(This is the third in a series on native plants that will help maintain the health
of our local landscapes and waterways.)

Oh, the stories they could tell.

For thousands of years our great mountains have held them close and our
rushing rivers have saluted them.

The Douglas fir, Western red-cedar and red alder are our quiet sentinels,
standing tall and majestic, shading wider sections of our rivers to maintain the
cool temperatures that salmon need to survive.

“We recognize the important value of trees in the buffer zone along local
rivers and creeks and ask residents to maintain native vegetation in at least
75 percent of that zone,” said Russ Plaeger of the Sandy River Basin
Watershed Council. “A healthy buffer zone is good for you, your property and
fish and wildlife.”

Given their great size and longevity, it is best to plant these trees in places
where they will have room to grow to their full potential.

The seeds of the firs and cedars attract flocks of birds such as grosbeaks,
nuthatches and siskins in the autumn. Birds and flying squirrels nest in their
cavities of the mature trees while the deeply fluted bark of the old firs
provides habitat for hundreds of creatures.

“While we often think of standing trees as providing wildlife habitat, firs and
cedars that fall into a stream also play an extremely important role,” Plaeger
said. “As water flows over and around fallen trees it scours out pools that
provide salmon with cold water refuges on hot summer days. That’s one
reason why the watershed council partners with private landowners to add
wood to streams where appropriate.”

Large wood helps form the backbone of a stream, and trees that were planted
by watershed council volunteers this winter may fall into the water 200 years
from now.

“Planting a tree means leaving a legacy for future generations of people, fish
and wildlife,” Plaeger said.

It takes many needles breaking out each spring from the Douglas fir’s sharp
pointed buds and many years to reach its grand height of more than 200 feet,
but they are up to the task. While they can grow in partial shade, Douglas firs
will do best in full sun on a moist to dry site that has good drainage.

Red-cedars are shade tolerant so they can be successfully planted under a
canopy of alders if there are alders already growing on the land. They will
take their rightful place as the next forest when the alders die off. Cedars are
usually wind-firm, rarely shed limbs and can be pruned if needed. The
flattened foliage forms graceful sprays on limbs that tend to turn upward at
the ends. Northwest coast natives used the gray to reddish-brown, fibrous
bark to make baskets, rope and clothing.

Alders will often seed on a site after ground disturbance, and they’re good for
creating quick cover or screening. The deciduous leaves provide food for the
larvae of swallowtail butterflies and aquatic insects that in turn are eaten by
fish. The leaves are elliptical with toothed edges, a pointy tip, and alternate
along the limbs. The smooth, gray bark is easily recognized by the white
patches of lichens that attach to it. The roots of alders provide a home for
bacteria than can fix atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by plants, thus
improving soil fertility.

Treat our forests and streams kindly. These sentinels are watching, listening,
and tell stories.