The Future is Now:
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
Photo by Tom Till Photography, Inc.
LEARN
CONNECT
BE INSPIRED
15th ANNUAL
TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
FEBRUARY 7-9, 2017 FORT COLLINS, CO
TAMARISK COALITION
│
2017 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
FORWARD-THI NKING RESTORATION , PLANNI NG, AND ADAP TATI ON
W
e are thrilled to have you join us at our 15th Annual Conference and participate in the growing
movement to restore rivers! Over the next two and a half days, we hope you become even more
empowered to succeed with your river restoration activities, share with and learn from your peers, and
help increase dialog among those involved in riparian research and land management.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview……………..…………….……………….….………….…….……………Page 1-2
Featured Events…………………….……………….…..……..……………..……..Page 3
Field Trip Descriptions…………………….….….………….……..……..…...Page 4-5
Full Agenda…………………………………………....………….….…….....…..Page 6-11
February 7th Abstracts & Speaker Information….…..……........Page 12-22
February 8th Abstracts & Speaker Information……….….…......Page 23-37
Poster Session Abstracts…………….…….………….……..…..……..…Page 38-42
Sponsor Logos………………………………………………………….….…...Back Cover
Map of the Hil ton’s Conference Center
Light breakfast &
lunch
AM and PM
plenary
sessions and
breakout room
SALON I, II, V
SALON III, IV, VI
Registration area,
Dropbox computers
ATRIUM
LEGENDS
ROOM
Breakout room
Snacks during morning &
afternoon breaks, posters,
exhibitors, happy hour on Feb 7th
FORT COLLI NS, COLORADO – F EBRUARY 7-9, 2017
15 TH Annual Tamarisk Coalition Conference
THE FUTURE I S NOW:
FORWARD-THI NKI NG RESTORATI ON, PLANNI NG, AND AD APTATI ON
OVERVIEW
REGISTRATION
The Registration Table, which is located in front of the Salons in the Hilton, will open at 8:00 am before
the start of the day’s sessions on February 7th and open at 7:30 am on February 8th. Check the
Registration Table for updated information regarding presentations, workshops, field trips, lost and
found, etc.
PARKING
The $5 parking fee at the Hilton has been waived for conference attendees.
SPEAKER PRESENTAT IONS
Presenters will be speaking from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm on Tuesday, February 7th and from 8:30 am – 4:50
pm on Wednesday, February 8th in the conference rooms at the Hilton. Abstracts are included in this
program.
VENDORS IN THE AT RIUM
Be sure to visit our exhibitors in the Atrium from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm both days!
POSTER AND EXHIBITOR SET -UP
Posters will be displayed in the Atrium during both days of the conference. Poster presenters may set
up on Tuesday, February 7th between 8:00 am – 3:00 pm. Posters may be left up to display until 5:00 pm
on Wednesday, February 8th.
PRESENTATION DROP -OFF
Presentations will be uploaded via the designated Dropbox computers located at the Registration Table.
N O TE T O P RE SE N TE R S : Presentations must be uploaded no later than one full session prior to the
session that contains your presentation.
FOOD AND DRINKS
A light breakfast and a full lunch will be served on February 7th and 8th in Salon III, IV, VI. Morning and
afternoon snacks will be provided in the Atrium on February 7th and 8th. See below for more details:
Tuesday, February 7th
Light breakfast, morning/afternoon snacks, and buffet lunch will be
provided. Hors d'oeuvres will also be served at the Poster
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
Page|1
Session/Happy Hour along with one complimentary beer from 5:00 pm
– 7:15 pm in the Atrium. A cash/credit bar will also be available.
Wednesday, February 8th
Light breakfast, morning/afternoon snacks, buffet lunch provided.
Thursday, February 9th
Meals are not provided for the half day field trips. Light snacks (e.g.
granola bars, apples) will be provided for those participating in the
Campbell Valley restoration site visit.
WIRELESS INTERNET
Access to Wireless Internet is available in the Hilton. You will need a passcode, which will be provided at
the Registration Table.
CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUs)
Continuing Education Units are available for the following categories listed below. PLE AS E N O TE :
Attendance at specific sessions is required for credit. For more information on required sessions and to
complete the required certification forms, please visit the Registration Desk.
 Colorado qualified supervisors, certified operators, and private applicators are eligible to receive
three CEUs from the Colorado Department of Agriculture. One credit may be received from
attending any one of the following sessions:
1. Wild Weeds of the West (Day One, 1:45-3:00)
2. Beetle-Mania (Day Two, 10:40-12:20)
3. Move Over Tamarisk, Make Some Room for Russian Olive (Day Two, 1:20-3:00)
NAME BADGES
Please wear your name badge when you are on site as an introduction to new colleagues, a reminder for
those you have met before, and as your ticket to the field trip for which you have registered. Please
return your name badge to the Registration Table after the conclusion of the conference.
PROCEEDINGS
Unless otherwise noted by the presenter, all presentations and posters will be posted on our YouTube
page (www.youtube.com/user/TamariskCoalition) and on our website (www.tamariskcoalition.org) in
the months following the conference.
EVALUATION
Help us make next year even better! We encourage you to fill out a survey regarding your conference
experience. Please take a few minutes to respond; your feedback will provide critical input as we plan
future events that serve your needs as river restoration professionals. You can also fill out an
evaluation online at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/TC2017Conference.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
Page|2
FEATURED EVENTS
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6 TH
PRE-CONFERENCE CHECK -IN
Join us in the Atrium from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm to check-in, pick up conference materials, and make some
new connections! NO TE T O P RE SE N TE R S : We will have computers available so you can upload your
presentation to Dropbox with us ahead of time.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7 TH
SILENT ART AUCTION
Stop by the silent art auction featuring one-of-a-kind pieces made from invasive plants and art inspired
by rivers that you can bid on and take home. All proceeds generated from the auction are in honor of
Rita Beard and will be donated to support the Tamarisk Coalition. The auction will close at 3:25 pm on
February 8th.
POSTER SESSION & HAPPY HOUR - Sponsored by Chevron
This is a great opportunity to meet new people and catch up with old friends! The evening’s reception
on February 7th, from 5:00 pm – 7:15 pm, will include hors d'oeuvres, a free beer, and the opportunity to
interact with poster presenters as well as vendors. Abstracts for poster presentations are included in
this program. Bring your coupon (located in your registration name badge) for a complimentary beer. A
cash/credit bar is also available. Thanks to Many Rivers Brewing Company and Avery Brewing Company
for donating the beer.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8 TH
FIRST PRESIDENT’S AWARD CEREMONY
Join us at lunch on February 8th for our First President's Award Ceremony! The First President's Award is
given in memory of Pete Larson, Tamarisk Coalition’s first board president, to honor his dedication to
restoring natural resources through education, science, and volunteerism. The winner of this award will
receive a $500 cash prize to be applied to their restoration efforts.
PL E AS E NOT E : Nomination forms are available at the Registration Table and are due by the afternoon
break (3:15 pm - 3:40 pm) on February 7th. The individual or organizational representative you
nominate must be present at the conference to be qualified for the award.
SOCIAL HOUR AT THE BLACK BOTTLE BREWERY
Wind down from two full conference days at the Black Bottle Brewery, located within walking distance
of the conference at 116 College Ave. They have a full food menu and 40 beers on tap; you are on your
own for meals and drinks.
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
Page|3
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH - FIELD TRIPS
COLORADO STATE FOREST SERVICE NURSERY TOUR:



9:00 am ~ 12:00 pm
Cost: Free
Transportation is not provided; attendees will need to meet at 3843 W Laporte Ave, Bldg. 1060,
Fort Collins, CO 80521 at 9:00 am. The nursery is approximately 10 minutes by car from the
Hilton.
The Colorado State Forest Service Nursery (CSFS Nursery) tour will provide information about the
exclusive production of riparian species in deepots, ecotypic riparian seed and cutting production, and
native seed collection and stratification.
Attendees will be able to experience first-hand the forefront of Colorado’s native, riparian restoration
production at the CSFS Nursery. This will include both walking indoors and outdoors to visit the tree
processing facility, shop/storage and greenhouse space (all indoors, but can be chilly at times), and the
shade houses (outdoors).
The CSFS Nursery has had the opportunity to work with many local and regional restoration agencies,
such as the Tamarisk Coalition, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, and Powell Restoration, and has
provided plant material for the Lower Fish Creek Restoration project occurring along the Big Thompson.
Through their partnerships with seed collection agencies, they have been able to grow out several
different deciduous species specifically for riparian restoration.
CAMPBELL VALLEY RESTORATION SITE:
Novel Approaches to Erosion Contro l and Native Plant Reestablishment in one of
Northern Colorado’s Most Catastrophically Degraded Watersheds



8:45 am – 12:00 pm
Cost: $10, transportation and light snacks will be provided
Shuttles will depart from the lobby of the Hilton at 8:45 am. Attendees will arrive at the
Campbell Valley site around 9:30 am and depart at 11:20 am, arriving back to the hotel around
12:00 pm.
In the late 1800s 4.8 million cubic yards of soil and an entire riparian ecosystem were washed out of the
Campbell Valley by an intentional breach in a newly constructed irrigation canal. Over 100 years later,
decades of overgrazing, piles of old tires and ever increasing canal leakage continued to hinder the
recovery of this tragically beautiful landscape. Wilderness Restoration Volunteers and its partners have
been restoring this seemingly hopeless watershed on a shoestring budget with donated materials and
volunteer labor. After 6 years and many lessons learned, using a variety of innovative and low impact
treatments, the signs of tenuous recovery are beginning to show. Project managers from the Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), and US Fish & Wildlife Service will
provide an overview of the site and discuss how current restoration plans will help CPW better achieve
its goal of providing superior wildlife habitat.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
Page|4
FUNDRAISING WORKSHOP:
Finding ‘Em and Keeping ‘Em: Building Your Organization’s Donor Support



8:00 am – 11:00 am, at the Hilton in Salon I
Cost: Free
Transportation and snacks are not provided
This Tamarisk Coalition and Cross-Watershed Network-led fundraising training will outline practical
methods and tools for implementing the five steps of the Resource Development Cycle (planning, donor
identification, cultivation, asking, thanking, and donor involvement). This will be an interactive session
that draws on the fundraising successes of the workshop attendees and provides opportunities for
participants to identify concrete actions to be taken to help grow their own private fundraising
programs.
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
Page|5
TAMARISK COALITION’S 15th ANNUAL
Research and Management Conference
February 7-9, 2017 - The Hilton in Fort Collins, CO
The Future is Now: Forward-Thinking Restoration, Planning, and Adaptation
AGENDA
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2017
5:30-7:30 pm
Optional Social Hour and Pre-Conference
Check-In, Atrium of the Hilton
Check-in, pick up conference materials, and say hello! A note to our presenters:
We will have computers available to upload your presentation with us ahead of
time.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017
8:00-9:00 am Registration (Atrium) and Light Breakfast (Salon III, IV, VI)
Time
Speaker
Presentation Title
Plenary Session
Welcome - Salon I, II, V
9:00-9:20
Stacy Beaugh, Executive Director
Opening Remarks from Tamarisk Coalition
9:20-9:45
Clint Evans, State Conservationist, USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Keynote Presentation
Water Planning Innovations - Salon I, II, V
9:45-10:10
Chris Sturm, Colorado Water Conservation
Watershed Health and the Colorado Water Plan
Board
10:10-10:35
Season Martin and Aaron Citron, The
Nature Conservancy
Environmental Water Transactions to Support Riparian Restoration
10:35-11:00
Karen Schlatter, Sonoran Institute
Developing Restoration Scenarios and Outcomes to Inform Binational Water
Policy in the Colorado River Delta
11:00-11:25
BREAK - 25 minutes - Atrium - Supported by Colorado State Forest Service
Concurrent Session
Adapting to Change - Salon I, II, V
We're All in it Together! - Legends Room
11:25-11:50
Anna Zawisza,
Matthew McEttrick, Multi-species Assisted Migration to
Northern Arizona Increase Growth Rate In Transplanted Volunteers for
Communities
Outdoor Colorado
University
11:50-12:15
Bruce Orr,
Stillwater Sciences
Adapting to Change and Restoring
Resilient Riparian Ecosystems in the
Southwest
Mike Wight,
Conservation Legacy
Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps;
Partnerships, Restoration, and
Opportunity on Sovereign Lands
12:15-12:40
Andrew Rayburn,
Jefferson County
Open Space
Division
Invasive Species Mapping and
Prioritization to Support Climate-smart
Management, Restoration, and LongTerm Recovery of Biological Resources
on Lower Cache Creek
Anna Schrenk,
Friends of Verde
River Greenway &
Russ Dickerson, AZ
Conservation Corps
Partnerships in Action: Verde
Watershed Restoration Coalition and
Arizona Conservation Corps
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
Page|6
Engaging Coloradans in Caring Through
Active Stewardship
LUNCH BREAK - Salon III, IV, VI - Stop by the Silent Art Auction!
