Land Restoration Project Update

Summer 2000

by Paul Buch and Amanda Ayres

CONSTRUCTION:

POND: The existing pond, on the northern tip of the property was dredged, removing approximately 20,000 cubic feet of soil. The dredging increased the pond depth from 6 inches to 15 feet in some areas and created vital habitat for waterfowl, fish and marine invertebrates.

The soil removed from the pond was used fill in old, unused irrigation channels bordering the valley floor, which were originally excavated to drain the wetlands about 60 years ago. In some places the channels have eroded to a depth of over 20 feet seriously altering the natural hydrology and ecosystems of the land. Filling in the channels helped restore the original hydrology and re-establish the wetland area.

 MONITORING WELLS: This spring, ten monitoring wells were installed throughout the valley floor. The wells allow us to easily measure changes in the water table and how well the hydrology is establishing. When the monitoring wells were originally installed only one well had measurable water within 2 1/2 feet from the surface. Currently, eight out of ten wells contain water, four of which are inundated to the surface of the ground.

 IRRIGATION SYSTEMS: Several matching government grants were awarded to RMI to install new, more efficient irrigation systems. Unlike standard irrigation ditches the new underground, PVC irrigation pipes eliminate ditch erosion, drastically reduce loss of water due to evaporation, facilitate the use of gated-pipe irrigation and allow us to recycle our water from upper fields into lower fields.

 EROSION CONTROL: Increased numbers of elk and deer at Windstar have seriously eroded the east and west hill slopes surrounding the valley. Unfortunately, increased development in the Roaring Fork Valley in recent years has destroyed many elk and deer winter migratory routes and habitat resulting in significant increase in their populations on the Windstar land. Several areas of the land have been highly overgrazed and consequently de-vegetated by the animals and are now very susceptible to high rates of erosion. In order to help curb erosion, approximately 35 hay-bale check dams were constructed on the upland slopes of the property.

 Check dams made out of hay bales and fence posts were constructed in areas where erosion was highly visible. The areas immediately surrounding the check dams were covered with grass matting in order to stabilize and revegetate the area with a seed mix containing Indian rice grass, Western wheat grass, and timber milk vetch.

WEED  MANAGEMENT

HOLISTIC: The three most problematic, noxious weeds on the Windstar land are Canada thistle, plume less thistle and hounds tongue, however, there are also less extreme infestations of Russian knapweed, common tansy, yellow toadflax, musk thistle, bull thistle and field bindweed. Five out of the ten weeds on the Windstar property are on Colorado’s TOP TEN WORST WEEDS list.

 This summer the Windstar Land Conservancy began implementation of a holistic weed management plan that contains several control methods including release of biocontrol insects, grazing with goats, application of appropriate herbicides, cutting and pulling. We released three biocontrol insects to help control yellow toadflax, plume less thistle and Canada thistle. Another major initiative RMI took in its weed management plan was to bring in a herd of 500 Cashmere goats for nine days in July. Strategically grazing goats stresses weeds, reduces seed production and root growth and, over time, will reduce overall populations of invasive species. Also, in newly seeded areas the hoof action (tramping and tilling) and fertilizer from the goats helps newly sowed seeds grow.

 SEEDING: Noxious weeds are highly aggressive, particularly in disturbed areas. On bare ground, many noxious weeds readily out compete native species and create monocultures. A major portion of the Conservancy's weed management plan is to revegetate disturbed areas with native species in order to slow the spread of weeds. Large seeding projects were done in the areas where the ditches had been filled in order to eliminate bare ground as quickly as possible. These areas were seeded with a mix of native grasses and forbs.

 REVEGETATION

UPLAND SEEDING: Many of the upland areas of the Windstar land are in need of restoration due to erosion and de-vegetation. This summer we began restoration by seeding de-vegetated areas with a mixture of native grasses and forbs. The newly seeded soils were then tilled and fertilized by the goats. The goats also grazed decedent sage in order to create new browse for elk and deer that we can better maintain the large numbers that move through our valley.

 TREE PLANTING: A grant from the National Arbor Foundation allowed us to purchase 1,000 quaking aspen, and 1,800 blue spruce this spring for several large-scale plantings on the Windstar land. The new stands of trees will provide shade and staging areas for elk, deer, small mammals, upland birds and other predator species.

WETLAND RESTORATION

A comprehensive, multi-phase, wetland renegotiation plan has been developed working in conjunction with Rocky Mountain Native Plants in Rifle, Colorado. The revegetation project greatly increased biodiversity and available habitat within the wetlands. In August, fourteen high school students from Landmark Volunteers came to RMI and helped plant over 1,800 trees, grasses and forbs. In total, we planted 5 species of rushes, 7 sedges, 6 forbs and 6 deciduous tress including willows, cottonwoods, alders and birches. Overall we covered over 5 acres of bare ground with new vegetation.

GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS)

 We are currently working with the GIS firm, L.D. Russell and Associates, located in Basalt, Colorado to implement an interactive computer mapping system of the Windstar land. This process includes taking aerial photographs of the land and converting them into digital data to create a highly accurate digital elevation model, essentially a digital topographic map of the property.

 Land managers are increasingly relying on GIS to help them make critical decisions. By plotting spatial data in an integrated system where it can be organized, analyzed and mapped, we will see patterns and relationships previously unrecognized. This in turn will give us a deeper understanding of the restoration issues we are facing, and let us bring in more information and less conjecture to the problem-solving process. The computer mapping will allow us to accurately map and monitor changing weed and other plant populations, hydrology, soil information, wetland boundaries and other factors such as roads, property lines, significant individual plant species (such as our ancient juniper) and topography.

 The educational benefits of a GIS inventory are also paramount. Many high schools and universities have begun incorporating GIS into resource conservation curriculum. The combination of GIS technologies and supreme field facilities will enable the Conservancy to provide priceless educational experiences to children and adults, and to serve as a model for other land managers and educational programs.