Prairie Creek Restoration Nears Public Opening (VIDEO)
Yurok Tribe crews plant thousands more native species as major Redwood gateway habitat project moves toward completion
A Yurok Tribe revegetation crew member prepares native tree seedlings for planting at the future ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project, where habitat restoration efforts are helping restore Prairie Creek and support wildlife. Image by Yurok Tribe.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - A large-scale restoration project near Prairie Creek is nearing public opening after Yurok Tribe revegetation crews recently planted more than 7,500 additional native plants at the future ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project.
According to the Yurok Tribe, the latest planting effort is part of a broader habitat recovery project that has now included more than 420,000 plants representing 45 native species across the site.
The restored area includes native grasses, shrubs and trees such as salal, water parsley, carex, juncus, western hemlock, coast redwood and Sitka spruce.
The planting work supports a long-term goal of drawing native wildlife back to the area, including salmon, elk, birds, pollinators and other species. Tribal officials said healthy native vegetation can improve soil stability, benefit water quality and help prevent invasive plants from returning.
The project also includes a three-year plant stewardship commitment, with up to three staff members expected to work daily on irrigation, monitoring plant health, repairing damage and removing invasive species.
The broader ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project involved five years of construction to reshape a formerly channelized stretch of Prairie Creek into improved salmon habitat with a connected floodplain and more natural stream function.
In addition to ecological restoration, the 125-acre site is expected to serve as a new southern gateway to Redwood National and State Parks.
Officials said elk, kingfishers, great blue herons, otters and other wildlife have already been observed using the restored landscape.
Images courtesy of the Yurok Tribe.
Recent News
