30 City Trees
support nesting birds and raptors, serve
as refuge for native wildlife, and provide
sediment and nourishment to our beaches
as they erode along the shoreline.
Our first large scale restoration project to
specifically address restoration to improve
the stability of steep bluff slopes, the
Schuster Slope (31 acres/12.6 ha), has just
finished the first phase of restoration after a
two-year public process to develop a land
-
scape management plan for the property.
Schuster Slope is located along the west
shore of Commencement Bay in Tacoma.
The lack of healthy vegetation on the
steep slope, along with frequent rainfall,
causes Schuster Slope to experience skin
slides, debris flows, and sloughing as it
tries to revert to its pre-development,
natural feeder bluff state. The entire
Schuster Slope area is classified as a
Critical Area under Tacoma Municipal
Code (TMC) 13.11 due to the steep
slopes, wetlands, streams, and priority
habitat (as defined by the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife). For
long-term management activities to occur,
a 20-year programmatic minor develop-
ment permit was obtained, allowing the
Environmental Services Department to
efficiently move forward with restoration
actions to address the slope stability.
The work that was just completed in March
is on a 3-acre (1.2-ha) portion at the
southernmost point of the slope, which
has been designated as Management
Unit 1. This site was deemed to be the
highest priority for restoration, due to the
complicated site conditions. Highlights of
the work in this area include removal of
8-10 unsafe trees; removal of over an acre
(.4 ha) of invasive weeds; installation of
nearly 1.5 acres (.6 ha) of erosion control
nets, blankets and straw wattles; posting
of signs to educate the public and help
deter vandalism, dumping, and encamp
-
ments; and planting approximately 450
trees and 5,700 shrubs and groundcovers.
You can see the Schuster Slope
Landscape Management Plan
here and
follow the project implementation
here.
—Michael Carey, Urban Forest
Program Manager, ISA Certified
Arborist, City of Tacoma
Environmental Services
Washington Conservation Corp crews hard at work installing erosion control blankets on
Schuster Slope. Photo Courtesy City of Tacoma
Erosion control and plantings along the Schuster hillside in between existing trees. Photo
Courtesy City of Tacoma
