Volunteers reintroduce native vegetation to Montana Creek

On Montana Creek, down Yoder Road, over 40 community members gathered this weekend in the name of preserving salmon habitats. To do so, they planted native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers on the bank of the creek. It was all part of the Plant for Salmon event–an annual restoration effort put together by a number of local organizations.

The event started off with a land acknowledgement from the Knik Tribe before volunteers picked up shovels and got to work.

Jessica Speed, one of the primary organizers of the event through the Mat-Su Salmon Habitat Partnership, said that after a flood in 2012 washed away a lot of vegetation along Montana Creek, the streambanks began to erode. She added that the Mat-Su Borough stepped in to prevent further damage by putting in riprap along the stream bank, but that left Montana Creek without the plant life necessary to maintain a healthy habitat.

“The Mat-Su Borough put in this riprap, which I think got the job done,” she said, “But it’s not as effective from a fish habitat perspective.”

That’s because vegetation along the creek plays a vital role in preserving salmon habitats. Root systems hold streambanks together, mitigating damage and erosion during floods. The vegetation traps sediment along the bottom of the stream, keeping the water clear for fish. Plants along the streambank provide shade and shelter for salmon.

Speed said when she heard the Susitna River Coalition and the US Fish and Wildlife Service were looking to restore the streambank at Montana Creek years ago, she knew she had to get involved.

“Let’s take this beloved area, this bit of shoreline habitat, add some plants, add some soil and hydro seed to stabilize, soil, and add some plants in here that makes better fish habitat,” she said. 

This was the fourth year of the “Plant for Salmon” event, and the third year the organizations met at Montana Creek. Jessica Speed said she looks forward to coming back next year and continuing to restore the local stream bank.