Peninsula Environmental recently volunteered our dump truck and dump trailer an English Ivy remediation effort along the pedestrian ramp off of Oak St. in downtown Port Angeles. This community project was organized by Carolyn Wilcox (ExperienceOlympic) and volunteers included local community members and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe’s re-vegetation team, and Peninsula Environmental. All together we removed 20 tons of English Ivy.
Volunteers were able to remove several large stretches of English Ivy, an invasive plant species that destabilizes slope areas and displaces native plants. After removing the ivy, native plant species were then planted in the open spaces in order to help restore the natural habitat and reduce the potential for erosion and runoff along the slope.
English ivy increases landslide and erosion risk on steep slopes in a variety of ways. Predominately, their shallow roots do little to mechanically grasp and adhere to soils, allowing those soils to easily wash away in rainstorms. After removing the English ivy from the hillside, we noted substantial erosion on the cement below retaining wall, and large pockets of sloughing and destabilized soils. Woody plants mechanically grip to soils through their vast network of roots. As woody plants and trees sway and rock in the wind, their roots actually spread further to compensate for the above-ground movement. This in turn further stabilizes soils on steep slopes.
Peninsula Environmental offers Aerial Mapping and Photography services using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology, commonly referred to as drones. Our FAA Certified Remote Pilot, Dan Sullivan, flew our drone over the ivy removal site to capture hi-resolution images, 4K quality video, and even generated a 3D model of the slope area that can be reviewed in real-time in the box below. Want to learn more about the services we offer, or want us to fly your property? Learn more here.
