Eastern Washington Riparian Planting Symposium
The Eastern Washington Riparian Planting Symposium began in 2017 as a one-time conference, and was so popular it has been held every year since.
The goal of the symposium has been to bring together riparian planting practitioners, learning from each other’s projects, and creating space for discussion.
Populus: The Columbia Basin Riparian Planting Partnership
In 2019, it became apparent that there was a need for additional learning opportunities related to riparian planting, particularly in Eastern Washington.
This led to the creation of Populus: The Columbia Basin Riparian Planting Partnership in 2021. Populus started slowly by expanding the symposium to include additional activities.
Site Tours
One way of creating space for riparian planting practitioners to share information and discuss challenges is by getting folks out on the ground to see projects. In April 2019, Populus hosted its first site tour, led by Wildlands, Inc. and Yakima County to a restoration site off the Naches River, followed by a stinger demonstration.
Our second trip in October 2019, was a visit to the suite of award-winning I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East restoration projects. The site tour, led by WA Department of Transportation and US Forest Service, included stops at 5 different sites and discussing how earthwork was adjusted in 2015 to include habitat features like small ponds, rock piles, brush piles, vertical logs, horizontal logs on slopes, and anchored horizontal logs under Gold Creek at one site.
Stinger Demonstration
Photo Credit: Dale Meck
BDA Workshop and Tour with Okanogan Highlands Alliance
Workshops/Volunteer Events
In October of 2019, Populus co-hosted a Beaver Dam Analog volunteer event and workshop. Practitioners got hands-on experience in weaving and placing BDAs and Okanogan Highland Alliance’s project benefited from volunteer labor.
Fast forward to 2023, and Populus is now facilitating online webinars and in-person events for enthusiasts and professionals in riparian restoration. This June, Populus hosted a Virtual Training with the Washington Native Plant Society (read the agenda HERE!) as well as an in-person Grass ID Workshop at Wenatchee Valle College with Jennifer Hadersberger.
Classes
In July of 2019 Populus co-sponsored, with Department of Ecology’s Coastal Training Program, a class on Riparian and Wetland Identification in Central and Eastern Washington. When the class went to a waiting list minutes after being posted, we realized there is a strong need more of these kinds of learning opportunities. In September 2019, we hosted a class taught by Jennifer Goodridge on Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes of Eastern Washington.
Although additional classes were scheduled for 2020 they have currently been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Group on a Fall 2019 Site Tour
Photo Credit: M. Norman
Webinars
One way we hope to creatively adjust to new work requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, is by offering more virtual learning opportunities. In April 2020, we co-sponsored with Washington Salmon Coalition, a webinar on, “Incorporating Climate Change Data into Riparian Restoration”, led by Meade Krosby, UW Climate Impacts Group and Greer Maier, Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board.
In fall of 2020, we hosted a webinar on the basics of grant writing led by Heather Simmons and Jill Scheffer, Department of Ecology.
In coordination with Okanogan Conservation District Populus is hosting a multi-part webinar on streambank bioengineering, led by riparian planting experts, Julie Vanderwal and Chris Hoag.
These webinars can be found on YBFWRB’s YouTube Channel.
2019 Fall Site Tour
Photo Credit: M. Norman
Stinger Demonstration
Photo Credit: Dale Meck
Thanks to our 2020 and 2021 Events Sponsors
