Projects and Research

Project Overview

The refuge’s Rock Creek unit, located along Rock Creek and near Tonquin Road, is an important parcel as part of the larger Rock Creek Floodplain and surrounding forested areas. For the next 3-5 years, the site will undergo active restoration to return to a scrub-shrub wetland; a community of woody shrubs and emergent wetland plants that will be beneficial to a variety of songbirds, marsh birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The refuge has partnered with Clean Water Services on restoration at this site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has herbicide spraying occurred at this site?

In order to restore the site to a scrub-shrub wetland (a habitat comprised of shrubs lining a wetland), significant control of invasive species needs to occur. The main target of this round of herbicide spray treatment was reed canarygrass, which currently dominates the landscape, preventing native species from growing. In general, invasive species such as reed canarygrass cause environmental harm by displacing native vegetation, altering ecological processes (e.g., hydrology), and degrading the quality of habitats used by wildlife. Due to site conditions, mechanical methods of control, such as mowing, grazing, etc, are not feasible. 

What is the impact of herbicide spraying on the current habitat and the species that are there?

Before spraying can occur, herbicide is specifically selected for each site and target species. Each prospective herbicide needs to be approved by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), and the refuge consults Service toxicologists and biologists to minimize disturbance. Throughout the herbicide approval process, many environmental factors are considered. Herbicide applicators are beholden to following Service-approved best practices, including spray methodology, and appropriate herbicide dilutions to limit undesired impacts to nontarget and native species. After this initial round of spraying, we will assess the current site conditions to determine future management needs. 

What will the site look like in the future?

Projected plans for this scrub-shrub wetland will likely encompass a wetland filled with emergent vegetation, (sedges and rushes, etc), and woody shrubs such as rose spirea and willow that will border the wetland. Habitat types such as these are important to our region and will facilitate habitat favorable to birds like willow flycatcher, American bittern, and common yellowthroat. Further, the mix of shrubs and wetland vegetation will be beneficial habitat to amphibians and reptiles such as the western pond turtle, and northern red-legged frog. While there are birds and other species currently on the landscape, this restoration project will increase the biodiversity of the site, and help return it to a functioning ecosystem that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of species.

What is the timeline for this project?

Non-native vegetation management will go through 2026, with multiple herbicide treatments. Intermittently, the public can expect to see reed canarygrass brown and thin as part of this phase in the restoration process. The uplands will get one or two more spot treatments during the summer of 2025. Following this, native planting and seeding will begin in 2025, and the improved habitat will start to take shape.

Project Overview

The Chicken Creek restoration project is complete. The natural flow of the creek is back and flourishing on this beautiful landscape. The once meandering Chicken Creek was converted to a straight channel on what is now refuge lands, when the area was once utilized for agriculture. Though this shortened, half-mile straight channel was beneficial for farmland, it significantly reduced habitat for native species. This restoration project has returned Chicken Creek back to a two mile meandering system that once existed. The project began in the summer of 2019, and concluded in November of 2021. 

Answers and various insights listed below for our new Chicken Creek Walking Tour Sign Project. Come out to the refuge to learn more about this fantastic project and learn some of the behind the scenes information about all this restoration has to offer. 

The Restorative Power of Humans and Nature Working Together

One way to describe the Chicken Creek Restoration Project would be to say that it turned a straight ditch into a meandering creek through the refuge. But that would miss what the project was really all about—people and nature working together to create a sustainable system that supports healthy habitats for wildlife and lovers of wildlife (a.k.a. all of us).

El Poder de Restauración cuando los Seres Humanos y la Naturaleza Trabajan Juntos

Si quisiéramos describir el proyecto de restauración de Chicken Creek diríamos que una zanja recta se convirtió en un arroyo lleno de curvas que se mueve a través del refugio. Pero eso no describiría adecuadamente de qué se trató realmente el proyecto: Las personas y la naturaleza trabajando juntas para crear un sistema sostenible que apoya hábitats saludables para la vida silvestre y quienes la aman (también conocidos como todos nosotros).

What might the refuge look like in a few years?

Now that the heavy work of machines are complete, nature will take over the restoration process. But don’t expect instant transformation. Nature is patient, and we should be, too. Once time and the teeth of nature’s most talented engineers—beavers—have had their way, the restoration area will be hopping with an even wider variety of plant and animal life.

¿Cómo será el refugio dentro de unos años?

