic year's UW-REN capstone team who will be continuing the restoration in the Centennial Grove site that last year's team accomplished. Their small stipend to purchase plants can now be supplemented with a portion of your funds to plant more trees! We also just received a discouraging report from WSDOT's UBNA restoration team today: "Today Taryne’s crew noticed that we had some public infiltration this weekend into the new planting area. Looks like they opened our access gate. Can we add “NO TRESPASSING” or “STAY OUT” signs to our fence? Taryne has put up some great signs asking the public to stay out and has given an explanation why, but they don’t seem to be paying attention to them. I think a firmer message and more weekend monitoring might dissuade the birders.
I like the idea of weekend monitoring, but our crews are hard pressed to work weekends after putting in a long 40hr week in the field. I'm reaching out again if you and your birder friends see blatant disregard of staying out of our restoration areas, please say something. Obviously, don't put yourselves in harms way if the intruders are threatening...but my guess is they are clueless and don't understand. A little education can go a long way.
Thank you again for all your support and being a true steward of our land.
David