Tuleyome initiates weed eradication project on Cache Creek

As most people who visit this site know, Tuleyome is a watershed-wide non-profit of which I'm heavily involved. One of our projects was to protect Cache Creek as a State Wild and Scenic River. After we were successful, we began work with the Bureau of Land Management and state Department of Fish and Game on an eradication of invasive Tamarisk and Arundo plants along the stretch of Cache Creek known as the 'Wilderness Run'. This section of the creek is only easily accessible by kayak. So, volunteer teams of 'weed-yakers' float down the creek, stopping at the invasive plants and cutting them down. We have a certified pesticide applicator who then brushes the cut stumps with herbicide to kill the plants. Retreatments will occur as necesary to kill resprouts.

Luckily, there are only 58 or so plants along the 19 miles of the Wilderness Run. This means we can manage the plants using our volunteer crews, before they get out of control!


After cutting the huge Tamarisk clump

Before cutting that same clump


A big cump of Arundo

Cutting the arundo down and passing the stalks up to a crew, who will spread them to dry.

Finished with the arundo clump removal. The bare spot to the right of one of our weed-yakers is where the cluster was growing.

If you have a kayak and want to help out, let me know!

Lynch Canyon to Cache Creek Ridge hike

The final hike of our 2005-2006 season was a long one. Our ten-mile hike progressed through the oak woodlands of the Cache Creek Natural area, starting at Lynch Canyon off of Highway 20, heading through the heart of the Bear Creek Unit, past the Roadkill Café, and up the Dunfield Springs cutoff, to intersect with Cache Creek Ridge. From Cache Creek Ridge we headed southeast to Bear Creek.

I’d never taken the Dunfield Spring Cutoff before, so I was interested in seeing this route. It was fantastic, as expected, and provides a great way to get to Cache Creek Ridge from the valley at the end of Lynch Canyon.

The weather was fabulous, with temperatures in the 70’s until after lunch. It’s been a real mild summer, thus far.

This concluded our hiking season, but expect updates on Cache Creek kayaking this summer.