First of all, you need trees and shrubs along your streambanks to help keep the banks from washing away, and fish like me need them too! Douglas Fir, Cedar, Big Leaf Maple, and other native trees and shrubs keep the water cool, hopefully around 50 degrees F. Not only that, but leaves that fall into the stream give the water insects (my dinner) something to eat. A wide lawn along the stream means warm water for fish and crumbling banks for you!

Here's how you can help!

• Preserve stream buffers. If your streambanks already have a "natural buffer" of trees and shrubs, that's terrific! The wider the buffer, the healthier the stream.
  
  
• Plant native plants. If your streambanks don't have native trees and shrubs, please plant some! The groups listed below can help with your planting project and may be able to provide free or low-cost plants:
  
  Project Planning and Design - Thurston Conservation District (360) 754-3588
  City of Olympia (360) 753-8454 (residents only)
  
  Native Plant Information - Native Plant
  Salvage Project (360) 754-3588 ext. 110
  (Call this number to purchase "Grow Your Own Native Landscape," a terrific resource with information on what plants to use and where to get them.)
  
  Volunteer Help with Planting
  Stream Team Program:
     Olympia (360) 753-8454
     Lacey (360) 438-2687
     Tumwater (360) 754-4148
     Thurston County (360) 754-4681

Trees Please!
Native Plants Get Our Vote
Slow the Flow
Muddy Water Blues
No Poisons Please

We've Been Slimed!
A Word About Waste
The Salmon Life Cycle
We're on the Go!
Contacts

• E-mail maunc@co.thurston.wa.us
• Call the Thurston County Storm & Surface
  Water Program at (360) 754-4681
  or TDD (360) 754-2933