There are benefits in attending to area creeks

Dear Sandi: I was one of the people who stopped by your place last week when you were having some type of dedication ceremony, and I saw the big trucks and heavy equipment. Someone said you were widening the creek. I have enjoyed walking through your gardens a few times this summer and would like to know what you are planning next. —Curious Carol, Salem

Hi Curious Carol: Wow, if you were here on Sept. 28, then you know what a wild morning it was.

Pringle Creek behind loose ends has wider, slower-moving spots after a recent project to make it more environmentally friendly. Native plants will be added to the naked bank to make it inviting to the people who want to enjoy the creek.

Whether you're looking for handmade paper, furniture, fabric or accessories, you will find it at loose ends. If it is unusual, organic and fabulous, then loose ends is the place. Showroom hours are 8 am to 5 pm weekdays and the first Saturday of each month 10 am - 3pm at 2065 Madrona Ave. SE, Salem, or visit us online at www.looseends.com Questions? Give us a call at (503) 390-2348.

So, here is what is going on: We started talking with the Oregon Watershed people a couple of years ago about what they term stream-bank enhancement. The idea is to clean up our creeks and natural waterways, make them more habitable for the native fish and wildlife and to re-establish the native vegetation.

Oregon Watershed is a nonprofit group, and it has taken us two years to really get all the wrinkles ironed out and to get the necessary permission, permits, etc., to tackle this project. We are proud to be the first privately held land to voluntarily work with this group and to dedicate the necessary land to the project.

So, what you walked in on that Wednesday morning was our celebrating dedication ceremony that we were finally going to break ground on this long-awaited project. It was great. The weather cooperated and gave us a beautiful morning. Our mayor, Janet Taylor, was there, as was Jim Myron, policy advisor for Natural Resources from the Governor’s office. The Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School had some students there (they will be doing some of the planting and monitoring of the native plant material) and KATU filmed the event.

Usually our mornings are fairly quiet, with people starting to come in around their lunch hour and later, but something must have gone out in the ethers because we were loaded with customers that morning, so we just invited everyone out to take part in the festivities.

Sandi Reinke is an author, frequent television guest and lead designer for loose ends (www.loosends.com), a Salem-based interior décor, garden, and casual lifestyle company. To ask Reinke a decorating question, e-mail info@looseends.com or mail her at the showroom address, 2065 Madrona Ave. SE, Salem, OR 97302. Phone: 503-390-2348.

A huge machine that looks like a scorpion (or maybe a dinosaur) slowly moved up and down the entire length of our section of Pringle Creek, digging out huge mouthfuls of the bank and creating a couple of different surface levels. This will allow the creek to have slower “pooled” areas where the fish can rest, and it also will slow the creek down during heavy rainfalls.

The area will be planted with native vegetation. This will provide shade for the fish and covering for other little folks that live along the streambank (lots of frogs, lizards and a few snakes). Eventually, after this is well-established, we will add other material that is attractive and create a few places to sit, making it a place where you will want to spend time. If other property owners see this type of project as a way to enhance their property, then more people will be willing to work with these agencies to help preserve and restore what our urban growth has disturbed.

We are especially excited about the kids from the Jane Goodall Environmental School being involved in this. One of the things that we hope to do in the future is to make this project an ongoing learning process for any of the schools that want to integrate or use this.
October 14, 2005