Crews are in the final stretch of planting hundreds of thousands of native grasses, plants and trees at Ada Countys new Park at Expo Idaho.The roughly 50-acre park is being developed next to the Boise River and Greenbelt and is expected to open to the public Oct. 23.Steven Paulsen, who runs Twin Falls-based Native Roots, said his company has restored prairies and wetlands across the country. He described the Expo Idaho project as unique. WATCH | Native plants take root at new Park at Expo Idaho ahead of October opening Native plants take root at new Park at Expo Idaho ahead of October openingIve restored prairies and wetlands all over the country, Ive been doing it a long time this is unique, its very special, Paulsen said.Paulsens team is working alongside Franz Witte crews to get the plants established as temperatures cool across the Treasure Valley.The hot days this summer made planting and establishing grass plugs more difficult. Now, crews are preparing for an intensive two-month push.Almost a million plant units are going to be put in the ground during that time frame and thats a big effort, Paulsen said.Why native plants?Paulsen said native plants are important when creating a large-scale landscape because they can help make the space feel connected to its natural surroundings.When you work with native plants on a large scale, on a landscape level, what you end up with is something that invites you into your home, he said.The parks landscape is designed to complement the nearby Boise River and provide habitat for Idaho wildlife.Rather than creating a highly manicured landscape, the project will use a stewardship approach that allows the native plants to establish and mature over time.Paulsen said visitors may initially see areas that look more like a weedy mess than a finished park.This thing is going to take time to stabilize and start to fill-in, and function well, Paulsen said. That stewardship model that takes place over the next couple of years will facilitate that.The Park at Expo Idaho will also feature more than three miles of trails, a nature playground, an all-wheel skate area, a roller derby rink and a food truck plaza.The park is being built on part of the former Les Bois Park property and is intended to combine recreation with ecological restoration along the Boise River.Ada County says the project is funded with federal American Rescue Plan Act money, with no local property tax dollars used for construction.The Park at Expo Idaho is scheduled to open to the public Oct. 23. ...read more read less