12:40-1:45
Concurrent Session
Wild Weeds of the West - Salon I, II, V
Private Lands and Restoring for Wildlife - Legends
Room
1:45-2:10
Noxious Weed History and Policies in
Fred Raish, Alligare
Colorado - Where We've Been and
LLC
Where We're Headed
Steve Wooten,
Private Landowner
Working Ranch Perspective on
Maintaining Biodiversity and Woody
Invasive Management
2:10-2:35
Steve Ryder,
Colorado
Department of
Agriculture
Strategic Planning for Noxious Weed
Management in Colorado
Monica McGarrity,
Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department
Large-scale Management of Tamarisk
on Private Lands to Improve Habitat
Quality for Imperiled Fishes and
Wildlife
2:35-3:00
Patty York,
Colorado
Department of
Agriculture
Phragmites in Colorado: History,
Status, and Future Plan
Ondrea Hummel,
Tetra Tech
Floodplain Restoration For Wildlife
Habitat
3:00-3:25
BREAK - 25 minutes - Artium - (1st President Award Nominations are Due)
Concurrent Session
Involving Businesses in Restoration: Panel Discussion - Salon I, II, V
3:25-4:50
4:50-5:00
5:00-7:15
Join us for a Panel Discussion: How to Involve Businesses in Riparian Restoration
Moderated by Stacy Beaugh, Executive Director, Tamarisk Coalition. Panelists will include representatives from Big Agnes,
Xcel Energy, Alpine Bank, Many Rivers Brewing Company, and Business for Water Stewardship. Representatives will
overview their respective businesses’ roles in the community and in environmental initiatives before opening it up for an
audience-wide discussion. Topics to be covered may include ideas for how organizations/communities can better attract
private businesses to their cause, additional opportunities for businesses to be engaged in river restoration efforts that
would benefit both the business and the restoration effort, how organizations can better communicate how the work that
they do will benefit the private industry, etc.
CLOSING REMARKS
POSTER SESSION, HAPPY HOUR & SILENT ART AUCTION - Supported by Chevron - ATRIUM
Join us for hors d'oeuvres and drinks at the informal Poster Session, Happy Hour and Silent Art Auction!
Socialize and talk with poster presenters and vendors, catch up with familiar faces, and network with new
ones. Each attendee receives a complimentary beer (compliments of Avery Brewing Company and Many
Rivers Brewing Company). Cash bar also available.
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
Page|7
TAMARISK COALITION’S 15th ANNUAL
Research and Management Conference
February 7-9, 2017 - The Hilton in Fort Collins, CO
The Future is Now: Forward-Thinking Restoration, Planning, and Adaptation
AGENDA
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017
7:30-8:30
Registration & Light Breakfast - Salon III, IV, VI
Time
Speaker
Presentation Title
Plenary Session
8:30-8:35
Welcome and Opening Remarks - Salon I, II, V
Funding and Restoration Approaches to Benefit Riverside Communities - Salon I, II, V
8:35-9:00
Fátima Luna, Sonoran Institute
Valuing the Socioeconomic Benefits of Environmental Flows and Restoration in
the Colorado River Delta
9:00-9:25
Jeremy Sokulsky, Environmental
Incentives
A Conservation Funding Framework to Support Large-Scale Restoration and
Long-Term Stewardship
9:25-9:50
Kristen Jespersen, Tamarisk Coalition
Restore Our Rivers: A Case Study in Tackling Private Fundraising for Riparian
Restoration
9:50-10:15
Chip Norton, Sinagua Malting Company;
Kim Schonek, The Nature Conservancy;
Tim Carlson, Many Rivers Brewing PBC
and Forever our Rivers Foundation
From Farm to Foundation – An Entrepreneurial Approach to River Conservation
BREAK - 25 minutes - Atrium
10:15-10:40
Concurrent Session
And the River Runs Through It - Salon I, II, V
Beetle-mania - Legends Room
10:40-11:05
Claire Reardon and
Reciprocal Interactions between Fluvial
Tamarisk Leaf Beetle Monitoring Along
Caitlyn Willis, Bosque
Patrick Shafroth, US
Processes and Riparian Vegetation at
the Middle Rio Grande Riparian
Ecosystem
Geological Survey
Multiple Scales
Corridor
Monitoring Program
11:05-11:30
Gabrielle Katz,
Current Status and Future Trajectories
Annie Henry,
Metropolitan State
for the Riparian Forest Along the South
University of Denver
University of
Platte River in Colorado
Denver
11:30-11:55
Andrew Norton,
Colorado State
University
Levi Jamison,
Colorado Plateau
Weed Invasions Along the South Platte
Research
River
Station/Northern
Arizona University
Temperature, Day Length and
Geographic Distribution Data Allows
for Prediction of Tamarix spp.
Defoliation by Diorhabda carinulata
Steven Lee, U.S.
Geological Survey
Interactions and Trajectories: a Look at
Post Flood Response of Riparian Plant Pam Nagler, U.S.
Communities to Diorhabda Invasions Geological Survey
Along the Virgin River
Saltcedar Beetle and Saltcedar
Interactions in the Colorado River
Basin: Potential for Water Salvage, and
Dispersal of Beetles from the Upper to
the Lower River Basin
11:55-12:20
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
Page|8
Spatial Patterns of Beetle-Induced
Defoliation of Invasive Tamarisk
at the Landscape Level
LUNCH BREAK - 1st President's Award Presentation - Salon III, IV, VI
12:20-1:20
Concurrent Session
Move Over Tamarisk, Make Some Room for Russian Olive Salon I, II, V
Satellites and GIS Tools - Legends Room
Ahmed Eldeiry,
Colorado State
University
Tree Species Classification of South
Platte Phreatophytes
1:45-2:10
Natalie West,
USDA-ARS Northern Re-establishing Ecological Function
Plains Agriculture After Russian Olive Removal: Passive
Research
Versus Active Restoration
Laboratory
Steve Chignell,
Colorado State
University
Application and Comparison of Satellite
Remote Sensing and Species
Distribution Models for Mapping
Tamarisk
2:10-2:35
Graham Tuttle,
Colorado State
University
Russian Olive Effects Persist Three
Years After Removal
Phoebe McNeally,
University of Utah
Designing a Watershed Scale GIS
Database for Riparian Restoration: A
Case Study in the Colorado River Basin
2:35-3:00
Michael Scott,
Emeritus, U. S.
Geological Survey
The Role of Invasive Russian Olive and
Wenjie Ji, The State
Native Cottonwood In Vegetation
University of New
Expansion And Channel Narrowing On
York at Buffalo
A Dryland River
1:20-1:45
Curt Deuser,
National Park
Service
3:00-3:25
Russian Olive Control Methods
Detection of the Spatiotemporal
Patterns of Beetle-Induced Tamarisk
(Tamarix spp.) Defoliation Along
Lower Rio Grande Using Landsat TM
Images
BREAK - 25 minutes - Artium (close of Silent Art Auction)
Plenary Session
Plants, People, Bugs... Why Should I Care? - Salon I, II, V
3:25-3:50
Lisa Clark, University of Denver
Human Ecology of Tamarix Invasion Control in Riparian Southwest U.S
3:50-4:15
Bill Eubanks, Meyer Glitzenstein &
Eubanks LLP
When Law and Science Collide: The Application of the Endangered Species Act
to the Federal Government’s Beetle Permitting Program
4:15-4:40
Ben Bloodworth, Tamarisk Coalition
2016 Tamarisk Beetle Distribution in North America and Expectations for 2017
4:40-4:50
5:30-7:30
CLOSING REMARKS
Social Hour at the Black Bottle Brewery (116 College Ave)
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
Page|9
TAMARISK COALITION’S 15th Annual
Research and Management Conference
FIELD TRIP AGENDA
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017
Time
Logistics and
Cost
Speaker
Description
Option 1: Colorado State Forest Service Nursery Tour
9:00 am12:00 pm
Cost: Free. This will
be an indoor and
outdoor trip.
Transportation is
not provided.
Attendees will need
to meet at 3843 W
Laporte Ave, Bldg
1060, Fort Collins,
CO 80521 at 9:00
am.
Attendees will be able to experience first-hand the forefront of Colorado’s
native, riparian restoration production at the Colorado State Forest Service
Nursery. This will include both walking indoors and outdoors to visit the tree
processing facility, shop/storage and greenhouse space (all indoors, but can be
Nursery manager,
chilly at times), and the shade houses (outdoors). Through their partnerships
Josh Stolz, and
with seed collection agencies, the CSFS Nursery has been able to grow out
Greenhouse
Manager, Zach Clark- several different deciduous species specifically for riparian restoration.
Lee, and many more This tour will provide more information about the nursery’s:
• Exclusive production of riparian species in deepots
• Ecotypic, riparian seed and cutting production
• Native seed collection and stratification
Option 2: Tour of the Campbell Valley Restoration Site: Novel Approaches to Erosion Control and Native Plant
Reestablishment in one of Northern Colorado’s Most Catastrophically Degraded Watersheds
8:45 am 12:00 pm
Option 3:
8:00 am ~
11:00 am
Cost: $10 to cover
transportation and
snacks. Attendees
will meet in the
lobby of the Hilton
at 8:30 am to check
in.
Nate Boschmann,
Stewardship
Coordinator,
Wildlands
Restoration
Volunteers
In the late 1800s 4.8 million cubic yards of soil and an entire riparian ecosystem
were washed out of the Campbell Valley by an intentional breach in a newly
constructed irrigation canal. Over 100 years later, decades of overgrazing, piles
of old tires and ever increasing canal leakage continued to hinder the recovery
of this tragically beautiful landscape. WRV and its partners have been restoring
this seemingly hopeless watershed on a shoestring budget with donated
materials and volunteer labor. After 6 years and many lessons learned, using a
variety of innovative and low impact treatments, the signs of tenuous recovery
are beginning to show. Logistics: Transportation provided. Shuttles will depart
from the lobby of the Hilton at 8:45 am. Attendees will arrive to the Campbell
Valley site around 9:30 and depart at 11:20, arriving back to the hotel around
12:00 pm. If you need to drive your own vehicle, you'll need a high clearance
vehicle to get to the project site.
Interactive Fundraising Workshop - Salon I: Finding ‘Em and Keeping ‘Em: Building Your Organization’s
Donor Support
Cost: Free
Workshop will be
Located in Salon I at
the Hilton. Limited
to 50 attendees.
Kristen Jespersen,
Tamarisk Coalition,
Lindsay Murdoch,
Cross-Watershed
Network
This Tamarisk Coalition and Cross-Watershed Network-led fundraising training
will outline practical methods and tools for implementing the five steps of the
Resource Development Cycle (planning, donor identification, cultivation, asking,
thanking, and donor involvement). This will be an interactive session that draws
on the fundraising successes of the workshop attendees and provides
opportunities for participants to identify concrete actions to be taken to help
grow their own private fundraising programs.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 10
POSTER PRESENTERS - ATRIUM
Join us for the Poster Session at 5:00 on February 7th! Socialize and talk with poster presenters and vendors, catch up
with familiar faces, and network with new ones.
Anna V. Schrenk, Emily Garding, Sara Van Marel, Friends
of Verde River Greenway
VWRC: A Collaborative Approach to Improving Riparian Areas in the Verde
Watershed
Ben Bloodworth, Tamarisk Coalition
2016 Tamarisk Beetle Distribution Map
Lindsay Murdoch, Cross-Watershed Network
Cross-Watershed Network: Get the Scoop on the Peer-to-peer Knowledge
Sharing Network
Mattew Johnson, Colorado Plateau Research
Station/Northern Arizona University
2012-2016 Tamarisk Leaf Beetle Distribution and Defoliation Rates Along the
Rio Grande River, NM Watershed
Weeds Mapping and Treatment on the Navajo Nation and Beyond:
Natalie Pyrooz and Mike Wight, Southwest Conservation
Conservation Corps Engaging Native Youth to Connect with and Improve their
Corps
Lands
Stephanie Minnaert, Escalante River Watershed
Partnership
The Essence of the Escalante River and Escalante River Watershed Partnership
Tim Carlson, Many Rivers Brewing PBC, Chip Norton,
Sinagua Malting Company; Kim Schonek, The Nature
Conservancy; and Forever our Rivers Foundation
From Farm to Foundation – An Entrepreneurial Approach to River Conservation
Tim Graham, University of Utah
Diorhabda carinulata in Grand County Utah, 2004-2016: Summary of
Abundance and Distribution, Impact on Tamarisk (canopy mortality), and
Ecosystem Response (Plant Recruitment Under Defoliated Tamarisk)
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 11
PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Abstracts are listed chronologically. Presenting authors are denoted by an asterisk.
