For More Information Contact:
Joe Harwood, 685-7471
Eugene Water & Electric Board

Sept. 17, 2009

Students to team with EWEB to build native plant garden

The Eugene Water & Electric Board is teaming up with students of the Lane Metro Youth Corps and Rob Hoffman, a local stone mason, to build a native plant demonstration garden immediately west of the Leaburg Lake Dam starting Monday morning, Sept. 21.

The terraced garden, to be constructed of dry-stack stone planter beds, will include native plants such as vine maple, Pacific dogwood, red flowering currant, Oregon grape, ocean spray and mock orange. The garden was designed by Tulsi Wallace of Litus LLC to attract local birds and other wildlife.   

“The garden will demonstrate how vegetation native to the area can be used in residential settings to increase ecological connectivity and improve water conservation,” said Debbie Spresser, EWEB's environmental specialist. “High school students will be constructing the stone planter beds under the tutelage of a professional stone mason, so they get to learn new professional and creative skills.”

The gravel lot near the beginning of the Leaburg Power Canal will be closed during the construction. The closure will also extend to the footbridge spanning the canal. Access to the canal trail will be allowed from other locations during construction activities.

Construction will take place weekdays, Monday through Friday, until Oct. 8.

The demonstration garden is part of a larger Lower McKenzie Bird Gardens & Trail Pilot Project, which includes the construction of bird gardens at the Walterville Powerhouse and the creation of a native flower “seed bank.”