Description:
John Bornsworth presents Managing Trees & Vegetation on Puget Sound Shorelines Workshop in Olympia at the Olympia Campus of the South Puget Sound Community College on October 23, 2026. This workshop starts at 8:00 am - 4:30 pm and includes lunch if registered before the deadline date.
Puget Sound shorelines represent some of the most environmentally complex and heavily regulated landscapes in the Pacific Northwest. This one-day course provides an interdisciplinary overview of shoreline ecology, coastal processes, tree and vegetation management, and shoreline restoration. The workshop focuses on the role trees and vegetation play in ecological function, slope stability, site hydrology, and habitat. Instructor John Bornsworth will discuss how shoreline processes function naturally, how development alters these systems, and how arboricultural decisions influence both environmental and human outcomes.
Topics include a brief introduction to shoreline geomorphology, coastal processes, landslide susceptibility, and triggers before diving deeper into the relationship between trees, vegetation, and these unique landscapes. The course explores the hydrological, mechanical, and ecological functions of trees and vegetation, including the strengths, limitations, and common misconceptions surrounding vegetation-based stabilization. Participants will review best management practices for shoreline tree care, including pre-development planning, viewshed management, hazard tree management, common construction impacts, debris management, erosion control, and restoration planning. The course also includes practical guidance on shoreline noxious weed management, erosion control, and restoration strategies using both manual and chemical controls.
Case studies drawn from real shoreline projects throughout Washington State will be used to illustrate common conflicts, permitting challenges, and practical approaches to balancing ecological protection, property use, and long-term shoreline resilience.
Registration:
https://pnwisa.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2064391&group=