Tuesday, February 7 th
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Salon I , II , V
9:20-9:45
Clint Evans, State Conservationist
USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service
Denver, CO
Clint graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Agriculture. He
started his career with the USDA-NRCS as a Soil Conservation Technician in southeast Kansas. Clint has
worked 16 years for the USDA-NRCS and has served at all levels of management within field offices and
state offices in Kansas, Idaho and Colorado. He has worked as a District Conservationist, State Level
Conservation Program Specialist, and Assistant State Conservationist for Programs and Assistant State
Conservationist for Operations in Kansas and Idaho. In addition he has served in detail capacities as the
acting Assistant State Conservationist for Programs in Ohio, as the acting National Wetlands Reserve
Program Specialist and in the National Easement Programs Division – as the Easement Assessment and
Remediation Team Coordinator in Wyoming. Clint is currently serving as the State Conservationist in
Colorado.
WATER PLANNING INNOVATIONS
Salon I , II , V
9:45-10:55
Watershed Health and the Colorado Water Plan
Chris Sturm1
1
Colorado Water Conservation Board; [email protected]
Colorado’s Water Plan leveraged and integrated the work accomplished by Colorado’s nine Basin
Roundtables, the Interbasin Compact Committee, the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), and
partners and stakeholders statewide since 2005 to determine how to implement water supply planning
solutions that meet Colorado’s future water needs while supporting healthy watersheds and the
environment; robust recreation and tourism economies; vibrant and sustainable cities; and viable and
productive agriculture.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 12
Watershed health and recreation are too critical to Colorado’s brand not to have robust objectives.
CWCB grant programs are strategic elements of implementation success. The CWCB Colorado
Watershed Restoration Program (CWRP) will be the lead grant program in this arena.
CWRP is designed to provide planning and project implementation funding for watershed and stream
restoration and protection efforts. The program supports applicants committed to collaborative
approaches to restoring and protecting the ecological processes that connect land and water. The CWRP
guidance document and application was approved by the CWCB in September of 2008. The CWCB
approved revisions to the program in May 2012 and July 2015. The latest revision added Stream
Management Plans as a specific grant type. Other grant types include Watershed/Stream Restoration,
Flood Mitigation, and Monitoring grants.
Since 2008, the program has funded 59 projects with over $2.3 million. Every CWCB dollar contributed
to the program has leveraged $4 from other local, state, and federal sources. The CWRP guidance has
also served as a template for several other grant programs developed since the September 2013 floods.
This includes the special release of the CWCB Colorado Watershed Restoration Program ($1,925,000) for
2013 flood recovery planning, the CWCB Senate Bill 14-179 River Restoration Program ($2,500,000), the
Department of Local Affairs Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery, Watershed
Resilience Program ($25,000,000), and the NRCS – CWCB Emergency Watershed Protection Program
(>$60,000,000).
Environmental Water Transactions to Support Riparian Restoration
Season Martin1*, Aaron Citron1*
1
The Nature Conservancy, Boulder, CO; [email protected]; [email protected]
Water markets are lauded as an integral management strategy for western water management in the
face of increasing demand and decreasing supply for our water resources. Flow restoration and
protection advocates utilize a variety of tools to maintain water in river systems to support ecological
and human needs. Increasingly environmental water transactions, buying water and dedicating it to an
instream flow or environmental use, are becoming essential. This session will provide a brief overview
of where environmental water transactions are successfully being used to restore and protect flows
across the Colorado River Basin, and discuss how restoration practitioners can engage in flow protection
to better inform restoration design. Additionally, we’ll discuss how flow and riparian restoration can be
integrated as the Colorado Water Plan is implemented.
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 13
Developing Restoration Scenarios and Outcomes to Inform Binational Water Policy in the
Colorado River Delta
Karen J. Schlatter1*, Matthew R. Grabau1, Jennifer Pitt2, Osvel Hinojosa-Huerta3, Eloise Kendy4, Eliana
Rodríguez5, Jorge Ramírez5, Francisco Zamora-Arroyo1, Yamilett Carrillo6, Karl W. Flessa7, and Lianne
Daugherty8
1
Sonoran Institute, 100 N. Stone Ave., Ste. 400, Tucson AZ 85701, Phone: (520) 290-0828;
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
2
National Audubon Society, Boulder CO 80302, Phone: (720) 841-5366; [email protected]
3
Pronatura Noroeste, Calle Décima No. 60, esquina Ryerson, Zona Centro, Ensenada 22800, B.C. Mexico, Phone:
+52 646-175-3461; [email protected]
4
The Nature Conservancy, 415 Monroe Ave., Helena MT 59601, Phone: (406) 495-9910; [email protected]
5
Autonomous University of Baja California, Av. de la Normal s/n Col. Insurgentes Este, Mexicali 21280, B.C. Mexico,
Phone: +52 686-566-4150; [email protected]; [email protected]
6
Restauremos el Rio Colorado, San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora Mexico; [email protected]
7
University of Arizona, Tucson AZ 85721, Phone: (520) 621-7336; [email protected]
8
Hydros Consulting, Inc., 1628 Walnut Street, Boulder CO 80302, Phone: (303) 284-1841;
[email protected]
In 2012, the U.S. and Mexico signed Minute 319, which provides new guidelines for Colorado River
binational water management. Among the broad set of terms decreed in Minute 319 were provisions to
dedicate environmental flows to the Colorado River Delta and assess the hydrological and biological
impacts of water deliveries to the region. With Minute 319 due to expire in 2017, negotiations are
currently underway to renew and extend these terms under a new Minute.
As part of the current binational negotiation process, the negotiation team defined four different
scenarios for environmental water volume availability and tasked an Environmental Work Group (EWG),
composed of representatives from U.S. and Mexican federal and state agencies, water users, and nongovernmental conservation organizations, with assessing restoration opportunities associated with each
scenario. A sub-team of scientists, who were already collaborating on Minute 319 monitoring efforts,
was formed to accomplish the task.
The process of scenario assessment included the following components: 1) determine restoration
priorities; 2) estimate water needs for restoration site irrigation and maintenance and recreational
flows; 3) consider water balance by river reach and estimated outflows from water deliveries; and 4)
consider inter-annual variability of flows, lessons learned from the 2014 Minute 319 pulse flow, and
operational limitations. Once a suite of restoration scenarios was developed, the team predicted
potential social and ecological benefits of each scenario. To estimate restoration benefits, the team
utilized hydrological models, fine-scale vegetation classification maps derived from LiDAR, and estimates
of infiltration, plant water use, and salinity reductions under different flow volumes. In addition, the
team estimated restoration costs for each scenario and drafted a monitoring program and budget. The
EWG presented results to the primary negotiation team, who may agree upon language for a new
Minute, including commitments to water and funding for Delta restoration, by December 2016.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 14
ADAPTING TO CHANGE
Salon I, II, V
11:25-12:40
Multi-species Assisted Migration to Increase Growth Rate in Transplanted Communities
Matthew P. McEttrick1*, Kevin C. Grady1
1
School of Forestry and the Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University,
Flagstaff, AZ; [email protected]
The pace of future climate change is predicted to exceed the rate at which species can adapt. Intrarange assisted migration may potentially increase the adaptive capacity of plants to respond to climate
change. However, because ecological communities consist of webs of complex interactions, the impact
of such interactions on the outcome of assisted migration efforts should be considered. This study
refines revegetation strategies using assisted migration by leveraging possible facilitative effects of
ecological associates. We examined assisted migration in the foundation tree species, Populus fremontii,
at sites undergoing climate change, planted with and without a common riparian neighbor, Salix exigua.
We are unaware of any other studies including multiple interacting plant species in assisted migration.
We evaluated two hypotheses: 1) Growth of P. fremontii and S. exigua is related to temperature transfer
distance, i.e. the difference in mean annual maximum temperature between our common garden site
and the source site for a given genotype, and 2) S. exigua facilitates growth of P. fremontii with growth
rates of P. fremontii related to the transfer distance of S. exigua. We also evaluated herbivory as a
potential consequence of altered P. fremontii growth, and the role of root extracts of common riparian
associates of P. fremontii as a possible mechanism. We found that facilitation of P. fremontii by locally
derived S. exigua, increased P. fremontii growth by as much as 44%, while S. exigua from transfer
distances larger than 2 °C did not increase P. fremontii growth. We also found that root extract from S.
exigua resulted in significantly higher growth in P. fremontii, compared to root extract from P. fremontii.
These results show facilitative interactions can be used to improve assisted migration effectiveness in
restoration, and that the specific genotypes of the plants involved are important.
Adapting to Change and Restoring Resilient Riparian Ecosystems in the Southwest
Bruce K. Orr1*, Gail M. Drus2, Tom L. Dudley3, Glen T. Leverich1, Zooey E. Diggory1, Matthew J. Johnson4,
James R. Hatten5, Adam Lambert6, Kevin R. Hultine7, Dan Bean8, and Devyn A. Orr9
1
Stillwater Sciences, Berkeley, CA; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Saint Francis University, Loretto, PN; [email protected]
3
Marine Science Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA; [email protected],
4
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ; [email protected]
5
Columbia River Research Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, Cook, WA; [email protected]
6
Marine Science Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA; [email protected]
7
Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ; [email protected]
8
Colorado Dept. of Agriculture – Palisade Insectary, Palisade, CO; [email protected]
9
UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA; [email protected]
2
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 15
Many riparian systems across the Southwestern United States have been highly altered by human land
and water management actions coupled with extensive invasion by non-native tamarisk (Tamarix spp.),
creating novel ecosystems associated with varying changes in composition and abundance of native
plants and animals, fire regimes, hydrology, fluvial geomorphic processes, soil chemistry, and other
biophysical factors. There have been a large number of efforts to remove tamarisk by mechanical or
chemical means, with widely variable levels of success and failure. More recently, a new agent of change
has been added to these systems through the introduction of a biological control agent, the tamarisk
beetle (Diorhabda spp.), which is now spreading throughout the Southwest. We are studying the effects
of the tamarisk beetle on the expected trajectories of these novel riparian ecosystems, and working with
restoration practitioners to develop and implement restoration strategies to help direct these systems
towards a more desirable state that will be relatively self-sustaining and resilient to future stressors.
Using research and restoration case studies from various rivers in the Southwest, we will discuss how
the various sources of data were synthesized to produce restoration plans that highlight both those
areas best suited for active restoration (including horticultural revegetation) and those in which passive,
process-based restoration and natural revegetation are expected to create new riparian systems that
provide the ecosystem conditions and services desired by local stakeholders. Implementation of these
restoration plans is underway. Long-term monitoring and adaptive management approaches will be
critical given the uncertainties posed by changing climate and by potential co-evolution of the beetle,
tamarisk, and other species in these systems.
Invasive Species Mapping and Prioritization to Support Climate-smart Management,
Restoration, and Long-Term Recovery of Biological Resources on Lower Cache Creek
Andrew Rayburn1
1
Jefferson County Open Space Division, Golden, CO, Phone: (530) 723-3233; [email protected]
Cache Creek is an 87-mile (140 km) stream in Lake, Colusa, and Yolo counties in north-central California.
The stream originates in the coastal foothills, flowing to the Sacramento River through a mosaic of
canyons, riparian forests, oak woodlands, willow scrub, and gravel washes. Once mined extensively for
gravel and highly degraded as a result, lower Cache Creek and the associated riparian ecosystem are
now adaptively managed as an integrated system, with an emphasis on balancing biological resources,
water resources, floodway and channel stability, open space and recreation, agriculture, aggregate
mining, and the cultural landscape. Invasive species became widespread along the creek over the past
100 years, including tamarisk, arundo, ravennagrass, perennial pepperweed, Himalayan blackberry, and
over 20 additional nonnative and invasive species. Over the past decade, invasive species control and
riparian restoration projects have been increasingly implemented to improve habitat for over 200
species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, including numerous specialstatus species. In 2016, two large-scale invasive species mapping and prioritization projects were
implemented to comprehensively assess the distribution and status of a suite of species along a 20-mi
stretch of lower Cache Creek. Specific objectives were to (1) map the extent and distribution of existing
priority invasive species (arundo, ravennagrass, and tamarisk) to assess effectiveness of past control
efforts; (2) map extent and distribution of new priority invasive species that have established in the
region; (3) produce a spatially-explicit baseline to inform and prioritize adaptive management; and (4)
identify and prioritize potential restoration opportunities. Thousands of individual plants and hundreds
of patches of 25 nonnative and invasive species were mapped across the project area using mobilemapping and GPS equipment in the field. Results of these projects are already generating conservation
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 16
funding, stimulating landowner engagement, supporting restoration planning, and informing long-term
conservation planning in the region.
