Healthy Streams

Healthy stream bank vegetation reduces erosion and provides habitat for fish, animals, and birds. Stream bank vegetation can also increase property value and reduces flood damage if maintained correctly. If you own a property with a stream or know someone who will let you restore their stream bank, a healthy habitat can be created  with these simple steps:

1.  Estimate the square footage. Multiply width by length to determine the total square feet.
2. Calculate how many plants you need.  Plant a mix of trees, shrubs, and native grasses.  
   •  # of Trees = square feet of streambank (from step 1) x 0.01
   •  # of Shrubs = square feet of streambank (from step 1) x 0.05​
3. Determine the types of plants you want for your streambank.  
   • Prioritize native plants.
   • Free plants are available through the City's Trees for Streams program if you live inside of the city limits. 
4. Remove invasive species from the area.  Invasive plants look "pretty" but they are not healthy.  
   • Invasive plant list OSU Extension website.    
5. Plant your site.  The best time to plant a site is from January to June so that the plants can establish roots.  
6. Water as needed the first 2 years so the plants create a healthy root system.

Call your neighbors together, create a stream renovation project or contact us at

environment@newbergoregon.gov or 503.537.1282   We can work together and make it happen!