Program on the Environment

Wet meadows, a key ecosystem that filters pollutants, regulates floods, and provides habitat for threatened species, have all but disappeared from the Puget Sound lowlands over the past two centuries. Through recreation in these spaces, personal connections drive support for conservation and restoration. However, trail use may harm many meadow plants and limit the functions they provide. This study assessed the relationship between trails and vegetation in a degraded wet meadow in Warren G. Magnuson Park, an environment with little trail impact research to date. Understory plant height and species composition data were collected over four weeks along two trails using a line-point intercept method of vegetation sampling. Vegetation height and structural diversity decreased with proximity to trails, especially along a gravel trail with higher traffic volume, likely due to trampling and altered soil and hydrology. The density of trail networks and non-trail structures, such as stormwater drains, may also be strong sources of degradation in urban wet meadows. Best practices for managing and restoring this site were identified based on a literature review and observations during an internship with a local volunteer restoration organization. Filling in stormwater drains to prolong flood periods was predicted to be the most efficient method overall. Off-trail activity would be reduced by creating wetter conditions that deter hikers, while simultaneously supporting biodiversity and ecosystem function. While recreation helps garner support for conservation efforts, trail design must prioritize reducing impacts on vegetation to maintain native, healthy habitat.