Project profile: Native plantings
The Amberglen Good Works native plantings project, led by Tiffany and Dave Kullgren, was originally proposed on Town Square in April of this year. Their ideas generated enthusiastic support from many members of our community. At the encouragement of AGW steering committee member Ron Rowe, the couple presented their plans at our August meeting.
Dave and Tiffany live about a block from the “big, ugly dirt patch,” where 67th Avenue meets 114th Street, and felt they could contribute towards solving the big, ugly problem. In Tiffany’s words: “I got the idea from the Oregon white oaks that are already near there and googled ‘native plants with Oregon white oaks.’ I found Conserving White Oak in Urban and Suburban Landscapes, which had been done by Mark Griswold Wilson and Ted Labbe, and was funded by Clackamas, Tualatin, and West Multnomah soil and water conservation districts. I used this as a reference guide, as they had already done all the work including listing the native companion plants.”
Using the measurements of the area that her husband provided, Tiffany selected native companion plants and drew up plans, even though, as she puts it: “I’m not a landscape architect, just obsessed with native plants.”
Then drawing from their past experience with native plants, they used a source already familiar to them. “We have purchased native plants from Sparrowhawk Native Plants for our yard and knew that the plants would cost less if we ordered them through their site; and they already had an Oakscape tab (https://sparrowhawknativeplants.com/collections/oakscape), so it made the whole process easy!”
Tiffany’s passion for native plants is evident when you hear her talk about them: “I would like to share that our area is home to oak savannah ecosystems. I did not know this and I’m a native Oregonian! So, I thought that was really cool and maybe other people will, too! Another great example of our oak savannah landscape that people can visit is https://www.fws.gov/refuge/ridgefield/visit-us. We went to visit and it’s a beautiful place, where you can even do a drive-through tour.” Additionally, she says, “I wish I had known more about native plants before we planted our yard. We would have planted more natives! The plant I am most excited about, but does not look like much, is Roemer’s fescue. Per the Sparrowhawk Natives website: it was once common in our oak savannas but has been overtaken by invasive weeds. So, a chance to plant Roemer’s fescue helps bring it back to our area.”
The Kullgrens’ infectious enthusiasm for their project, its clear benefit to our community, and the many residents showing an interest in it made it easy for the AGW steering committee to rally behind their efforts. Dave and Tiffany have already done most of the planning work; the hurdles that remain for the project are ones that AGW can help with: obtaining approval from the HOA, Architectural Review Committee, and Clark County; soliciting donations from our community, if necessary; and providing volunteers to help with any manpower requirements. There has been good progress:
- Obtaining approval from governing bodies has already begun, and thus far, the signs are good.
- The total cost for the native plants purchased through Sparrowhawk Native Plants will be $174.05, though there will also be some additional costs for soil mix and bark dust. The HOA may assume some of the costs, but there’s no final word on that yet. If you want to pledge your support, please contact AGW, at amberglengoodworks@gmail.com. You’ll be contacted only in the event that HOA financial support becomes unavailable.
- Planting is scheduled to begin after mid-October, to give the plants a full rainy season to get acclimated. The AGW will call for volunteers as that time draws near.
The native plants project appears to be headed for success, propelled by the dedicated work of passionate community members, as well as the support provided by Amberglen Good Works. The AGW has had success in the past with marshaling resources to support community projects, and is confident that those experiences will help with this project.
Tiffany concludes: “I wanted to mention that if you drive around and see the new developments, including the ones across 119th: The land has been cleared, but the Oregon white oaks remain! They cannot cut them down! So, I learned a lot from doing this…! Thank you to the AGW for letting me do this. I love the NW and anything I can do to help the environment amongst all the development makes me happy!”