WE’RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER!
Legends Room
11:25-12:40
Engaging Coloradans in Caring Through Active Stewardship
Anna Zawisza1*, Dean Winstanley1
1
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Denver, CO; [email protected]; [email protected]
While efforts are increasing across the state to connect more people to our outdoors, we collectively
lack a means of caring for these places. Without a caring public, we face the very real possibility that we
will degrade the parks, open spaces, and outdoor recreation amenities we have established.
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is a leading statewide nonprofit dedicated to motivating and
enabling people to become active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources. Each year, VOC engages
thousands of diverse volunteers through our outdoor stewardship projects, which range in duration from
one to five days and occur anywhere from urban parks and open spaces, to rural riparian corridors, to highaltitude peaks. Since our founding in 1984, VOC has inspired and engaged more than 105,000 people to
care for Colorado – a total donated labor value of nearly $21 million.
While we continue to use our community-based, large scale projects as the primary vehicle for volunteer
engagement, VOC is also at work developing innovative strategies that encourage enthusiastic individual acts
of stewardship, engage the uninitiated and diversify our constituents. Committed to expanding statewide
capacity for stewardship, VOC’s Outdoor Stewardship Institute has also been the top source of volunteer
leadership training programs since 1986, annually equipping hundreds of people, in local communities,
other volunteer organizations and within land management agencies, with the skills necessary to be
effective and technically skilled leaders.
VOC would like to share examples and successes we have in place fostering a lasting culture of
stewardship that benefits our natural places and communities all across the state over the long term. In
this session, we will share effective engagement strategies including public, youth and corporate
projects; leadership and skills trainings; community tool kits and technical assistance; DIY stewardship
and digital badges through mobile apps; and technology such as social media.
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 17
Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps; Partnerships, Restoration and Opportunity on Sovereign
Lands
Mike Wight1
1
Ancestral Lands Regional Director, Southwest Conservation Corps; [email protected]
Since 2008 Conservation Legacy's Southwest Conservation Corps has been partnering with Native
Communities to develop job training and employment opportunities through conservation-service
work. Operating programs with Navajo Nation, Acoma Pueblo, and Zuni Pueblo has created
relationships that continue to provide much-needed job opportunities and initiate new restoration
efforts on Sovereign lands. Attend this presentation to learn about how community
connections, coupled with the systems Conservation Legacy provides, has led to innovative partnerships
that engage hundreds of young adults and Native staff each year to restore,improve and manage natural
resources on tribal lands and beyond.
Successful Partnerships in Action: VWRC, AZCC, and Vets4Hire
Anna V. Schrenk1*, Russ Dickerson2*, Sara Van Marel1
1
Friends of Verde River Greenway, P.O. Box 2535, Cottonwood, AZ 86326; [email protected];
[email protected]
2
Arizona Conservation Corps, 2500 N. Rose St, Suite 101, Flagstaff, AZ 86001; [email protected]
The Verde Watershed Restoration Coalition (VWRC) is a multi-stakeholder group of representatives from
federal and state agencies, private landowners, corporations and non-profit organizations working on a
watershed scale initiative to manage invasive plants in the Verde Watershed in central Arizona. Since
2012, VWRC has been working with Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) and Vets4Hire to implement the
ecological, social, economic and management goals outlined in the Verde River Cooperative Invasive
Plant Management Plan. AZCC operates conservation service programs across Arizona that empower
individuals to positively impact their lives, their communities and the environment. Vets4Hire is a locally
based veteran service organization that provides job skill training, employment opportunities and
housing for veterans experiencing homelessness.
Over the past five years, VWRC has developed cooperative partnerships with both organizations that
provide VWRC with locally based crews that work for our full season while providing individuals with a
well-rounded experience that includes six-months of hand-on job experience, skills training and
education that both enables individuals to find career pathways and develops our next generation of
conservationists.
Since its inception, these partnerships have put more than 80 young people and veterans to work either
as AmeriCorps service or paid staff. These “boots on the ground” crews have been an integral part of
VWRC’s success, so far they’ve removed target invasive plants affecting over 5,000 acres from private
and public lands. More than $800,000 in wages and $60,000 in AmeriCorps Education Award have been
distributed to young adults in Arizona and local veterans. During the 2016/2017 field season, four AZCC
crew and one Vets4Hire crew, over thirty young adults and veterans will be implementing projects in the
Verde Valley under this successful model.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 18
WILD WEEDS OF THE WEST
Salon I, II, V
1:45-3:00
Noxious Weed History and Policies in Colorado - Where We've Been and Where We're
Headed
Fred Raish1
1
Alligare LLC, 617 Custer Ave, Akron, CO 80720; [email protected]
This presentation will outline the steps Colorado has taken since 1989 to establish the Colorado Noxious
Weed Act. We will discuss the evolution of the Colorado Noxious Weed Act, the Colorado Noxious
Weed Trust Fund, and how Colorado’s noxious weed management has influenced land management
policies at a federal level. The presentation will also look at the future of noxious weed policy,
education, and funding in Colorado.
Strategic Planning for Noxious Weed Management in Colorado
Steve Ryder1
1
Colorado Department of Agriculture, Broomfield, CO 80021; [email protected]
Strategic planning has become a common-place term, rote activity, even cliché. So it’s instructive to
review not only its concepts and processes, but also what it tells us about our efforts to control noxious
weeds over a large landscape with myriad ownership types and multiple levels of government oversight
and/or responsibility.
Generally, strategic planning has been used in corporate environments since the 1960s, where it more
recently migrated to non-profit organizations and is now common in government as well. Its aim is to
determine an organization’s direction, identify its long-term goals and provide a pathway to reaching
those goals. The tools and approaches are fairly common and two of these tools will be used to
demonstrate the application of strategic planning to small organizations such as NGOs and local-to-state
government programs, particularly those that address invasive plant management.
SWOT analysis is the first tool discussed, and it is probably the most common of all the tools. It involves
analyzing the internal structure and functioning of the organization to describe its “strengths” and
“weaknesses”; and also focuses on external factors that impact the organization, which include
“opportunities” and “threats.” From this point, an organization has a much clearer idea of how to
achieve its goals.
A second tool is what’s called a PEST analysis (or, more broadly PESTLE analysis). This tool examines the
more remote external environment. Both are useful for our lines of work. The use and usefulness of
these tools will be presented, with possible applications shown for many of the organizations present.
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 19
Phragmites in Colorado: History, Status, and Future Plan
Patty York1
1
Colorado Department of Agriculture's Noxious Weed Program; [email protected]
Phragmites australis is a tall, perennial grass found worldwide, mainly in aquatic and riparian
environments. Three lineages are present in North America, two native, and one introduced. Phragmites
australis subspecies australis is Eurasian in origin and has proven problematic to native habitats,
especially in the eastern United States. This subspecies was added to the Colorado Noxious Weed Watch
List in 2012, in order to gather more information about its statewide distribution and behavior. An indepth survey was administered in 2016, and results showed that weed managers are still mostly unclear
as to whether their populations are native or introduced. The Colorado Department of Agriculture plans
to help establish a statewide distribution map of native vs. introduced Phragmites in 2016, in order to
better determine whether this introduced invasive qualifies as a noxious weed in Colorado.
PRIVATE LANDS AND RESTORING FOR WILDLIFE
Legends Room
1:45-3:00
Working Ranch Perspective on Maintaining Biodiversity and Woody Invasive Management
Steve Wooten1
Abstract not available.
Large-scale Management of Tamarisk on Private Lands to Improve Habitat Quality for
Imperiled Fishes and Wildlife
Monica E. McGarrity1*, Kevin Mayes2, Duane Lucia3, Todd Caldwell4, Brad Wolaver4, Aaron
Urbanczyk5, and Gene R. Wilde5
1
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, TX; [email protected]
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, San Marcos, TX; [email protected]
3
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Lubbock, TX; [email protected]
4
University of Texas – Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, TX; [email protected];
[email protected]
5
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX; [email protected]; [email protected]
2
Habitat degradation resulting from tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) infestation has been implicated in fish
species imperilment in Texas, yet managing upwards of half a million infested acres presents a
unique challenge in a state with greater than 95% private land ownership. Tamarisk impacts in Texas
are most pronounced in semiarid regions of the Great Plains and Trans-Pecos, where tamarisk
thickets along rivers reduce habitat quality for terrestrial wildlife and armor banks, dramatically
impacting hydrology and river channel morphology. In the upper Brazos River Basin, tamarisk
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 20
infestation was implicated in severe degradation of habitat resulting in a recent decision to list two
fishes—Smalleye Shiner (Notropis buccula) and Sharpnose Shiner (N. oxyrhynchus) as federally
endangered. With 623 river miles designated as critical habitat for these two species, effective
management of tamarisk to improve habitat quality will require prioritization, long-term planning,
and partnerships. State and federal resource agencies are partnering with private landowners to
initiate treatment of tamarisk in the highest priority areas and collaborating with Texas universities
to conduct ecological monitoring. Monitoring efforts include water quality and plant and aquatic
community structure and dynamics but will focus primarily on monitoring changes in physical
habitat and hydrology. Paired cross-sections are used to monitor channel morphology over time and
collocated hydrological monitoring stations were installed to estimate soil (bank) and groundwater
storage and evaluate post-treatment changes to salinity balance. Although tamarisk management
may not directly translate to instream water gains, increased bank and groundwater storage could
result in more sustained baseflows. Changes in channel morphology are expected to increase
habitat diversity and improve habitat quality for imperiled fishes over time. We will highlight the
current status of management and research efforts in the Upper Brazos, as well as challenges and
rewards of implementing large-scale management on privately-owned lands.
Floodplain Restoration for Wildlife Habitat
Ondrea Hummel1
1
Tetra Tech, Albuquerque, NM; [email protected]
Loss of riverine floodplain connected habitat and the resulting loss of habitat for wildlife has been an
ongoing challenge for restoration specialists, especially in the arid Southwest. This presentation will
discuss efforts to connect floodplain habitat for wildlife use and the evaluation of that habitat use
through monitoring.
As a previous staff member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ms. Hummel was the lead ecologist for
restoration efforts in the Albuquerque Reach of the Rio Grande for the past 13 years. The overarching
goal of these projects was to increase ecosystem functionality and sustainability. Restoration projects
focused on increasing diversity and quality of wildlife habitat, reducing fire hazard, and reconnecting the
river and adjacent floodplain. Various restoration techniques were implemented toward these goals.
Tetra Tech has completed restoration projects of similar nature and objectives which will also be
discussed.
Fire hazard reduction has focused on reducing dead material on the ground as well as dense thickets of
non-native vegetation such as salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima), Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia),
tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), and Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila).
Projects implemented are being monitored for restoration success by evaluating vegetation response
and potential habitat, and wildlife use and response. All floodplain connected sites are being monitored
for use by the federally listed Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus), Southwestern Willow
Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus), and Western Yellow Billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus).
Transects monitoring avian populations in the project area were also established prior to construction
and continue to be monitored. This monitoring has provided important information in regards to
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 21
planning future restoration efforts that meet all project objectives. Monitoring has also pointed out
where improvement is needed and adaptive management can be implemented.
Restoration features implemented, habitat and species monitoring, and results and recommendations
will be discussed.
INVOLVING BUSINESSES IN RESTORATION:
PANEL DISCUSSION
Salon I , II , V
3:25-4:50
How to Involve Businesses in Riparian Restoration
Matt Teeters1, Kynnie Martin2, Katie Hughes3, Craig Mackey4, Tim Carlson5
1
Alpine Bank, Grand Junction, CO; [email protected]
Xcel Energy, Grand Junction, CO; [email protected]
3
Big Agnes; [email protected]
4
Business for Water Stewardship; [email protected]
5
Many Rivers Brewing Company; [email protected]
2
Moderated by Stacy Beaugh, Executive Director, Tamarisk Coalition.
