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Commission reviews Confluence vegetation-management plan, urges invasive-species action
Summary
Commissioners and staff reviewed the draft Confluence North/South ecological assessment (CNS plan), sought priorities and timelines, and debated whether invasive-species control should wait until after dredging or begin sooner to limit downstream spread.
Commissioners and staff discussed a draft ecological assessment and vegetation-management plan for the Confluence North and South Forks, seeking input on priorities, timeline and restoration approaches.
Presenter Evelyn introduced the plan and summarized recent vegetation surveys and stakeholder outreach: “We’ve got quite a bit of invasive species, especially along the North Fork and South Fork,” she said, and asked the commission for feedback on recommendations and the priority table at the end of the report.
Members debated sequencing of invasive-species work and dredging. One commissioner noted that if dredging is years away, it may not make sense to delay invasive-species control for the dredge date. "Timing is everything," a commissioner said, urging the group not to postpone treatment for several years.
The plan includes unit-level recommendations such as targeted mowing of invasives, dredging that minimizes new access points, and prescribed burns on a rotating basis where appropriate. Evelyn noted some units can be burned regularly while other areas with heavy invasive loading may require removal work first.
The commission agreed to solicit written comments and to consider a joint meeting with the Conservancy Lands Committee if public input warrants further discussion. Staff said it will gather additional details on vegetation heights and other modeling inputs for inclusion in the final plan.
Next steps: commissioners can submit comments to staff by the end of July so staff can consolidate feedback before the next meeting.
