Upper Gunnison Basin Habitat Restoration

Save to Favorites

Wet meadows and riparian areas in sagebrush shrublands provide important brood-rearing habitat for the Gunnison sage-grouse, listed as threatened by US Fish and Wildlife Service. These habitats are also important for numerous other species, including neo-tropical migratory birds, elk and mule deer, as well as to ranchers for livestock grazing. A number of wet meadows and riparian areas, already compromised by erosion and lower water tables, are likely to be further altered from drought and high intensity rainstorms associated with a changing climate. These habitats are among the most at risk in the Gunnison Basin.

To address these challenges, we will be working with Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, US Forest Service and others to restore riparian and wet meadow habitats in sagebrush shrublands in the Upper Gunnison Basin. We will use innovative, yet simple, restoration methods-small rock structures-to raise the water table to support plants and insects needed by wildlife. We will apply the approach of restoration expert Bill Zeedyk, author of Let the Water do the Work: Induced Meandering, An Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels (2012).

CREW LEADER TRAINING AVAILABLE
Crew Leaders play an important role in large organized volunteer events by explaining tool use, overseeing construction methods, and maintaining a safe and fun working environment. Volunteer projects in the Upper Gunnison Basin will continue year after year. Well trained, experienced leaders will be a vital part of the overall success of these projects. We hope to recruit and train many new leaders in the Gunnison Basin to continue this important habitat work into the future.

Anyone interested in participating in our Crew Leader Training to Crew Lead for this project please contact Morgan Crowley at morgan@wlrv.org, or call 303-543-1411 Ext. 3# for more information.

Sign up for all 4 days or just one or more.
WHEN YOU REGISTER, PLEASE SIGN UP IN ONE OF THE GROUP CHOICES -Gunnison, Front Range, or Other (please specify in notes)
This will help us keep track of our local recruitment goals.