Ordinance No. 20513 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Vegetation Composition and Structure In this section, we provide recommendations for riparian and riverine plant communities for the EWEB site that serve habitat functions for terrestrial and aquatic wildlife as well as experiential qualities of aesthetics, comfort and safety for people. We begin with a brief overview of four recommended habitat zones and their locations in the current master plan proposal. They include 1) Riparian Floodplain Zone, 2) Wetlands (Bioswales/Millpond Swale), 3) Upperbank/Midbank Habitat, and 4) Pollinator Prairies. We follow with descriptions of each community type, accompanied by a design palette of native species. Each community is specified in terms of a) the physical conditions required, b) comparative lists for canopy (tree) layer, shrub layer and ground layer species, identified by recommended dominant and subdominant species, and c) descriptions of desired density or cover for each layer. We end with a descriptive framework for plant community establishment and management, including invasive species management. The natural models for the proposed plant communities occur along a gradient related to proximity to the river and its hydrological influences, such as microclimate and plant access to groundwater (Figure 14). For this reason, the communities intergrade with one another to varying degrees and there is substantial overlap in species composition among them. In a designed landscape, transitions between community types may thus be gradual or abrupt depending on their desired form and function. .aee. u�w •tit �ir:nRa ■a• Figure 14. Diagrammatic Representation of Riparian and Upland Habitat. Source_ http: / /www.clark.wa.gov /commdev /education /ima eg s /RiperianZonePlants.jpg The community types and associated locations and acreages were established using our best professional judgment of what is appropriate for the site. We worked closely with Rowell Brokaw Architects to develop and refine the habitat zones and their locations, with the input from the Master Plan Community Advisory Team (Figure 15). 17