Pierce Conservation District outlines restoration plan, volunteer events at Nelson Nature Park

Brian Mullman, habitat stewardship program manager for the Pierce Conservation District, told the Edgewood Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on Feb. 12 that his office has begun a multi‑year restoration effort at Nelson Nature Park focused on riparian and wetland habitat.

“My name is Brian. I work with Pierce Conservation District as the habitat stewardship program manager,” Mullman said, and described a first season of activity that included seven total activities and four volunteer events that together drew about 77 participants. Mullman said the four volunteer events averaged “closing in on 20 folks per event.”

Mullman said the district removed large stands of invasive blackberry in 2024 and is now moving into “resurgence, prevention” and planting phases. He presented a three‑zone planting concept developed by Hillary, a landscape designer on his green stormwater infrastructure team, and said the focused area is roughly 6,000 square feet just past the footbridge and porta‑potty.

The plan divides the path into Zone A (low perennials and pollinator plants along the immediate path), Zone B (waist‑high shrubs such as goldenrod and Douglas aster) and Zone C (thicker shrubs on the wetland side like salmonberry and thimbleberry). Mullman said the objective is to “suppress that, remove it, and eradicate it further,” referring to blackberry resurgence, and to replace invasive cover with a biodiverse native understory and overstory to improve habitat and water filtration.

He listed three upcoming volunteer events: March 22 (noon–3 p.m.), April 26 (Earth Day event, 9 a.m.–noon) and May 24 (noon–3 p.m.). Mullman said staff prepared several cost estimates for initial plant purchases, ranging from roughly $400 for a modest, phased approach to about $1,000 for a fuller planting; another larger estimate on his slide also listed roughly $1,000. He said a phased approach would allow volunteers and staff to water and tend new plants through the first summer.

Board members and volunteers raised maintenance and safety concerns. Board member Anne Percival cautioned against planting species that can grow very dense near the streetside path and asked for attention to CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) sight lines. A board member suggested avoiding ninebark at the street edge and recommended caution with some roses and with yellow flag iris in wet areas.

Mullman said the district is already working with at least two local residents, “Scott and Curtis,” who will serve as habitat stewards and help manage events. He also said the district will try to source lower‑cost bare‑root plants from local native plant sales and local nurseries and asked whether Friends of the Parks or the city could contribute funds for plant material. Several attendees offered to donate plants from personal stock or bring purchases from regional nurseries.

Mullman said the district has a longer restoration phasing plan for Nelson Nature Park and will continue to work the park from south to north, moving areas through stages of invasive removal, planting and maintenance until the sites become self‑sustaining.

The board and Mullman agreed to coordinate on funding and volunteer logistics; Mullman said he would send event information and contact details to the board and volunteers.