Ahora que el trabajo pesado de las máquinas ya está completo, la naturaleza se hará cargo del proceso de restauración. Pero no esperes una transformación instantánea. La naturaleza es paciente, y nosotros también deberíamos serlo. Una vez que el tiempo y los dientes de los ingenieros más talentosos de la naturaleza, es decir, los castores, hayan hecho su trabajo, el área de restauración estará repleta de una variedad aún mas amplia de vida vegetal y animal.

Who’s that living under the sea…er…creek?

Water is essential to life on planet Earth, so it makes sense that there’s tons of life that a healthier Chicken Creek will now support. Two species, in particular, that stand to benefit a lot are Western brook lamprey and cutthroat trout. We know what you might be thinking, “Wow, fish and eels live in the creek.” Well, surprise! Both of these aquatic species are fish.

¿Quién es ese que vive bajo el mar... digo… arroyo?

El agua es esencial para la vida en el planeta Tierra, por lo que tiene sentido que ahora vaya a haber mucha más vida silvestre que se pueda sustentar en este arroyo Chicken Creek. Dos especies, en particular, que se beneficiarán mucho son la lamprea “Western Brook” y la trucha “Cutthroat”. Nos imaginamos lo que están pensando: "Guau, los peces y las anguilas viven en el mismo arroyo!”. ¡Sorpresa! De hecho, Ambas especies acuáticas son peces.

Patience Required: The Pace of Nature is Slow and Steady

The waters of Chicken Creek ran in a straight ditch through the refuge for over 100 years to support Western-style agriculture. Now that the path is meandering, the flow of the water will slow, depositing more nutrients and sediment, creating better habitat for wildlife to eat, rest, and reproduce. When the day came to finally reconnect the creek to its more natural, historic path, it took 86 HOURS for the first drops of water to make it from where the creek enters the refuge to where it flows under one of our new bridges. How do we know? We counted. Now THAT’S patience!

Hay que tener Paciencia: el Ritmo de la Naturaleza es Lento y Constante

Las aguas del arroyo Chicken Creek se movieron por una zanja recta a través del refugio por más de 100 años para sustentar la agricultura de la época. Ahora que el camino es serpenteante, el flujo del agua disminuirá, depositando más nutrientes y sedimentos, creando así un mejor hábitat para que la vida silvestre coma, descanse y se reproduzca. Cuando llegó el día para finalmente volver a conectar el arroyo a su camino original y más natural, las primeras gotas de agua tardaron 86 HORAS en llegar desde donde el arroyo entra al refugio hasta donde fluye bajo uno de nuestros nuevos puentes. ¿Como losabemos? Las contamos! ¡Eso es paciencia!

Underwater Trail: Sometimes Nature has its Own Ideas

When we say “nature is going to take over now,” that includes ways that we can’t even predict. A portion of the trail, not far from the Refuge Wayside, was underwater after some heavy, sustained Spring rain. It was a surprise to staff, who are now working to find a solution that will keep the trail above water. But, it’s also expected that more “surprises” will emerge, especially after one particular critter gets busy along the new creek channel.

Beavers are nature’s engineers and we’ve always planned on them having a big effect on the long-term recovery of this land. As they get to doing their natural thing, blocking up moving water and spreading it across the landscape, all kinds of new life will emerge and the area will take on a whole new appearance. Beavers are nocturnal (up all night), so they’re hard to see in action.

Sendero Bajo el Agua: A veces la Naturaleza tiene sus Propias Ideas

Cuando decimos que "la naturaleza se hará cargo ahora", eso incluye maneras que ni siquiera pudimos predecir. Una parte del sendero, no lejos del lado del Refugio, quedó bajo el agua después de una fuerte lluvia de primavera. Fue una sorpresa para el personal, que ahora está trabajando para encontrar una solución que mantenga el sendero seco y fuera del agua. Pero también se espera que surjan aun más "sorpresas", especialmente después de que una criatura muy especial se ponga a trabajar a lo largo del nuevo canal del arroyo.

Estamos hablando por supuesto de los castores, quienes son ingenieros de la naturaleza. Siempre hemos planeado que tengan un gran efecto en la recuperación a largo plazo de esta tierra. A medida que hagan su trabajo natural, bloqueando el agua en movimiento y esparciéndola por el paisaje, surgirá todo tipo de vida nueva y el área tendrá una apariencia completamente nueva. Los castores son animales nocturnos (están despiertos toda la noche), por lo que es difícil verlos en acción.