Panelists will overview their respective businesses’ roles in the community and in environmental
initiatives before opening it up for an audience-wide discussion. Topics to be covered may include ideas
for how organizations/communities can better attract private businesses to their cause, additional
opportunities for businesses to be engaged in river restoration efforts that would benefit both the
business and the restoration effort, how organizations can better communicate how the work that they
do will benefit the private industry, etc.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 22
February 8th
FUNDING AND RESTORATION APPROACHES TO BENEFIT
RIVERSIDE COMMUNITIES
Salon I, II, V
8:35-10:15
Valuing the Socioeconomic Benefits of Environmental Flows and Restoration
In the Colorado River Delta
Fátima Luna1
1
Sonoran Institute, 100 N. Stone Ave., Suite 400, Tucson, AZ, Phone: (520) 290-0828 Ext. 1115;
[email protected]
Although the Colorado River Delta in northwest Mexico has been severely degraded due to lack of river
flows caused by upstream dams and diversions, the Delta remains a vital and remarkably resilient
ecological and economic resource. Restoration efforts of Sonoran Institute and partners over the last
decade have shown that active restoration coupled with environmental flow deliveries can successfully
restore patches of riparian and marsh habitat along the river corridor. Diverse, functioning Delta
habitats, in turn, significantly benefit local communities by providing an array of recreational and
economic opportunities.
This study analyzed the existing and potential economic benefits of restored Delta ecosystems,
providing an economic argument for augmenting Delta environmental flows. The study also evaluated
potential market mechanisms to fund restoration and water acquisition. Based on over 2,000 surveys
and interviews with water users in the region, results indicated that hunters and local recreationists
visiting the Delta are willing to support restoration/conservation efforts by donating up to $235,000
dollars per year. Enhanced eco-tourism opportunities and donations from camp and vacation
homeowners can provide sustainable revenue sources for restoration. Furthermore, the study
determined that establishing a non-profit Conservation Fund managed by an NGO would be the most
effective long-term approach for administering funds for water acquisition and restoration project
implementation. Such projects can support recreation and eco-tourism opportunities, with the ultimate
goal of a sustainable restoration and maintenance funding cycle.
Resulting from this study, a Delta Conservation Fund is currently in the process of becoming formally
established. A technical committee—composed of key representatives from the hunting industry, camp
and vacation homeowners, Cucapah tribal members, fishermen, and government agencies—was
assembled to oversee and decide the type of restoration projects to be implemented. The Conservation
Fund has raised $13,000 to date, and hopes to implement its first restoration project in 2017.
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 23
A Conservation Funding Framework to Support Large-Scale Restoration and Long-Term
Stewardship
Jeremy Sokulsky1*, Osvel Hinojosa Huerta2, Kristen Boysen1
1
Environmental Incentives, South Lake Tahoe, CA, Phone: (530) 541-2980; [email protected];
[email protected]
2
Pronatura Noroeste, A.C., Ensenada, B.C., MX; [email protected]
Over the last decade, the nongovernmental organizations in the Colorado River Delta have made
significant policy and ecological strides in the Colorado River Delta region. The success of the Minute
319 agreement and the 2014 pulse flow together have made the Delta increasingly attractive to
conservation donors interested in restoring habitat. Funding has been secured for multiple project sites
and for the acquisition of water rights to sustain restoration. Future challenges include securing funding
for the long-term stewardship of existing restoration and increasing the amount of funding available for
additional restoration. The estimated costs for water delivery and stewardship of restoration sites over a
25-year period can be similar to the costs of active restoration depending on site requirements and
constraints.
Here we propose a Conservation Funding Framework to attract and diversify the sources of funding for
restoration and stewardship in the Delta by:
Offering Conservation Certificates that enable donors to invest in a product which supports the longterm performance of restoration projects. Conservation certificates can be itemized to create a menu of
defined fundraising products and options to attract a variety of donors – both large and small.
Linking Conservation to Ecological Success and linking project-scale outcomes to regional restoration
goals. Ecological success criteria provide a consistent definition of habitat quality for different habitat
types in the Delta.
Ensuring Financial Sustainability by securing dedicated funds to pay for site maintenance, water
delivery, monitoring, and reporting over a period of decades within a structured context. This will
ensure Performance Reports for donors and interested stakeholders, as well as support ongoing
adaptive management decisions at the restoration site.
This is a transferable framework that can form the basis for conservation finance investments in areas
where regulations or long-term funding initiatives create demand for verified and durable conservation
outcomes.
Restore Our Rivers: A Case Study in Tackling Private Fundraising for Riparian Restoration
Kristen Jespersen1
1
Tamarisk Coalition; [email protected]
Many practitioners face common challenges with carrying out private fundraising for riparian
restoration work. This presentation will walk through some of those challenges, the importance of
private fundraising to organizational sustainability, and the lessons that the Tamarisk Coalition has
learned in private fundraising since launching its $2.42M Restore Our Rivers initiative.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 24
From Farm to Foundation – An Entrepreneurial Approach to River Conservation
Tim Carlson1*, Chip Norton2*, Kim Schonek3*
1
Many Rivers Brewing PBC and Forever our Rivers Foundation; [email protected]
Sinagua Malting Company
3
The Nature Conservancy
2
Traditional means of funding river conservation projects such as invasive control, river trails, launch
areas, in-stream flows, etc. have always been focused on seeking funding from donors, foundations,
and/or other grant making sources. If asked an initial question “How do these sources get their
money”? The simple answer is that these people and organizations acquired their funding at some point
in time from an entrepreneurial enterprise. So, the second question begs “Why can’t we mimic this
approach to setup a corporate structure that generates profits that eventually aid river conservation”?
The presenters have done exactly this and will discuss the unique ways beer plays into keeping more
water in rivers and funding additional river conservation as well.
AND THE RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT
Salon I , II , V
10:40-11:05
Reciprocal Interactions between Fluvial Processes and Riparian Vegetation at Multiple Scales
Patrick Shafroth1*, Li Kui2,3, John C. Stella2, Andrew C. Wilcox4, Anne Lightbody5, Rebecca Diehl4, and
Sharon Bywater-Reyes4
1
Fort Collins Science Center, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO; [email protected]
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY; [email protected]
3
Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA; [email protected]
4
University of Montana, Missoula, MT; [email protected]
5
University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH; [email protected]
2
Fluvial forces interact with woody riparian plants in complex ways to influence the coevolution of river
morphology and floodplain plant communities. Here, we report on an integrated suite of multidisciplinary studies that contrasted the responses of tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) and cottonwood (Populus
fremontii) plants in terms of (1) differences in vulnerability to scour and burial during floods; (2)
interactions and feedbacks between plants and river morphodynamics; and (3) long-term coevolution of
river floodplains and riparian communities following flow regulation from dams. The focus of these
studies was sand-bed rivers in arid-land regions where invasion by tamarisk has strongly influenced
riverine plant communities and geomorphic processes. We analyzed long-term vegetation and
geomorphic changes along the dammed Bill Williams River (AZ, USA) using time-series aerial
photographs, and complemented this with two novel laboratory experiments using live seedlings in
field-scale flumes to quantify the initial stages of plant-river interactions.
The strength of vegetation-fluvial interactions depended on plant characteristics, river hydraulics and
sediment conditions, and these were relatively coherent across the wide range of scales. At a corridor
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 25
scale, we observed a pattern of plant encroachment during five decades of flow regulation, in which
channel narrowing and simplification to single-thread form was more associated with tamariskdominated reaches compared with native woodlands. For smaller plants in individual and patch
configurations, tamarisk’s greater biomass, lower crown position, and stiffer stems induced greater
sedimentation during experimental floods compared to cottonwood. This resulted in tamarisk’s greater
mortality from burial as small seedlings under sediment equilibrium conditions but higher survival under
sediment deficit scenarios. As plants grew larger and at higher density, their flood vulnerability
diminished due to greater root anchoring and canopy effects on hydraulics. Together, these multi-scale
plant-river dynamics help explain the persistence of tamarisk along regulated rivers where catastrophic
floods have been reduced and also highlight the limitations of using flow releases for invasive species
management.
Current Status and Future Trajectories for the Riparian Forest along the South Platte River in
Colorado
Gabrielle Katz1*, Andrew Norton2, Ahmed Eldiery2, and Reagan Waskom3
1
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Denver, CO;
[email protected]
2
Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado
State University, Fort Collins CO; [email protected]; [email protected]
3
Colorado Water Institute, Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO; [email protected]
The hydrologic regime of the South Platte River in eastern Colorado has experienced significant
anthropogenic change since the mid-19th century. Streamflow has been progressively stabilized and
augmented by dams, trans-basin diversions and sub-surface irrigation return flows, though inter-annual
variation in flow still occurs due to climate conditions. Reductions in hydrologic variability in other
systems have resulted in a shift from native pioneer cottonwood-willow (Populus-Salix) forests to nonpioneer communities dominated by species such as green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), Siberian elm
(Ulmus pumila) and Russian olive (Elaeangus angustifolia). Because the South Platte River still retains
substantial variation in flow, it is unclear what will be the future trajectory of its expansive riparian
forest.
In 2015 we undertook a survey of the riparian forest along the South Platte River from Fort Lupton CO to
Julesburg CO, just west of the Nebraska border. Our survey quantified seedling, sapling and tree
densities at 15 sites along the river. The riparian forest is dominated by plains cottonwood (Populus
deltoides), followed by peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides). Combined, these two native species make
up more than 90% of the forest basal area and almost 70% of the individual trees throughout the survey
area. Russian olive, green ash, Siberian elm and boxelder (Acer negundo) were the next most common
species. Cottonwood and willow comprise approximately 60% of the sapling numbers in the system, a
smaller share of the forest than is seen for mature trees. However, high flows in 2013, 2014 and 2015
created large areas of newly exposed ground suitable for cottonwood germination. We encountered
more than 100,000 seedlings over 175 hectare surveyed; more than 90% were cottonwood.
From our survey there is some evidence to suggest that the long-term trajectory of the forest is a
replacement of cottonwood-willow with non-pioneer species. However, the recent pulse in cottonwood
seedlings suggests that cottonwood-willow forests may still be capable of widespread reproduction.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 26
Future work will focus in describing the age structure of the current riparian forest, and assessing
survival of seedling cohorts established after recent floods.
Weed Invasions along the South Platte River
Andrew Norton1*, Gabrielle Katz2, Ahmed Eldiery3, and Reagan Waskom4
1
Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO; [email protected]
2
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Denver, CO;
[email protected]
3
Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO;
[email protected]
4
Colorado Water Institute, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; [email protected]
In the summer of 2015 we undertook a survey of noxious weed presence and abundance throughout
the flood plain of the South Platte River and its tributaries, from approximately Fort Lupton to Julesburg,
CO near the Nebraska boarder. At each of 15 study sites we estimated the presence and abundance of
State of Colorado Listed noxious weeds along transects running perpendicular to the river and covering
the site’s existing flood plain. At each survey point we also collected data on riparian forest structure,
distance to and elevation above the river channel and presence of bare ground, litter or other
vegetation. These variables were used in regression models to determine which environmental factor(s)
could explain weed presence and abundance.
State of Colorado listed noxious weeds were common at all sites. For example, nearly 30% of 10 x 10 m
plots surveyed contained hoary cress (Cardaria draba), and almost 35% of plots contained downy brome
(Bromus tectorum). When all weed species are considered together, 90% of plots sampled contained
one or more weed species. Percent cover for each weed species presents a similar picture. Over all
plots and all sites, listed weeds make up more than 20% of plant cover. Downy brome (10.42%) and
hoary cress (4.35%) are the most abundant weed species we found.
Interactions and Trajectories: A Look at Post Flood Response of Riparian Plant Communities
to Diorhabda Invasions along the Virgin River
Steven Lee¹*, Patrick Shafroth², Rebecca Sherry³, Steven Ostoja1, and Mathew Brooks1
¹ US Geological Survey, Yosemite Field Station, Oakhurst, CA; [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]
² US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO; [email protected]
³ Cherokee Nation Technologies (CNT), Contracted To: US Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO;
[email protected]
In 2009 we started monitoring the vegetation composition and cover, soils, and topography along a ~40
mile stretch of the Virgin River in Nevada and Arizona in anticipation of invasion by Diorhabda beetles
being used as biological control on Tamarix. In December 2010 a large flood event occurred along the
river, drastically altering the local topography and vegetation cover. This event occurred at the front of
the invasion by Diorahbda, which continue to defoliate extant stands of Tamarix along this section of
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 27
the river. By spring 2015, major defoliation had occurred throughout our study area resulting in shifts in
the plant communities. We describe changes to riparian plant communities over a six year period
between Fall 2009 and Spring 2015. We also expand on previously reported work by discussing the
interaction of flooding with Tamarix defoliation, possible trajectories of the riparian communities and
our ongoing plans for monitoring along the Virgin River.
Flood disturbance resulted in different species compositions dependent on local erosion or deposition.
