Stewardship

Koma Kulshan Chapter WNPS Stewardship Committee

Stimpson Family Nature Preserve

VISION

Native plant stewardship is the care, protection, and responsible use of native plants and the habitats where they grow, and the enhancement and restoration of those habitats. Stewardship activities include the following: protection of natural areas from destruction and damage; public education regarding the value of native plants and natural habitats, and the need for their care, protection, and responsible use; removal of invasive species; restoration of degraded areas to a more natural state; improving the habitat value of areas of mixed native and non-native vegetation.

CORE DUTIES

  1. Planning and oversight of native plant stewardship courses offered through WNPS.
  2. Provide and support on-going training for native plant stewards.

OTHER TASKS AND ACTIVITIES

  1. Plan and coordinate work parties that focus on native plants and habitats.
  2. Adopt a natural area or areas for on-going stewardship overseen by Koma Kulshan WNPS.
  3. Assist other organizations in their stewardship work. For example, completing botanical surveys and plant lists for Whatcom Land Trust properties.
  4. Establish and coordinate a cadre of Gardening with Natives (GN) advisors. GN advisors would be available to give tips on how to successfully grow different native species on a volunteer basis.

NATIVE PLANT STEWARDSHIP COURSE

This 6-week program is part of the WNPS Native Plant Stewardship Program. Participants who complete the training will be recognized as a WNPS Native Plant Steward and will have the opportunity to become a Park Steward with the Bellingham Parks Volunteer Program.

This no-cost course combines classroom learning with field trips to enrich understanding of the key roles that native plants play in our forests, rivers, shorelines, and other vital habitats, and shows how to use this knowledge to help protect and restore these habitats. The course provides 30 hours of learning including identification of important native and invasive plants, key wildlife-habitat relationships, restoration skills, and other topics. Home study of selected readings and videos supports classroom topics. In return, participants agree to provide 30 hours of service to local conservation and restoration projects within 18 months of completing the course.

The next Native Plant Stewarship Course will be offered in 2025. There is no tuition, but participants must be members of the Washington Native Plant Society. Cost for membership starts at $20. It’s easy to join! Visit http://www.wnps.org/join.html.

Please contact Allan at asrichardson5@gmail.com if you would like to join the group or have any questions.