On April 16^th^, 2024, the USGS hosted notable restoration practitioners from the Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC) at the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration, in Albuquerque, NM, in a session about low-cost, low-tech, nature-based solutions, that can help people mitigate and adapt to climate changes.
Human-Built Natural Infrastructure in Dryland Streams — Lessons from the "20-Year Crew"
Detailed Description
On April 16^th^, 2024, the USGS hosted notable restoration practitioners from the Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC) at the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration, in Albuquerque, NM, in a session about low-cost, low-tech, nature-based solutions, that can help people mitigate and adapt to climate changes.
In the desert – where communities and ecosystems are on the front lines of climate change and drought, Natural Infrastructure in Dryland Streams (NIDS) have been used to promote multiple ecosystem services since time immemorial. Most people recognize that beaver dams provide a plethora of valuable ecosystem services, but many dryland reaches cannot support beavers due to lack of perennial flow and habitat.
This session describes how humans have and can ‘be the beaver’, and install, maintain, and benefit from human-built NIDS. Different types of NIDS are elaborated on, from gabions to one-rock-dams to BDAS, along with the long list of nature-based solutions they provide to reverse desertification and strengthen climate resilience. This was a 2-part session consisting of leading land and water-resource restoration practitioners, with 20+ years’ experience in ecohydrological restoration.
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Related
Aridland Water Harvesting Study
On April 16^th^, 2024, the USGS hosted notable restoration practitioners from the Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC) at the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration, in Albuquerque, NM, in a session about low-cost, low-tech, nature-based solutions, that can help people mitigate and adapt to climate changes.
We have experienced the placement of rocks on hillsides in eroded areas. The rock dams capture silt and water. A great many dams placed close together in all drainages capture so much water that the hills become sponges.
We have experienced the placement of rocks on hillsides in eroded areas. The rock dams capture silt and water. A great many dams placed close together in all drainages capture so much water that the hills become sponges.
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Lucinda Cole and I retired to the Pitchfork Ranch in southwest New Mexico two decades ago. We’ve overseen 17 government grants to install grade-control structures in 31 side-drainages and the ranches’ 9-mile reach of the 48-mile-long Burro Ciénaga riparian watercourse, 1.5-miles perennial ciénaga.
We live in the Anthropocene. The entire surface of the earth has been impacted by human activity and our land management decisions. In this context, most of the grasslands in arid and semiarid regions are experiencing severe and continuing degradation.
We live in the Anthropocene. The entire surface of the earth has been impacted by human activity and our land management decisions. In this context, most of the grasslands in arid and semiarid regions are experiencing severe and continuing degradation.
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linkThe use of simple erosion control structures, one-rock-dams, rock sills, trincheras, etc have gained great popularity in recent years. Ease of construction, relative cost and effectiveness are driving increased and widespread use.
This project is located in the Juniper Tank Pasture on the Ash Creek Livestock Association.
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Related
Aridland Water Harvesting Study
On April 16^th^, 2024, the USGS hosted notable restoration practitioners from the Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC) at the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration, in Albuquerque, NM, in a session about low-cost, low-tech, nature-based solutions, that can help people mitigate and adapt to climate changes.
On April 16^th^, 2024, the USGS hosted notable restoration practitioners from the Sky Island Restoration Collaborative (SIRC) at the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration, in Albuquerque, NM, in a session about low-cost, low-tech, nature-based solutions, that can help people mitigate and adapt to climate changes.
We have experienced the placement of rocks on hillsides in eroded areas. The rock dams capture silt and water. A great many dams placed close together in all drainages capture so much water that the hills become sponges.
We have experienced the placement of rocks on hillsides in eroded areas. The rock dams capture silt and water. A great many dams placed close together in all drainages capture so much water that the hills become sponges.
10-Years Experience in Building Rock Gabions and Check Dams in the Cacachilas Mountain Range, Mexico
linkRancho Cacachilas is a land restoration and ecotourism project in the Sierra Cacachilas mountain range, 30km east of the city of La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
10-Years Experience in Building Rock Gabions and Check Dams in the Cacachilas Mountain Range, Mexico
linkRancho Cacachilas is a land restoration and ecotourism project in the Sierra Cacachilas mountain range, 30km east of the city of La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Lucinda Cole and I retired to the Pitchfork Ranch in southwest New Mexico two decades ago. We’ve overseen 17 government grants to install grade-control structures in 31 side-drainages and the ranches’ 9-mile reach of the 48-mile-long Burro Ciénaga riparian watercourse, 1.5-miles perennial ciénaga.
Lucinda Cole and I retired to the Pitchfork Ranch in southwest New Mexico two decades ago. We’ve overseen 17 government grants to install grade-control structures in 31 side-drainages and the ranches’ 9-mile reach of the 48-mile-long Burro Ciénaga riparian watercourse, 1.5-miles perennial ciénaga.
We live in the Anthropocene. The entire surface of the earth has been impacted by human activity and our land management decisions. In this context, most of the grasslands in arid and semiarid regions are experiencing severe and continuing degradation.
We live in the Anthropocene. The entire surface of the earth has been impacted by human activity and our land management decisions. In this context, most of the grasslands in arid and semiarid regions are experiencing severe and continuing degradation.
Lessons learned using stream morphology and simple erosion control structures from the past decade that improve longevity and project performance
linkThe use of simple erosion control structures, one-rock-dams, rock sills, trincheras, etc have gained great popularity in recent years. Ease of construction, relative cost and effectiveness are driving increased and widespread use.
Lessons learned using stream morphology and simple erosion control structures from the past decade that improve longevity and project performance
linkThe use of simple erosion control structures, one-rock-dams, rock sills, trincheras, etc have gained great popularity in recent years. Ease of construction, relative cost and effectiveness are driving increased and widespread use.
This project is located in the Juniper Tank Pasture on the Ash Creek Livestock Association.
This project is located in the Juniper Tank Pasture on the Ash Creek Livestock Association.
Think Like a Watershed, Act like a River: The Culture of Community Based River Restoration in the Arizona-Sonora, MX Binational Watersheds
linkAfter around 150 years of Powell’s watershed map, we are getting there….. Think like watershed with interdependence and connectivity of the uplands-middle lands and lowlands and act like a river being the connector of these interactions from the top to the bottom and vice versa.
Think Like a Watershed, Act like a River: The Culture of Community Based River Restoration in the Arizona-Sonora, MX Binational Watersheds
linkAfter around 150 years of Powell’s watershed map, we are getting there….. Think like watershed with interdependence and connectivity of the uplands-middle lands and lowlands and act like a river being the connector of these interactions from the top to the bottom and vice versa.
It is only in recent years that the restoration profession has begun to recognize the trilogy that links hydrology, geomorphology and ecology. Understanding the fundamental nature of this trilogy is essential to the effective restoration of all streams and wetlands. All three factors must be respected if any project is to be successfully planned, impleme
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