In general, flooding had a positive influence on recruitment of native woody species (e.g., Pluchea
sericea, Salix sp.) in once Tamarix dominated areas. Tamarix mortality from defoliation was heaviest in
areas that had the highest Tamarix cover, suggesting a density dependent relationship between
Diorhabda beetles and Tamarix. The interaction between flooding and beetle defoliation showed larger
changes to the plant communities in flooded areas than those not impacted by the flood event. Major
flood events, like the one in 2010 can offer a window of opportunities for native plant species to recolonize riparian habitats. Flooding on the Virgin River is episodic and an important part of the dynamics
that shape the riparian communities. With the establishment of Diorhabda to the region, we have
reason to expect more persistent mixed stands of riparian vegetation than in the past.
BEETLE-MANIA
Legends Room
10:40-12:20
Tamarisk Leaf Beetle Monitoring Along the Middle Rio Grande Riparian Corridor
Claire Reardon1*, Caitlyn Willis1*
1
Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program, Albuquerque, NM, Bernalillo; [email protected];
[email protected]
Since the release of the tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda spp.) as a biological control for tamarisk
(Tamarix spp.) throughout several western states in 2001, the beetles have made their way into central
New Mexico. The Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) has monitored tamarisk leaf beetles
annually since 2013 along the Rio Grande, from Santo Domingo Pueblo to Las Cruces, NM. This 2016
field season included monitoring 135 trees at 27 sites once per month for four months. Each site had
five trees selected for collection that were sampled with a sweep net five times per sampling period. All
arthropods collected were then stored in a freezer to be sorted later under a microscope. In the lab, all
arthropods were identified and counted with the focus primarily on tamarisk defoliators (Diorhabda
spp., Coniatus splendidulus, Opsius spp.). Individual tree defoliation was estimated during each sampling
period and documented visually with photographs from a set point for each tree.
This research focuses on the abundance and diversity of the tamarisk defoliators (primarily Diorhabda
spp.) throughout various life stages since 2013. Analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution of the
tamarisk leaf beetle can provide insight into the impact of these exotic species on the health of the
tamarisk throughout the Middle Rio Grande Valley. The study has found that an increase in Diorhabda
generally coincides with a decrease in other species of defoliators. The Diorhabda beetle has been
present at all BEMP monitoring sites within the Middle Rio Grande Valley except for three sites: one in
Los Lunas, Las Cruces, and one site in Albuquerque. Tree mortality in our study sites was very low (one in
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 28
135 trees). The ongoing monitoring of these species is essential to understand the impacts it may have
on the future of southwestern riparian ecosystems.
Spatial Patterns of Beetle-Induced Defoliation of Invasive Tamarisk at the Landscape Level
Annie Henry1*, Eduardo González1, Wright Robinson2, Bérenger Bourgeois3, and Anna Sher1
1
University of Denver, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Denver, CO; [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]
2
Grand County Weed Dept., Moab, UT; [email protected]
3
Département de Phytologie, Faculté des Sciences de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation, Université Laval, Québec
& Québec Centre for Biodiversity Science, Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada;
[email protected]
Diorhabda spp. was introduced as a bio-control agent beginning in 2001 and has since become an
inseparable part of tamarisk-dominated river systems in the Southwest. We cannot yet accurately
predict either patterns or drivers of defoliation in response to beetle release. Most ecological
phenomenon display some kind of spatial organization; identifying and describing these can help fill
such gaps in understanding. This study applied Moran’s eigenvector maps to tamarisk defoliation to
show how spatial models can be used to expand traditional statistical methods in ecology to understand
ecological phenomena. Between 2013 and 2016 tamarisk dieback was assessed at 79 sites across Grand
County, UT. Using a traditional general linear model, we found that readily and commonly measured
environmental factors could explain only 26% of the variation in tamarisk live canopy each year.
Combining both traditional and novel spatial statistical methods we increased that percentage to 4363%, depending on year. The portion of live canopy explained through environmental factors and spatial
structure had little overlap. This means that while we have gained an understanding of distinct spatial
patterns that account for variation in live canopy, the ecological processes underlying this spatial
structure remain unknown. However, we found three types of spatial patterns – a linear East-West
gradient (4-12%), a bi-directional pattern relating to rivers (26-37%) and a third related overland, as-thecrow-flies distances (25-58%). Interestingly, the overland proximity-based spatial structure in live canopy
remained consistent, while the river-way patterns changed substantially from year to year, suggesting
that both temporally stable (e.g., tamarisk population genetic structure) and unstable (e.g., the flow
regime) aspects of the system are influencing the defoliation of tamarisk canopy. This study will help us
to design future studies to understand the factors controlling tamarisk beetle defoliation and ultimately
optimize their use as an effective management tool.
Temperature, Day Length, and Geographic Distribution Data Allows for Prediction of Tamarix
spp. Defoliation by Diorhabda carinulata
Levi Jamison1*, Charles Van Riper2, and Matthew Johnson1
1
Colorado Plateau Research Station/Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ; [email protected];
[email protected].
2
USGS, Tucson, AZ; [email protected]
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 29
We examined the spatial dynamics and timing of defoliation of tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) by the biological
control agent Diorhabda carinulata at three sites within the Colorado River Basin. We found that the
location and timing of defoliation was predictable based on; 1) abiotic cues for D. carinulata activity, 2)
spatial distributions and abundances of D. carinulata across a site, and 3) movement of D. carinulata as
a result of available tamarisk foliage. We found that averaged air temperatures above 15ºC during the
spring related to how soon D. carinulata began reproducing and defoliation rate at a site, and that this
led to variations in voltinism rates in D. carinulata. We found the critical day length for inducing
diapause in D. carinulata at our sites to be 33-47 min shorter than that of populations first released in
North America in 2001, suggesting adaptation in response to abiotic cues. We also found a positive
correlation between the spatial distributions of D. carinulata populations during the fall compared to
that of the 1st generation of larvae during the following spring, suggesting that locations of defoliation as
a result of abundant larval populations could be predicted in advance. There was also a significant
decrease in the numbers of D. carinulata in sites that were 50% defoliated compared to those that were
100% defoliated, demonstrating that D. carinulata will abandon areas once defoliation levels become
high. We will present how these results will better enable conservationists to understand the timing of
defoliation events across a landscape and provide a rationale to forecasting tamarisk defoliation in areas
colonized by D. carinulata.
Saltcedar beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) and Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) Interactions in the
Colorado River Basin: Potential for Water Salvage, and Dispersal of Beetles from the Upper to
the Lower River Basin
Pamela L. Nagler1*, Uyen Nguyen2, Heather Bateman3, Christopher J. Jarchow1, Edward P. Glenn2, Jody
W. Waugh4, Charles van Riper III1,5
1
U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, 520 North Park Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719;
[email protected]
2
Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, 1177 E. 4th Street, Tucson, AZ
85721-0038
3
Arizona State University, College of Integrative Science and Arts, 6073 S Backus Mall, Mesa, AZ 85212
4
Navarro Engineering, 2597 Legacy Way, Grand Junction, CO81503-1789
5
School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, 520 North Park Avenue, Tucson,
AZ 85719
Saltcedar biocontrol beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) were released in the Upper Colorado River Basin in
the U.S. in 2004-2007 to defoliate introduced saltcedar shrubs (Tamarix spp.) in the region’s riparian
zones. The primary purpose was to control the invasive shrub and reduce evapotranspiration (ET) by
saltcedar in an attempt to increase streamflows. We evaluated beetle-saltcedar interactions with MODIS
and Landsat satellite imagery on 13 river systems, with vegetation indices used as indicators of the
extent of defoliation and ET. Beetles are now widespread throughout the region. They exhibit a pattern
of colonize-defoliate-emigrate, so that riparian zones contain a mosaic of completely defoliated,
partially defoliated, and re-foliated saltcedar stands. Based on satellite data and ET algorithms, mean ET
before beetle release (2000-2006) was 416 mm yr-1 (SE = 49) compared to post-release (2007-2015) ET
of 356 mm yr-1 (SE = 41) (P < 0.05) for a net reduction of 60 mm yr-1. This is lower than initial literature
projections that ET would be reduced by 300-460 mm yr-1. Reasons for the lower-than-expected ET
reductions are because baseline ET rates are lower than initially projected and percentage ET reduction
is low because saltcedar stands tend to regrow new leaves after defoliation and other plants help
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 30
maintain canopy cover. Defoliation is now proceeding from the Upper Basin into the Lower Basin at a
rate of 40 km yr-1, much faster than initially projected. Defoliation now occurs within Southeastern
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) habitat, an endangered bird that nests in saltcedar stands.
MOVE OVER TAMARISK, MAKE SOME ROOM FOR
RUSSIAN OLIVE
Salon I , II , V
1:20-3:00
Russian Olive Control Methods
Curtis Deuser1
1
Deuser, Curtis, National Park Service, 601 NV Way, Boulder City, NV 89005, Phone: (702) 293-8979;
[email protected]
Information included in this presentation is based on a compilation of 27 years of practical experience
involving tamarisk and Russian olive control at multiple sites in several western states. Some
information is based on experimental studies and then applied broadly across numerous
implementation project sites over two decades forming a large spatial and temporal sample size.
Various woody perennial tree control methods and slash management options are described including
pros and cons based on various factors. Tamarisk control methods appear to be more well established
and standardized with better results compared to Russian olive. Some plot work and experience has
found that frill cut (or hack and squirt) method using high concentrations of glyphosate produces very
good results on Russian olive, and is less labor intensive compared to cut stump method with potentially
less herbicide impacts.
Re-establishing Ecological Function after Russian Olive Removal: Passive Versus Active
Restoration
Erin K. Espeland1, Natalie M. West1*, David H. Branson1, Jennifer M. Muscha2, Merilynn Schantz3,
Robert W. Kilian3, Joseph D. Scianna3, and Mark K. Petersen2
1
USDA-ARS Northern Plains Agriculture Research Laboratory, Sidney, MT; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected]
2
USDA-ARS Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Miles City MT; [email protected];
[email protected]
3
Red Rock Resources LLC, Miles City, MT; [email protected]
4
USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Center, Bridger, MT; [email protected]; [email protected]
How does Russian olive invasion alter ecological function, and how much active management (removal,
restoration) is required to return functionality to landscapes? Dense Russian olive stands reduce the
agricultural and ecological value of rivers, streams and drainage ditches across Montana. Our Russian
olive control method of using a tree shear with immediate cut stump herbicide application resulted in a
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 31
less than 1% resprout rate. However, controlling Russian olive is a multi-year commitment, with stump
resprouting occurring up to two years post-removal and massive recruitment from seed after that.
Grasses and forbs planted after Russian olive removal can take over three years to establish, however
these species quickly expand beyond planted areas. Active restoration increased native plant species
cover and diversity compared to passive restoration (Russian olive removal with no subsequent
planting). Although experimental plots are too small to affect bird populations, we can use measures of
structure to assess how restoration treatments (herbaceous layer only, herbaceous plus shrubs,
herbaceous plus trees, herbaceous plus trees plus shrubs) affect habitat suitability in the first few years
after planting. Removing Russian olive had an immediate effect on insect communities, and rapidlycolonizing insect taxa may provide clues to successful life history traits for biological control along
riparian corridors. Surveys along the Yellowstone River suggest that some shrub species are associated
with decreased invasibility in this landscape, and that planting shrubs after Russian olive removal may
be key for ecological function.
Russian Olive Effects Persist Three Years After Removal
Graham M. Tuttle1*, Gabrielle L. Katz2, and Andrew P Norton1
1
2
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; [email protected]; [email protected]
Metropolitan State, University of Denver, Denver, CO
Our study was designed to better understand how the removal of Russian olive affects riparian
ecosystems. From 2010 through 2014, we measured soil N concentration and plant cover in plots
underneath and outside of Russian olive canopy along the South Fork of the Republican River. Prior to
removal (2010 and 2011), plots underneath Russian olive were associated with higher plant available
soil N, proportion exotic plant cover, and annual forb cover than plots outside the tree’s canopy. In the
winter and spring 2012, Russian olive was mechanically removed from half of our plots. Also during that
year and the following (2013), the temperature was above the historic average and precipitation was
below. During those two years, plant available soil N decreased in unremoved Russian olive plots and
increased in removed Russian olive plots. However, in 2014, when temperatures and precipitation were
closer to the historic average, available soil N more than doubled in both removed and unremoved
Russian olive plots. The proportion exotic and forb cover increased for all plots during the five years of
this study. Kochia (Bassia scoparia) was particularly driving this pattern, as its cover increased
substantially for all plots. The increase in kochia was highest in plots in the removal transects where soil
was disturbed, and the elevated soil N associated with Russian olive may have increased the effects of
soil disturbance. These results indicate that (1) the effects of Russian olive on soil N and plant cover
persist in the third year following its removal, (2) annual forb species, and in particular kochia, have
increased dramatically in areas where the soil was disturbed by the removal process, (3) this disturbance
effect seems to be exacerbated by the high soil N levels associated with Russian olive, and (4) weather
influences riparian ecosystem response to Russian olive removal.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 32
The Role of Invasive Russian Olive and Native Cottonwood In Vegetation Expansion And
Channel Narrowing On A Dryland River
Michael L. Scott1*, Lindsay V. Reynolds2,3 and Patrick B. Shafroth3
1
Emeritus, U. S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. C, Fort Collins, CO, 80526;
[email protected]
2
Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523; [email protected]
3
U. S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. C, Fort Collins, CO, 80526;
[email protected]
Throughout the southwestern US, channel narrowing resulting from both climatic drought and flow
regulation, has featured the extensive establishment and spread of the non-native riparian shrub
tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima, and hybrids) and more recently Russian olive (Eleaegnus angustifolia).
