Funding Provided by:
KEEN WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT
Learn more about the plants and animals that live in our restored wetland! This is an ongoing project and we'll post regular updates.
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Restoring a Wetland, Connecting People to Nature
The Yakima Canyon Interpretive Center (YCIC) is home to a seasonal wetland that provides important habitat for birds, amphibians, insects, and other wildlife in the shrub-steppe landscape of the Yakima River Canyon.
Once heavily affected by gravel extraction and invasive vegetation, this area is now the focus of an ongoing restoration effort led by the Kittitas Environmental Education Network (KEEN).
Our wetland restoration project is bringing native vegetation back to the landscape, improving habitat diversity, and creating new opportunities for visitors to discover the ecological importance of wetlands in an otherwise dry environment.
Bringing the Wetland Back to Life
The seasonal wetland at YCIC is a unique and valuable part of the surrounding shrub-steppe ecosystem. Although it may appear dry for much of the year, seasonal water creates important habitat and supports a surprising diversity of life.
One of the biggest challenges has been the spread of reed canary grass, an aggressive invasive plant that can form dense stands and crowd out native vegetation. KEEN is working to manage invasive plants and reestablish a diverse community of native trees, shrubs, and wetland plants.
Restoration efforts include planting native species such as willows, dogwoods, hawthorns, aspen, chokecherry, elderberry, and other plants suited to the wetland and its transitional habitat. These plantings will help provide food and shelter for wildlife, strengthen the ecological health of the site, and create a more resilient landscape.
This work is happening over time, with careful attention to the different conditions found across the wetland and the surrounding upland. Volunteers, community partners, and students all play an important role in helping restore this special place.
Learning Through Interpretive Signs
Restoration is about more than bringing native plants back to the landscape. It is also an opportunity to help people understand the natural systems around them.
KEEN is developing interpretive signs that will help visitors explore the wetland and discover the connections between water, plants, wildlife, and the broader shrub-steppe ecosystem. The signs will introduce visitors to the area's seasonal cycles, native species, wetland ecology, and the importance of restoring and protecting habitat.
Designed to make ecological concepts accessible to visitors of different ages and backgrounds, the signs will encourage observation, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of the landscape. They will also highlight the role of community stewardship in caring for the natural places we share.
A Community Effort
The wetland restoration and interpretive signage projects reflect KEEN's commitment to combining hands-on conservation with meaningful environmental education.
Through partnerships, grant support, volunteer work parties, and community participation, we are transforming a previously disturbed area into a place where wildlife can thrive and people can learn.
Whether you're helping plant a native shrub, exploring the wetland trail, or stopping to read an interpretive sign, you're part of the ongoing story of restoration at the Yakima Canyon Interpretive Center.
