Playa Restoration

Playas are variably sized depressions in the prairie that are usually dry. However, during wet periods, especially after heavy thunderstorms, these depressions are often filled with water and teeming with birds. Playas provide nesting, feeding, or resting grounds for an abundance of waterfowl, wading birds, and shorebirds.

Common conservation practices include fencing playas to better manage grazing efforts, providing alternate water sources, and filling pits adjacent to or within playas to restore the native hydrology of the basin.

Grissom Playa Restoration, Las Animas County, Colorado

In June of 2005 the landowner filled a 1400 cu. yd. pit in the playa basin in an effort to restore the natural hydrology of the playa. The disturbed area was re-seeded to a native warm season shortgrass mix. In August 2006, a 21,000 gallon storage tank was installed to provide alternate water storage/ source for the livestock grazing operation. The landowner will continue a rotational grazing system with the playa basin being deferred for one year.

Playa pit before filling, 2005	Playa pit after filling, June 2006	Wet playa after rain, August 2006

Riparian Restoration

Riparian areas are essentially the narrow strips of land that border creeks, rivers or other bodies of water. Because of their proximity to water, plant species and topography of riparian zones differ considerably from those of adjacent uplands. Although riparian areas may occupy only a small percentage of the area of a watershed, they represent an extremely important component of the overall landscape. Benefits of a healthy, functioning riparian area include improved water quality and flow, erosion control, improved fish and wildlife habitat, and better livestock forage.

Common restoration techniques for riparian areas include fencing, managed grazing, providing alternate water sources for livestock, shrub or tree planting, and stream bank stabilization.

Bartlett Ranch Riparian Project, Goshen County, WY

In 2004, a riparian restoration project was initiated along a portion of Rock Creek in Goshen County, WY. The project included fencing of the riparian area, managed grazing to control cheatgrass, development of alternate water sources, cottonwood plantings, and reseeding of an adjacent upland pasture.

Fox Creek riparian area, May 2004	Fox Creek riparian area, June 2007

Noxious Weed Treatment

Noxious weeds and other exotic plants frequently outcompete native vegetation, once established. Negative impacts include loss of natural cover and forage for wildlife and livestock, decreased native plant diversity, decreased stream flow in riparian areas, and altered wetland hydrology.

Depending on the type of weed and the degree of infestation, a number of methods may be used to control exotics, including herbicide spraying, mechanical treatment, prescribed burning or grazing, or re-vegetation with native species.

Apishapa Canyon Ranch Tamarisk Removal Project, Pueblo/Las Animas Counties, CO

Habitat restoration along the Apishapa River was implemented to enhance the riparian corridor for native wildlife as well as make water more readily available for wet meadow habitat and stream flow. Aerial treatment of 160 acres of tamarisk using Habitat® occurred September 2005. Plants showing re-foliation will be treated with a backpack sprayer and the remaining woody debris from the dead plants will ultimately be removed.

Aerial spraying of tamarisk, 2005	Treated tamarisk, 2007

Grassland/Grazing Management

Managed livestock grazing can improve the amount and diversity of habitat available for grassland birds and other wildlife species. Managed grazing also gives producers more flexibility in their operations allowing selected pastures or portions of a ranch to be rested sufficiently to produce desired forage quality and quantity. Good private rangeland management is essential to Great Plains wildlife as over 80% of the region is privately owned.

Probably the single most important aspect in good range management is selecting the proper stocking density for the given range condition. Tools that can be used to control the timing of grazing and distribution of livestock include fencing, water development, herding, and prescribed burning. Natural resource specialists can work with producers to develop systems that will meet the needs of wildlife without compromising the profitability of a ranch.

Smith Ranch Project, Goshen County, WY

In 2004 work was initiated on the Smith ranch in Goshen County, WY. Cross-fencing was installed to allow better management of grazing during the calving season. A solar powered pump was also installed to provide water for the new pasture system. Annual photo monitoring and bird counts show positive responses to the new grazing system.

Smith ranch cross-fencing	Solar water pump in new pasture

Native Grass and Forb Plantings

Native rangelands provide the best habitat available for grassland birds in the Great Plains because they provide the plant communities that native bird species evolved with. Rangelands that have been converted to agriculture or altered in other ways can be improved or restored with native species plantings.

Conservation Reserve Program fields can be improved for birds by interseeding forbs and legumes into grass stands. RMBO's Stewardship Division is working on a project in Southeast Colorado aimed at improving nesting and brood rearing habitat for Lesser Prairie-Chickens on CRP fields. Landowners with CRP fields in close proximity to active prairie chicken leks are being recruited to participate in the voluntary interseeding program with the goal of improving 500-1000 acres of habitat within Lesser Prairie-Chicken range.