Russian olive, a non-native riparian tree, established along streams in the region and is now the fourth
most common riparian tree in the western US. Like many regional streams, the Escalante River in
southern Utah has a channel that has narrowed dramatically and been invaded by dense stands of
Russian olive during the late-twentieth century. Increases in Russian olive and changes in channel form
prompted a broad-scale effort to remove Russian olive from the Escalante River bottomland. We used
this removal effort to document the details of Russian olive invasion along the Escalante River. Our
objectives were to: 1) use tree-ring analysis and historical aerial photos to quantify the timing and
extent of vegetation expansion; 2) analyze hydroclimate data and model Russian olive establishment
with hydroclimate variables; and 3) develop a conceptual model describing the Russian olive invasion
and its role in channel narrowing. Results show the Escalante River channel narrowed significantly
between the 1950s and 1980; primarily as a result of cottonwood establishment. Although present in
the watershed in the early 1950s, dense stands of Russian olive established along the river after 1980,
narrowing the channel even further. Russian olive, clustered along the channel banks, appear to have:
1) created levees; 2) simplified channel form and 3) limited channel and floodplain dynamism. We found
that Russian olive establishment is tied, in part, to wet years in the 1980s and 90s. Russian olive removal
along the Escalante River, appears to restore some erosional and depositional processes. Strategic use
of slash may enhance localized channel dynamics. Monitoring is suggested to evaluate the effectiveness
of removal efforts.
SATELLITES AND GIS TOOLS
Legends Room
1:20-3:00
Tree Species Classification of South Platte Phreatophytes
Ahmed Eldeiry1*, Andrew Norton1, Gabrielle Katz2, Reagan Waskom3
1
Ahmed Eldeiry, Ph.D. Bioagricultural Sciences & Pest Management, College of Agricultural Sciences, Colorado
State University, 80523; [email protected]; [email protected]
2
Gabrielle Katz, Ph.D. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Metropolitan State University of Denver,
Denver, CO 802173; [email protected]
3
Reagan Waskom, Ph.D. Colorado Water Institute, Colorado State University, 80523;
[email protected]
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 33
A knowledge based expert system was used in this study to identify different tree species in the flood
plain of the South Platte River and its tributaries in Colorado. High density airborne light detection and
ranging (LiDAR) data were acquired from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that
covered the whole study area. High resolution aerial images were acquired from the National
Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP). Height, DBH, canopy condition and species identity were
determined for trees in 435 20 x 20 m plots from 15 sites within the study area. A matrix was
constructed from the collected samples of tree species and the corresponding values of independent
variables from LiDAR and aerial images. Variables included image bands, indices, and heights. A decision
tree algorithm was used to classify the collected samples based on the independent variables. A set of
rules was established to classify different tree species based on the decision tree classifications. An
Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA) approach was used to segment and classify the image. Image
segmentation was used to divide the image into meaningful structure, where pixels in close proximity
and having similar spectral characteristics are grouped together into an object. Then, segmented objects
were grouped into classes, where each class represents a specific tree species. The preliminary results
show that this technique successfully categorized five different species in the study area: Acer negundo
(box elder), Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive), Populus deltoides (plains cottonwood), Salix
amygdaloides (peach leaf willow) and Salix exigua (coyote willow).
Application and Comparison of Satellite Remote Sensing and Species Distribution Models for
Mapping Tamarisk
Amanda West1, Nicholas Young1, Ryan Anderson1, Stephen Chignell2*, Paul Evangelista1, Catherine
Jarnevich3, Thomas Stohlgren1, Colin Talbert4, Marian Talbert4, Jeffrey Morisette4
1
Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523-1499;
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected]
2
Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523-1499;
[email protected]
3
U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center 2150 Centre Ave. Building C. Fort Collins, CO 80526-8118;
[email protected]
4
U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior North Central Climate Science Center
Fort Collins, CO 80526; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Detecting and monitoring invasive plant species is vital for the management of natural resources and
protection of ecosystem processes. The use of satellite remote sensing for mapping the distribution of
invasive plants is becoming more common; however best practices for using these images in species
distribution models (SDMs) are still being developed. In these studies, we test and evaluate the use of
five SDMs fit with satellite remote sensing data to map invasive tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) along the
Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado. In addition, we compare the use of freely available moderate
resolution Landsat satellite imagery to commercial high-spatial resolution WorldView-2 imagery for
mapping tamarisk in Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona. The SDMs tested included boosted
regression trees, Random Forest, multivariate adaptive regression splines, generalized linear model, and
Maxent. These analyses were conducted using the Software for Assisted Habitat Modeling (SAHM). Field
data were collected in each respective study area to train and test the models. Individual bands,
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 34
Wetness Index and tasseled cap transformations were used as predictor variables. Remote sensing
imagery used captured multiple seasons to distinguish tamarisk from native riparian vegetation. All
SDMs identified current tamarisk distribution successfully based on threshold independent and
threshold dependent test evaluation metrics. To account for model specific differences, we produced an
ensemble of all five models highlighting areas of agreement and areas of uncertainty. Cost, historical
availability, data processing, spatial and spectral resolution and revisit time were compared between
Landsat and WorldView-2 imagery. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of SDMs in analyzing
remotely sensed data and the utility of ensemble mapping, showcase the capability of SAHM in preprocessing and executing multiple models, and emphasize the utility of freely-available Landsat satellite
imagery for mapping tamarisk distribution.
Designing a Watershed Scale GIS Database for Riparian Restoration: A Case Study in the
Colorado River Basin
Phoebe B. McNeally, Ph.D.1* and Michael J. Campbell2
1
2
DIGIT Lab, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; [email protected]
Geography Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; [email protected]
Tracking riparian restoration work is a challenging and often daunting task faced by many watersheds.
Cross-walking the data across multiple watersheds increases the complexity of the task due to varying
methods of collecting and reporting data and non-standardized terminology and definitions. Geographic
information systems (GIS) provide an efficient and effective way to manage and track spatial data and
associated attributes. Using GIS allows data to be collected in a consistent and standardized manner
across watersheds and easily calculates reporting metrics.
Working with the Walton Family Foundation (WFF) and associated Colorado River Basin watersheds, the
DIGIT Lab at the University of Utah developed a standardized GIS framework to capture pertinent data
associated with an individual watershed’s restoration work with the overall goal to allow WFF to track
and roll up progress and success data across multiple watersheds. Data includes physical watershed
characteristics, invasive treatments and restoration, monitoring, and administrative reporting needs.
The framework is designed to be portable and adaptable for use by any watershed working with the
treatment of invasive species. This presentation will discuss the project background, cross-walk
challenges, GIS framework components, and implementation strategies.
Detection of the Spatiotemporal Patterns of Beetle-Induced Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.)
Defoliation along Lower Rio Grande using Landsat TM Images
Wenjie Ji 1*, Le Wang1, Allen E. Knutson2
1
Department of Geography, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14261, Phone: (716) 645
0474; [email protected]; [email protected]
2
Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Dallas, TX 75252;
[email protected]
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 35
Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) has long been targeted for removal by land managers in the western U.S. due to
its negative impacts on the quality of riparian habitats. Tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda spp.) was first
released in the U.S. in 2001 as a biocontrol agent for this non-native plant. Since then, the beetle quickly
established and substantial tamarisk defoliation was subsequently observed along river corridors in the
western states. However, interactions between beetle herbivory and tamarisk defoliation is not well
understood due to the lack of effective methods for monitoring and tracking the spatiotemporal
patterns of beetle-induced defoliation. In the present study, using a classification-based method, we
successfully mapped tamarisk defoliation caused by the subtropical tamarisk beetle (D. sublineata) in
Landsat TM images from 2009 to 2014 along Lower Rio Grande in West Texas. The match between our
results and ground observation suggest remote sensing, especially Landsat TM images, is an effective
and valuable tool for monitoring and tracking tamarisk defoliation/beetle dispersal at large spatial
scales. Our results also show that the beetle populations dispersed a distance of 108 km in the first year
after release. The availability and the connectivity of tamarisk stands appeared to control the movement
of beetles at a coarser and a finer scale, respectively. Temperature and precipitation were not
correlated with tamarisk defoliation.
PLANTS, PEOPLE, BUGS…WHY SHOULD I CARE?
Salon I , II , V
3:25-4:40
Human Ecology of Tamarix Invasion Control in Riparian Southwest U.S.
Lisa B. Clark1*, Eduardo González1, Rebecca Lave2, Nathan Sayre3, and Anna Sher1
1
University of Denver, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Denver, CO; [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]
2
Indiana University, Dept. of Geography, Bloomington, IN; [email protected]
3
University of California, Dept. of Geography, Berkeley, CA; [email protected]
Ecological restoration and rehabilitation projects vary widely in their success at meeting project goals.
Researchers have investigated the role of the environment and weed-removal methods to explain this
variability, but the human component has rarely been explored. A new, NSF-sponsored project is using
efforts to control Tamarix as a case study to explore human-environment interactions through the
following questions: (1) How has plant community structure changed as a consequence of human
intervention? (2) What aspects of a manager’s background best explain variability in attitudes toward
nature and science? (3) Do managers’ attitudes follow any geographic patterns? (4) Do managers’
attitudes correlate with restoration outcomes? We have vegetation and environmental data from over
400 sites in the southwestern US where Tamarix removal or other restoration activities have taken
place; we are presently surveying and interviewing the managers responsible for these projects to
explore their perceptions of science and nature, collaborations, informational resources, and their
intervention goals and methods. Research to address question 1 has found dramatic and striking
patterns. Multivariate analyses will be used to explore both intra-system interactions (question 2) as
well as interactions between human and ecological systems (questions 3 and 4). Of particular interest is
testing the assumption that land managers who utilize scientifically-sound resources and practices and
collaborate more frequently will have better project outcomes (as defined both by managers and
scientists) because they draw on more than just personal experience. We also anticipate that a
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 36
disconnect between managers and scientists will be detrimental to intervention outcomes because
technical decisions and goals will not be informed by synergies between scientific knowledge and
managers expertise. Through this project, we will be able to give insight into how best to improve future
human intervention on ecosystems, particularly control of invasive species.
When Law and Science Collide: The Application of the Endangered Species Act to the Federal
Government’s Beetle Permitting Program
Bill Eubanks1
1
Meyer Glitzenstein & Eubanks LLP, 3206 Norwood Court, Fort Collins, CO 80525, Phone: (970) 703-6060;
www.meyerglitz.com
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) and various USDA sub-agencies have been authorizing and
coordinating the release of tamarisk leaf-eating beetles for approximately two decades. Because
USDA’s actions have caused adverse effects to federally protected species—such as the highly
endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher—and the critical habitat utilized by these species for
survival and recovery purposes, USDA is obligated to carry out certain duties under the Endangered
Species Act (“ESA”). In 2013, several conservation organizations filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court
for the District of Nevada challenging USDA’s alleged failure to comply with procedural and substantive
safeguards under the ESA that are designed to ensure that imperiled species do not go extinct from
human-caused activities. This presentation will provide an overview of the litigation, a summary of the
relevant factual background, the parties’ legal positions in the case, and the status of the lawsuit at this
time.
2016 Tamarisk Beetle Distribution in North America and Expectations for 2017
Ben Bloodworth1
1
Tamarisk Coalition, Grand Junction, CO; [email protected]
The tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda spp.) was studied and released as a biocontrol agent to combat tamarisk
(salt cedar) across the southwest. More than a decade has passed since the initial large-scale releases of
the beetle along the Colorado River near Moab, Utah. There are now hundreds of square miles in
western North America occupied by tamarisk beetle populations. This presentation will discuss notable
movements and absences of the beetle in 2016, point out newly occupied areas where impacts to the
endangered southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) will likely be seen in 2017, and
discuss likely routes and time frames for beetle dispersal into yet-to-be-occupied areas of southern
Arizona. This talk will also touch on impacts to tamarisk plants observed after beetle-induced
defoliation, and discuss the need for continued, if not even more highly prioritized, riparian restoration
in light of beetle occupation.
