Low-Tech Riparian Restoration
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this custom workshop series was made possible by:
View and download the 2019 flyer!
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Thanks to the generous support of the Natural Resource Conservation Service's Sage Grouse Initiative and Working Lands for Wildlife Initiative, a grant through Pheasants Forever to Utah State University's Restoration Consortium and Joe Wheaton's ET-AL lab are able to deliver a series of workshops to NRCS conservationists and their partners throughout the west. This series was envisioned by Jeremy Maestas (NRCS/SGI) and is possible thanks to partner matches by various local organizations in each state (see each state page) and matching funds from Utah State University. This grew out of the successful 2016 Enhancing Mesic Habitat Resilience in Sagebrush Ecosystems Workshop at Utah State University and the 2018 workshop series.
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Three workshops
A series of workshops will be hosted in the summer of 2019 to connect local NRCS conservationists and partners in their states who are interested in how to use beaver, and beaver dam analogues as low-cost tools to restore riparian areas to benefit wildlife and working lands.
Check back here later in Spring 2019 for links and more information.
Background
Through SGI 2.0, NRCS has committed to work with landowners and partners to help protect and restore mesic habitats, such as riparian and wet meadow areas, to benefit sage-grouse. While a variety of mesic conservation strategies exist, relatively simple and low-cost alternatives are a potentially important part of toolbox for restoration at scales relevant to sage-grouse.
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Purpose & NeedThere is a need to convene key interdisciplinary staff to evaluate low-cost, low-risk
techniques that can be implemented across large scales to meet mesic habitat restoration goals. These workshops will discuss how to restore hydrologic processes that promote riparian resilience and mesic vegetation, identify opportunities for restoration, and examine how BDAs can be applied as a bioengineering technique to achieve SGI mesic habitat goals. Participants will gain knowledge and skills needed to design and implement appropriate low-cost practices and foster technology transfer within their respective work areas. Some webinars & presentations |
AudienceThe audience is primarily NRCS staff, and key partners. NRCS SGI states will select key representatives involved in mesic restoration to participate. Anticipated NRCS participants include state/area/local specialists (biologists/engineers) and select field staff. States may also opt to invite key partners who are invested locally in helping get mesic conservation on the ground. The overall goal is to build a cadre of staff in each State to evaluate the technique and serve as local sources of expertise across the range. To keep the hands-on exercises effective, we will limit participants to roughly 40 per workshop.
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Make it count
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