Harkins Slough Filter Strip

Harkins Slough Filter Strip

The South farm field at High Ground Organics Farm drains down a hemlock dominated hill in to a small riparian corridor/historic erosion gully and then straight into Harkins Slough. When the farmers purchased this property in 2000, they began to plant willows, cottonwoods and alders in the small riparian corridor/erosion gully to provide root structure that would slow down some of the runoff from this field, trap sediment and provide habitat for the numerous bird species in Harkins Slough. Last year with a small grant from the Fish and Game Commission we began the second phase of this project which is to eradicate the poison hemlock on the slope that connects the farm field with riparian corridor. We planted a 2,000 sq. ft. area that was once dominated by poison hemlock with deep rooted and rhizome forming grasses, sedges and rushes to further trap the sediment and heightened nutrients draining off the farm field into Harkins Slough. This project seeks to expand that successful planting model to another 5,000 sq. ft. of hemlock dominated bill. Our goal once again is to diversify the area with at least 4,000 locally collected native plants.

Santa Cruz