The Blackjack Creek Preserve is a 54.5-acre site located 3 miles south of the City of Port Orchard, Washington. The Preserve is located within the Blackjack Creek floodplain, and is part of a larger 250-acre wetland complex. At the time of land acquisition the Project was a partially bermed, ditched, and drained livestock pasture. The pasture was actively grazed, devoid of trees or shrubs, and dominated by
reed canarygrass.

Restoration activities associated with the project will result in 54.5 acres of land returned to its historic mosaic of native emergent marsh, scrub-shrub, forested wetland, and stream channel communities. In addition, portions of Blackjack Creek will be re-meandered and a functioning riparian zone will be established along the creek. The restoration activities on this Project will help replace the natural functions and processes to the site and will contribute to improved water quality, hydrology, and native fish and wildlife habitat values within the Blackjack Creek watershed and Blackjack Creek.

To date, 8 acres of the project have been restored to provide wetland mitigation for the Washington State Department of Transportation. The restoration of the 8-acre portion of the project commenced in 2008 and consisted of channel and hummock construction, large woody debris installation, emergent marsh vegetation installation, and native tree and shrub planting. Additional plantings were installed during the winter of 2009. The restored 8 acres have been protected by a recorded conservation easement and will be monitored and maintained in perpetuity.

Future plans for the Preserve include restoring, enhancing, and rehabilitating the remaining 46 acres to high functioning wetlands by plugging existing ditches, re-grading areas to restore a meandering stream channel and adjacent wetlands, installing large woody debris, planting native vegetation, and controlling invasive species. These restoration activities can be used to offset impacts to wetlands and open waters in the region.

Project Highlights

• Within Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 15
• Restore emergent marsh, scrub-shrub, forested wetland, and meandering stream channel
• Contributes to improved water quality, hydrology, and native fish and wildlife habitat values