Plot design

Experimental plots illustrating the treatments being tested including mulch (darker colored squares), ConMods (metal structures), seed pellets (not visible), and 2 control plots (seed only and no seeds or treatments). Plots are marked at each corner with PVC posts. These plots are part of the Restoration Field Trial Network in the rangelands of Northern Arizona. Each garden in the network is examining seedlings and seeds in conjunction with restoration treatments to better understand how to improve restoration treatments in water-limited systems. This project will eventually consist of a network of gardens that span four American desert ecosystems in the Southwest. Understanding how simple tools used by land managers can act to increase germination and persistence of plants is important to reduce costs of treatments and reduce environmental hazards posed by degraded landscapes. Find out more about how the RAMPS (Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest) supports land managers in the iconic landscapes of the American Southwest.