COEUR d'ALENE - The health of native vegetation on Tubbs Hill plays an important role in maintaining the values the hill offers to so many people. As part of an effort to restore native trees to parts of Tubbs Hill, over 2,500 native tree and shrub seedlings will be planted on the hill this April.

Led by the Coeur d'Alene Parks Department and the Tubbs Hill Foundation, volunteers will be planting ponderosa pine, white pine, and larch seedlings, as well as chokecherry and Syringa shrubs. Volunteers will also be up-rooting small maple and cherry seedlings, and picking up trash April 9 through 16.

Tubbs Hill historically has been composed of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir trees, with some larch. With the exclusion of wildfire, shade-tolerant Douglas-fir became a larger part of the tree population than it would have under natural circumstances. The Douglas-fir developed root rot, which spread easily and caused many deaths the last decade.

Wind and birds played a part too by carrying seeds of Norway maple and cherry trees from adjoining neighborhoods onto the hill. The seeds sprouted in the shade of the native forest, aided by the sudden loss of trees to ice storm damage and root rot. The non-native tree seedlings responded to the increased sunlight with quick growth. The shade of these non-native trees has prevented the sun-loving young native trees from becoming established.

To restore native habitats, non-native trees were removed last summer from the north and east sides of Tubbs Hill in conjunction with a project to reduce the fuels that might lead to wildfire. It is on 20 of these acres that the new seedlings will be planted, and these are also the sites on Tubbs Hill with the greatest moisture. Ponderosa pine seedlings have been spot-planted on an additional 10 acres over the past five years. Because of their susceptibility to root rot, Douglas-fir seedlings will not be planted.

Information: Visit the parks department website at http://parks.cdaid.org or call 769-2266.