From coastal wetlands to the mountain meadows, we understand the unique complexities and requirements necessary to foster productive natural landscapes. Our crews are highly skilled in retrieving the best tool (or treatment) for the task at hand.

• Maintenance to support new plantings, including pruning, plant health assessments and supplements or soil amendments. Pruning and mowing to promote stimulation in perennials are important tools that Hanford uses to achieve high success, especially in grassland restoration.

• Optimally timed non-native invasive species removal and control through mechanical and chemical methods to facilitate plant establishment.

• Install and maintain native plant browse protection (ranging in scope from cages to deer fencing).

• Irrigation system troubleshooting and maintenance including a thoughtful approach to irrigation management with a regime based on project-specific aspects and plant life cycle. Hanford ensures deep-watering to encourage vertical root growth and water-weaning to support independence after establishment period.

• Browse cage construction, repairs, adjustment and management. Browse cages are built for longevity with heavy-duty materials, adequate support features and adjustment over time to avoid constant replacement and unwanted degradation of materials.

• Consistent mulch replenishment over time and at seasonally appropriate times with clean-sourced material.

• Vegetation monitoring support to inform plant establishment and site maintenance approaches. Monitoring tasks include photo monitoring, survivorship assessment, percent-cover assessments, and monitoring logs about restoration operations.
  

Hanford employs a light on the land approach to invasive plant management, using a minimalistic approach and light tools used to facilitate native plants growth and reduce invasive plant spread (by reducing disturbance). Our crews employ focused weeding and careful identification of non-native invasive plants to avoid negative impacts to native vegetation.

• Minimum disturbance approach to weed management facilitates natives and reduces spread of existing non-natives. This approach includes mechanical and chemical tools used to manage invasive plant species.

• Understanding of different ecotypes and ecological cycles which enables us to closely time and plan invasive plant management in concert with plants’ vulnerabilities and life stages.

• Effective understanding of plant life cycles and optimal timing for control efforts (e.g., mowing at height of flowering before seed set). Mowing for invasive plant management is a seasonally-dependent process – careful observation of target species ahead of mowing (to assess the latest possible moment to begin mowing) is key.

• Extensive experience in limited-access and backcountry operations, including walking-in tools and equipment to remote sites.

• In addition to Hanford being a fully licensed pest control business, we have many crew members with both their Qualified Applicators Certificates and Licenses. Hanford is compliant and well-versed in herbicide handling, mixing, application, and reporting.

• Adaptive project management, including re-organizing and re-allocating resources to better fit invasive plant life cycles and changing environmental conditions. Our adaptive management approach includes working within the constraints of rigid budgets and contracting, which can create tight deadlines for thorough and effective treatment. This is why open communication and transparency about resources and timing is key to a successful project.