The City of Sweet Home and the South Santiam Watershed Council (SSWC) are partnering to restore approximately three acres of floodplain and wet meadow habitat along the east side of Ames Creek in Sankey Park. This area has been heavily impacted by invasive species, particularly Himalayan blackberry and reed canary grass.

This project is part of a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP). SEPs enable entities with Oregon DEQ violations to collaborate with nonprofit organizations and undertake meaningful environmental projects that benefit both the watershed and community. After receiving notification of an Oregon DEQ violation in 2023, the City of Sweet Home chose to invest in restoration work to offset a portion of the associated fine. Sweet Home and SSWC have a history of successful collaboration in Sankey Park. In the mid-2000s, the Council partnered with the City’s Parks and Recreation Department and the South Santiam Youth Watershed Council on an Ames Creek restoration project. That effort enhanced in-stream habitat, improved water quality, and created better fish and wildlife habitat in a segment of Ames Creek that had been affected by an old mill dam. The project also engaged local students in stream habitat studies, which helped raise awareness and earned recognition for the partnership.

This project builds on roughly two decades of restoration efforts by the City of Sweet Home and SSWC to improve Ames Creek and Sankey Park. By restoring native vegetation and wildlife habitat, the project will support a healthier creek, a more resilient floodplain, and a healthier public space for community members.