Program to Bring Native Plants ‘Home’ to Alder Creek in the Eldorado National Forest

Let the healing begin. Next fall several barren, impacted areas along Alder Creek in the Eldorado National Forest will be replanted with native plants — thanks to volunteers, Forest Service personnel, and a grant from California State Parks and Recreation, said a recent statement from the local office of the U.S. Forest Service.

Volunteers from the California Native Plants Society worked side-by-side with Forest Service employees earlier this fall to collect thousands of native plant seeds that will be used to restore damaged sites. CNPS members and members of Trout Unlimited then planted 15,000 of the seeds in plastic growing containers at the Forest Service’s tree nursery in Camino. The seeds will grow into seedlings that will be planted next fall along damaged areas near Alder Creek.

The $14,000 native plant restoration project was funded by the California State Parks Off-Highway Vehicle grant program for the purpose of restoring areas damaged by OHV use.