Employees from LKE Corp., a Corps contractor, plant young trees on Cottonwood Island, located in the Columbia River near Longview, Wash. The contract called for planting 43,200 trees, including willow, elderberry and cottonwood, and 14,400 shrubs, including snowberry and red osier. Cottonwood Island is one of three sites selected for mitigation in support of the Columbia River Channel Improvements Project and the last to be completed. The contractor removed invasive species and mowed the area before planting the native shrubs and trees, and will return in spring to spotspray for invasive plants, helping native plants take hold and grow. Once the contractor is done, the Corps will call the 103-mile, 23- year Columbia River Channel Improvements Project complete.