Natural Areas Management Plan

What is a natural area?

For the purposes of this project, a natural area is an area of land that retains relatively intact habitats and vegetation communities, contains more than 0.5 acres of contiguous natural habitat, contains valuable habitat for native plants and wildlife, contains valuable areas for recreation, and/or promotes community appreciation of natural features. Natural areas can also contain degraded habitat that has the potential for restoration to a healthy ecosystem. Examples of well-known, city-managed natural areas in Wilsonville are Boeckman Creek Corridor and Memorial Park.

What is the importance of the City’s Natural Area Management Plan?

The NAMP will provide a comprehensive framework for the City to use to set and achieve goals for stewarding its natural areas. The NAMP will outline a set of general, over-arching guidelines and recommendations for the City use in developing specific management goals and strategies for each natural area. Goals might include enhancing habitat for native fish, wildlife and plant species; reducing risk of wildfire; and improving access for public recreation and volunteerism.  

What is an invasive species?

An invasive species is a plant, animal, insect, or disease that is not native to ecosystem of concern and can cause harm to ecosystems, economies, or human health. In our region, examples of invasive species include Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, English holly, emerald ash borer, nutria, and zebra mussels. Invasive species can spread very easily through human activity (e.g. shipping and transportation, moving firewood, via equipment/boots). Invasive species often out-compete native species, reducing biodiversity and disrupting ecosystem services such as clean water and pollination. www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/what-are-invasive-species
 

What is habitat restoration?

Habitat restoration is the act of returning an ecosystem to its natural state. The goal of habitat restoration is to create high quality habitat to support a diversity of plants and animals and to repair and maintain ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are benefits that restored and intact natural areas provide, such as clean air, flood control, clean water, and pollination. In the Pacific Northwest, some the most common habitat restoration strategies include removing invasive plants (e.g. Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, and reed canary grass) and reestablishing native plant communities that provide fish and wildlife habitat and other ecosystem services.

What is Integrated Pest Management?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a strategy that uses a combination of pest management techniques to achieve more effective and efficient pest control. IPM can reduce reliance on pesticides and minimize risk to natural resources, wildlife, people, and the environment. IPM practices are based on pest biology and life cycles, technology and equipment, and environmental conditions. IPM usually combines manual, mechanical, and chemical treatment methods. For example, to treat large infestations of Himalayan blackberry, restoration practitioners might use mechanical treatments (mowing) to reduce plant mass and targeted herbicide applications on small re-sprouts to effectively remove the species.