Habitat RestorationRoger Ross Photography
Since its beginning, TEP's Backyard Planting Program has served 127 private landowners, treated 40 miles of stream and 250 acres of riparian area, and provided over 50,000 trees, 15,000 shrubs, and 80,000 vegetative cuttings.
Improve the habitat in your own backyard.
TEP’s Backyard Planting Program (BYPP) is a free voluntary assistance program for private landowners in Tillamook County. The aim of the program is to enhance stream health by removing invasive vegetation and planting native trees and shrubs along salmon-bearing waterways. All you have to do is contact us to get started — our BYPP coordinator will work with you to develop a site-specific restoration plan for your property that includes site prep, planting, and maintenance.
Why is this important?
The area of land next to a creek or river is called the riparian area. Riparian areas are critical to the health of streams, which provide clean drinking water and habitat for fish and wildlife. A substantial amount of the lowland riparian areas within coastal watersheds are privately owned properties, and many have severely-impaired riparian conditions. Which is why we’re here to lend a helping hand!
Benefits of healthy riparian areas:
- Provides shade to maintain cooler stream temperatures for salmon. Shade also prevents invasive plants from growing along the stream.
- Stabilizes stream banks to reduce erosion and flooding.
- Filters sediment, nutrients, and pollutants to promote clean water.
- Stores and releases water to lower flood risk.
- Creates organic matter which supports the aquatic food chain.
- Provides large woody debris and slows water speed for fish habitat.
- Supports native birds, pollinators, and other animal species by providing shelter and food.
- Visual appeal.
Who is eligible?
- Do you own property along a salmon-bearing creek, stream or river in Tillamook County?
- Would you like assistance clearing non-native vegetation and establishing native plants within your riparian area?
- Do you own livestock and have a need for riparian fencing or off-channel watering?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the program for you!
What’s Provided
The program provides the following free of charge:
- A site specific plan tailored to your needs.
- Site preparation, including removal of invasive brush (Himalayan blackberry, reed canary grass, scotchbroom)
- Trees and shrubs
- Labor to do the planting
- 2-4 year maintenance program
BYPP Planting Options
The following plants are grown locally in our nursery and are potential planting options. (Note: This is not a comprehensive list.)
- Black twinberry
- Pacific ninebark
- Red osier dogwood
- Rose spirea
- Red flowering currant
- Thimbleberry
- Red elderberry
- Indian plum
- Vine maple
- Sitka spruce
- Western red cedar
- Western hemlock
- Big leaf maple
- Red alder
- Black cottonwood
Contact us to get started.
For more information or to get started, please email info@tbnep.org, call 503-322-2222, or visit us in-person at 613 Commercial Street in Garibaldi.
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