River Health Day

Every fall, the Coastal Watershed Council organizes habitat restoration events called River Health Days along the lower San Lorenzo River. At each event, volunteers learn about the role of native plants in the riverine ecosystem and then learn to identify and remove invasive plants. In October, River Health Days will be focused on removing and stopping the spread of an invasive plant in our ecosystem: ice plant.

Ice plant is a fast growing ground cover that has invaded dune scrub, coastal bluff scrub, coastal prairie, and maritime chaparral communities. It aggressively competes with native plant species for space, nutrients, water, and light. It can release allelopathic substances that suppress the germination and early root growth of native plant species, and even mature native shrubs. It is also capable of lowering soil pH levels in loamy sand (a fertile soil of sand, silt, and clay), which changes the root system morphology of native shrub species. We will be hand-pulling ice plant from the banks of the river.

Volunteering is great way to get up close and personal with the lower river. While you remove ice plant you will get a closer look at the willows, alders, evening primrose and mugwort native to the watershed. You will listen to the calls of bushtit and warbler over the babble of the lower river. You will be protecting this ecosystem!