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 37
POSTER ABSTRACTS
Posters are listed alphabetically by presenting author’s first name.
VWRC: A Collaborative Approach to Improving Riparian Areas in the Verde Watershed
Anna V. Schrenk1*, Emily Garding1*, Sara Van Marel1*
1
Friends of Verde River Greenway, P.O. Box 2535, Cottonwood, AZ 86326; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected]
The Verde Watershed Restoration Coalition (VWRC) is a multi-stakeholder group made up of federal and
state agencies, private landowners, corporations, and non-profit organizations working together on a
watershed-scale initiative to manage invasive plants. The Verde River Cooperative Invasive Plant
Management Plan, a five-year plan, was competed by VWRC in 2010. The plan includes not only
ecological goals but also equally important social, economic and management goals.
In 2011 the plan came to life through a collaborative effort between VWRC partners led by Friends of
Verde River Greenway. We hired support staff, engaged private landowners, completed mapping on
three demonstration projects, formed a Steering Committee, and held an invasive plant mapping
workshop.
In 2012, we formed partnerships with the Coconino Rural Environment Corps (CREC) and The Vetraplex.
We started implementation in earnest, putting young adults and veterans to work removing invasive
non-native plants from riparian areas within the Verde Watershed. Field crews focus on treating four
primary woody invasive species: saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), giant reed (Arundo donax), tree of heaven
(Ailanthus altissima), and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), as well as secondary weed infestations.
Since the inception of the project, field crews and VWRC partners have removed over 7,000 acres of
invasive plants on over 40 miles of streamside habitat on both public and private lands. VWRC is using
“lessons learned” from past seasons to inform our adaptive management process. Come visit our poster
to learn more about our accomplishments and lessons learned.
2016 Tamarisk Beetle Distribution Map
Ben Bloodworth1
1
Tamarisk Coalition, Grand Junction, CO; [email protected]
Monitoring is proving to be more and more important as the tamarisk beetle has not been present in
the system for long and the dynamics of population movement and stability are not yet understood. In
2016, the beetle distribution continues to ebb and flow across North America.
The beetles expanded along the Middle Rio Grande, bringing southern and northern populations
together as they moved through Elephant Buttes Reservoir and into Bosque del Apache NWR. They now
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 38
occupy all of the Middle Rio Grande and caused massive late-season defoliation in major Southwester
Willow Flycatcher territories. Tamarisk beetles are also moving west from the Rio Grande towards the
Gila River watershed near Silver City, NM as well as along the I-10 corridor to Lordsburg, NM. In
Arizona, the beetles made a large push southward down the Lower Colorado River from Davis Dam,
through the Lake Havasu area, as far south as Parker, AZ and into the Bill Williams River. In Grand
County Utah, near Moab, the beetles were in the largest numbers since 2013 and suggest the typical
predator-prey cycle is a likely future pattern for beetle populations. Populations in west Texas, the
Pecos River drainage in New Mexico, and Arkansas River in Colorado continued to have relatively low
numbers of beetles present, while populations across plains in north Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas seem
to have virtually disappeared. Populations along the Rio Grande and Big Bend area of Texas rebounded
this year with large numbers and heavy defoliation.
TC would like to thank more than 40 partners directly involved in providing data for 2016, and more
than 70 partners that have provided data during the span of TC's involvement in tracking beetle
locations across the west.
Cross-Watershed Network: Get the Scoop on the Peer-to-peer Knowledge Sharing Network
Lindsay Murdoch1*, Daniel Oppenheimer2*, Dave Bastian3*
1
Cross-Watershed Network Coordinator; [email protected]
Tamarisk Coalition, XWN Steering Committee; [email protected]
3
Utah State University, Utah Conservation Corps, XWN Participant; [email protected]
2
XWN is a facilitated peer-to-peer, knowledge-sharing network that connects practitioners across
watershed boundaries around a variety of shared watershed management challenges. Through
innovative programs, such as practitioner-driven workshops, field-centered cross-visits, virtual sharing
venues, and an online Practitioner Directory of resource experts, XWN makes it easy to build a network
of peers that span various geographies in the arid West.
Come stop by the poster and learn how you can get connected with XWN and broaden the scope of your
professional network!
2012-2016 Tamarisk Leaf Beetle Distribution and Defoliation Rates along the Rio Grande
River, NM Watershed
Matthew Johnson1*, Levi Jamison1*
1
Colorado Plateau Research Station/Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA; [email protected];
[email protected]
During 2012 - 2016, tamarisk leaf beetles (Diorhabda spp.) monitoring has been conducted throughout
the upper, middle and lower Rio Grande River, NM Watershed, (Santo Domingo - La Mesa, NM). In
2015, an increase in abundance of tamarisk leaf beetles was detected, particularly at sites along the
middle section between Los Lunas and the Rio Puerco/Rio Grande River Confluence as well as lower
sites between Hatch and Leasburg Dam State Park. In 2016, beetle advancement was significant where
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 39
we detected beetles at all study sites across all sections of the river corridor. This advancement has
been contributed to the northwestern movement of the possible hybridized species of Diorhabda
originated from the three Diorhabda species (D. sublineata, D. carinata, and D. elongata) released in
west Texas and the northern tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) released in Utah which
advancing southward. Current hybrid identification is based on adult morphology, and previous
patterns of colonization. In order to verify tamarisk leaf beetle hybridization we are also examining
tamarisk leaf beetle species at the genetic level, which will examine the four species of Diorhabda
populating the regions surrounding the Rio Grande Watershed. The beetle species originating from
west Texas are also known to exhibit additional generations (4-5 generation), leading to an increase in
distribution and defoliation rates as population growth expands throughout the Rio Grande River
Watershed. We will present tamarisk leaf beetle distributions over the four years of monitoring,
defoliation and mortality rates, preliminary genetic results, and provide management recommendations
that may be used to mitigate the effects of defoliation and mortality by the beetle.
Weeds Mapping and Treatment on the Navajo Nation and Beyond:
Conservation Corps Engaging Native Youth to Connect with and Improve their Lands
Natalie Pyrooz1* and Mike Wight1
1
Southwest Conservation Corps, Durango, CO; [email protected]; [email protected]
Conservation corps have long been an integral player in assisting land management agencies to achieve
conservation-related goals. Partnerships with agencies managing Native American land and nearby
surrounding public land are increasing in number, geographic areas of focus, and scopes of work. As the
Bureau of Indian Affairs adds an Integrated Weed Management Plan to guide their vision in maintaining
rangeland health, the Southwest Conservation Corps has partnered with them both in systematically
conducting invasive species mapping and in the accompanying treatment of problem noxious weeds.
Offering multi-faceted training and employment opportunities to the Native youth that are participants
of these AmeriCorps-supported programs not only provides participants with a greater breadth of
technical knowledge, but allows them to engage more fully in their understanding of the land and how it
is actively being managed. This poster highlights work that the Southwest Conservation Corps has done
to map and treat targeted invasive species as well as describe some of the indirect effects that are a
powerful result in connecting Native youth and their land.
The Essence of the Escalante River and Escalante River Watershed Partnership
Stephanie Minnaert1 and the Coordinating Committee of the Escalante River Watershed Partnership
1
Public Lands Program Coordinator, Escalante River Watershed Partnership; [email protected]
In 2009, a group of diverse partners came together as a result of growing concerns about the future
health of the Escalante River watershed in the Escalante canyons of southern Utah. Together these
partners (federal agencies, state agencies, non-profit organizations, private landowners and researchers)
developed a shared vision for restoring the Escalante River watershed and determined that working
together, integrating skills, resources, and funding was key to achieving that vision. The collaborative
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 40
effort that grew from this shared vision is what is now known as the Escalante River Watershed
Partnership (ERWP).
Dense, thorny, fast-growing Russian olive trees choked hundreds of miles of river corridor in the
Escalante canyons since the early 2000s. Russian olive removal was already underway in the lower
Escalante canyons within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, but only a watershed-wide effort could
bring about long-term change. That imperative motivated an unprecedented partnership of watershed
stakeholders.
Invasive, non-native species, like Russian olive, pose one of the biggest threats to the Escalante River
ecosystem. To date, ERWP has removed Russian olive from 79 river miles encompassing land on Grand
Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM), Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Dixie National
Forest, and private lands in the Escalante and Boulder communities. There are 11 miles left to be
treated. Russian olive removal must continue on these last acres to ensure the benefits of the
restoration activities are realized by both the wildlife and human communities of the Escalante River.
Some of the key aspects to be discussed during the poster session include: Escalante River facts,
partnership history, and lessons learned.
From Farm to Foundation – An Entrepreneurial Approach to River Conservation
Tim Carlson1*, Chip Norton2*, Kim Schonek3*
1
Many Rivers Brewing PBC and Forever our Rivers Foundation; [email protected]
Sinagua Malting Company
3
The Nature Conservancy
2
Traditional means of funding river conservation projects such as invasive control, river trails, launch
areas, in-stream flows, etc. have always been focused on seeking funding from donors, foundations,
and/or other grant making sources. If asked an initial question “How do these sources get their
money”? The simple answer is that these people and organizations acquired their funding at some point
in time from an entrepreneurial enterprise. So, the second question begs “Why can’t we mimic this
approach to setup a corporate structure that generates profits that eventually aid river conservation”?
The presenters have done exactly this and will discuss the unique ways beer plays into keeping more
water in rivers and funding additional river conservation as well.
2017 TAMARISK COALITION CONFERENCE
P a g e | 41
Diorhabda carinulata in Grand County Utah, 2004-2016: Summary of Abundance and
Distribution, Impact on Tamarisk (Canopy Mortality), and Ecosystem Response (Plant
Recruitment under Defoliated Tamarisk)
Tim B. Graham1*, Wright W. Robinson2, Tim Higgs2, Gery Wakefield3
1
Dept. of Geography, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84532, and Grand County Weed Department;
[email protected]
2
Grand County Weed Department, 125 E. Center St., Moab, Utah 84532; [email protected];
[email protected]
3
Southeast Utah Group, National Park Service, 2282 S. Resource Blvd, Moab, Utah 84532;
[email protected]
Diorhabda carinulata, the tamarisk leaf beetle, was introduced at three locations in Grand County in
2004. By fall of 2006 it was obvious the beetle was well-established and already significantly affecting
tamarisk at and beyond the release sites. Quantitative monitoring began in 2007 and continued through
2016, providing a record of abundance and distribution across Grand County. In 2009, studies were
added to document canopy mortality and plant recruitment in defoliated tamarisk stands. Beetle
numbers increased dramatically through 2008, remained relatively high through 2012, and collapsed by
the end of the 2012 activity period. Only 41 of almost 5000 beetles counted in 2012 were observed at
the mid-September survey period. Numbers remained very low 2013-2015 but have begun to rebound.
Canopy mortality has varied both spatially and temporally 2013-2016, with no readily recognizable
pattern. We are exploring additional analyses of mortality data with physical/chemical, topographic and
beetle data sets. Recruitment of plants under defoliated tamarisk stands since 2009. In general, native
species have increased slightly compared to non-native species, but the patterns are complicated by life
cycle (annual, biennial and perennial) and differ among Green River and Colorado River watershed sites.
We present results of these studies and attempt to synthesize them into a coherent whole—how have
beetle abundance and distribution patterns driven patterns of canopy mortality and plant recruitment?
We will also examine patterns in abundance and distribution of the tamarisk weevil, Coniatus
splendidulus, and discuss potential interactions of Diorhabda carinulatata with other tamarisk specialist
herbivores.
THANK YOU!
Tamarisk Coalition staff and Board of Directors would like to thank everyone involved with the 2017
Research and Management Conference. The success of this conference is the result of the presenters
and exhibitors who take the time to share their experience, knowledge, and resources with the
restoration community; the sponsors, whose generous support helps us keep registration affordable;
and the participants, whose consistent support and passion toward successfully achieving riparian
restoration goals keeps this conference viable year after year.
We look forward to seeing you again at our 2018 conference next February at Colorado Mesa
University in Grand Junction, Colorado (Exact date TBD). Visit our website for more details as they
become available: www.tamariskcoalition.org, and stay in touch with us throughout the year by
following us on Facebook: facebook.com/TamariskCoalition.
FORWARD-THINKING RESTORATION, PLANNING, AND ADAPTATION
P a g e | 42
Tamarisk Coalition’s 2017 Conference
THANK YOU TO OUR EXHIBITORS
Tamarisk Coalition
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
2017 Conference
BRONZE
SILVER
GOLD
PLATINUM
Photo by Tom Till Photography, Inc.