Sharon Hazel, conservationist 1 with the California Conservation Corps, hauls a load of fennel, an invasive non-native plant, to a trailer Monday at Struve Slough.

A group of workers, picks and shovels in hand, was busy Monday in the wetlands of Watsonville, engaged in an epic battle with a host of well-entrenched invaders.

The enemies — stands of hearty, invasive weeds — provided little fight. A little digging and pulling typically freed their roots from the ground.

The true battle came in the sheer numbers of the invader plants pampas grass, fennel and about two dozen others have firmly established themselves in many areas of the wetlands. In this, the California Conservation Corps workers had their hands full.

“It’s a huge undertaking, but we’re trying to get the wetlands to go back to their native state,” said Michelle Templeton, wetlands program coordinator for the City of Watsonville.

Replacing the native plants serves several purposes, Templeton said. It offers food and shelter for the hundreds of species of birds and other animals that call the sloughs home.

Additionally, the willow, coyote brush and other native plants provide greater water filtration and retention than the invasive species.

Even after the invasive weeds have been removed and the native plants have been established, the work cannot stop — the weeds will quickly reestablish themselves if not monitored.

To help with these efforts, Watsonville will eventually be seeking volunteers to help with the plant restoration and eradication efforts.

It’s not the only volunteer opportunity for those who wish to help with wetlands restoration — Watsonville Wetlands Watch holds a volunteer day on the fourth Saturday of every month.

“One of the best reasons for folks to come out and spend their time volunteering is that it is such a great opportunity to get to know the local wetlands,” said Jonathan Pilch, restoration specialist with Watsonville Wetlands Watch. “Volunteers get a chance to see some of the most beautiful natural places around Watsonville and see some of the rarely seen wildlife.”

In addition to plant removal, work crews have spent the past four years clearing invasive plants and creating a fire safety zone along along the six-mile system of trails that winds its way through the wetlands — a parkland of glimmering waterways and wooded areas that provide a serene respite from the city that lies just a few hundred feet away.

The Watsonville wetlands are among of the largest freshwater wetlands left on the Central Coast. More than 95 percent of California’s wetlands have been paved over and drained to make way for new construction, Templeton said.

The project is funded by a series of grants, and also by a requirement that any development project adjacent to the slough add to the existing trail system, Templeton said.

“We wanted to make sure the community is aware of the treasure that’s available to them here,” she said.

The trail project was inspired when organizers noticed nearby residents making their own trails over the fragile wetland areas. Fearing the increased traffic would damage the sloughs, the organizers decided to use the existing pathways and make a few of their own to form a series of trails.

“We were providing something for the community to be proud of and enjoy,” Templeton said.

The Monterey Bay Birding Festival, which will be held on Sept. 26, 27 and 28, draws visitors from around the world to the Watsonville area.

“We’re on the radar on an international level,” Templeton said.

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For information on the Watsonville Wetlands Program, call 768-1622.

For information on volunteering with Watsonville Wetlands Watch restoration projects, call 728-4106, or visit www.watsonvillewetlands

watch.org.

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*Photos by Tarmo Hannula*

(Published in 8/19/08 edition)

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