Past, Present and Future
Phillips Farm Reed Canarygrass Wetland
This county park was once farmed, then it was willed to the City of Moscow to benefit youth. The soils contain evidence high rates of sedimentation. Native American tools have been found here, further substantiating that assumption.
Interpretation of Potential Historic Vegetation
Based on photographs and descriptions of natural wetlands on the Palouse from 1914, this image was created to show camas meadows, with a Douglas hawthorn-giant cow parsnip plant association amidst a Douglas fir and ponderosa pine forest. Also note the sedges, bulrushes, and grasses amidst the camas.
Future Camas Meadows at the Phillips Farm?
With a lot of hard work and planning, camas meadows could be restored to this site. Native shrubs and trees could be planted as well, and an interpretive pathway could be created. Notice the bird boxes among the shrubs.
The South Fork of the Palouse River.
This reach of the South Fork is farmed to within about eight feet of the eroding riverbank. The field in the foreground is sprayed annually and hayed. There is almost no woody vegetation stabilizing the riverbanks or filtering runoff that flows from the farmland and a county road located just behind our view. A rock and dirt berm has been built along the river to keep the water from overflowing its narrow channel.
Possible historic vegetation and extent of wetlands.
This site contains hydric soils, which indicate past inundation and possible wetlands. Note the camas in the foreground, as well as the diversity of native shrubs along the creek. These include serviceberry, Drummond willow, red-osier dogwood, Douglas hawthorn, wild rose, Douglas spiraea, snowberry, and others. Also note the woody debris in the river, providing habitat for aquatic insects and cover for fish. The north-facing hills in the background are Palouse prairie with scattered ponderosa pine and shrubs.
Future South Fork of the Palouse?
That's up to us! The riparian vegetation along the river has been replanted, as well as the prairie in the background and a successful camas restoration in the foreground. Runoff from the play-fields and the road is now filtered by the riparian buffers, and resident trout are flourishing.
Present day farmland near Viola, Idaho.
Note the lack of riparian vegetation along the streams, as well as the lack of wildflowers in the foreground prairie.
Artist's Interpretation of Historical Vegetation.
Note the camas meadow in the foreground and the quaking aspen-Douglas hawthorn riparian plant association along the streams. Scattered ponderosa pines with some Douglas fir grow on the hillside. Other shrubs include serviceberry, chokecherry, snowberry, wild rose, Douglas spiraea, ninebark, syringa, and Oregon grape.
Potential Future Conditions.
People are part of this picture in a big way. A new residence has been built, as well as a shallow pond/wetland. There have been lots of trees and shrubs planted along the creeks. Wetland plants have been planted around the pond, including camas. There is even a turtle landing floating in the pond. In the foreground bunchgrass and wildflower plugs have been planted, including Indian paintbrush, arrowleaf balsamroot, blanketflower, showy phlox, shooting star, Delphinium, and others.
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