A big Thank You to all the volunteers who made the habitat planting at the Shelstad Farm possible!
Farming, habitat enhancement, and water quality protection all
came together on March 4 at the volunteer planting event near
Orting. In partnership with
PCC Farmland Trust and the owners
of
Shelstad Farm, Kim and Janet Shelstad, 30 volunteers planted,
tubed, and mulched 220 trees and shrubs. The plants were
installed along a ditch that drains water from the fields during
the wet season. The water eventually makes its way to nearby
Horsehaven Creek, and shortly after that, the Puyallup River.
Projects like this can make a big difference by accomplishing
many things in a short amount of time. In just a Saturday morning,
a buffer is planted to intercept, filter, and take up loose soil
and nutrients that might run off from adjacent fields; plants are
installed that will attract pollinators, birds, and other wildlife; and
community members have a chance to get dirty and have fun in
the process of improving our environment, one plant at a time!