Castleton University (Castleton, VT): Otter Creek WMA Barbed Wire Removal and Replanting Restoration

Projects will take place in the Otter Creek WMA in Mount Tabor Vermont which provides access to the Green Mountain National Forest. The first project goal is to remove old barbed wire fence that poses hazards to the public and pets. Removal of this fence will also benefit wildlife as it can hamper their movement throughout the WMA. The second project goal is to replace plants that experienced high mortality of a restoration planting in the summer of 2020. These plants will increase early successional habitat, provide additional shade along the Otter Creek and adjacent wetlands, and add food sources for wildlife. Improving riparian habitat at Otter Creek helps to reduce runoff and bank erosion that contributes to algae blooms in Lake Champlain. It also amplifies its ability to slow and sequester water during major flood events, reducing damage to downstream communities.

READ THE RECAP OF CASTLETON'S PROJECT HERE!

Holland Club (Holland, MI): Holland State Park Winter Preparations

Projects will take place in Holland State park assisting with winter preparations. The first project goal consists of installing snow fencing, removing picnic tables, and trimming and removing vines/shrubbery that have overgrown as well as other clean-up jobs to prepare the park for winter. Snow fencing is important for the safety of visitors but also prevents sand from being shifted by the snow and wind which protects the park ecosystem. The second project goal is building 25-30 brush piles for rabbits to maintain habitat. Healthy and abundant habitat supports healthy populations allowing the park to be a prime destination for small game hunting. 

SEE THE RECAP ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA HERE! 

University of Wisconsin Stevens Point: Dewey Marsh Wildlife Area Support

Project will assist the WDNR to enhance wildlife habitat and improve the experience of public land users on the 6,078-acre Dewey Marsh Wildlife Area. The property is managed to provide opportunities for public hunting, trapping, and other recreational activities, while protecting unique native wetland communities and species, including sedge meadow, bog, forested wetland, and pockets of early successional aspen forest. Club members will assist with regular maintenance such as picking up litter, monitoring for vandalism, suggesting improvements, and posting property signs to clarify boundaries. Additionally, the project will include various additional habitat and wildlife management projects including monitoring apple tree plots, controlling invasive plant species, removing brush, prairie seed collection and distribution, and removal of beaver dams.

READ THE RECAP OF THE STEVENS POINT PROJECT HERE!

University of British Columbia Okanagan (Kelowna, B.C.): Streamside Restoration with Secwépemc First Nations

The Elephant Hill Fire was one of the largest fires of the 2017 wildfire season in British Columbia. It devastated a large area in the Bonaparte and Deadman River watersheds, burning 192,725 hectares over 75 days. These rivers and their tributaries provide essential habitat to Chinook and Coho salmon, steelhead trout, rainbow trout, and other important fish species. The endangered population of Thompson River Steelhead in the Deadman River was also impacted.
The 2017 Elephant Hill Fire destroyed substantial stretches of forest alongside rivers and streams, leaving fish and their habitats vulnerable to sunlight and erosion. The fire burned some areas so intensely that the seeds buried in the soil and found in pinecones were destroyed, leaving areas incapable of regenerating naturally. The forest immediately adjacent to streams and rivers – called the riparian area – provides essential benefits to river habitats. These benefits include: 1) the contribution of logs and branches to streams that provide habitat conditions for fish, 2) shading streams from direct sunlight therefore preventing fish from overheating in summer months, and 3) establishing root systems that stabilize riverbanks and adjacent slopes to prevent excess mineral and organic soil runoff that can pollute freshwater ecosystems.

The Secwepemcul’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society (SRSS) was formed to advance sustainable management of lands and resources, the restoration of degraded lands, and the adaptation of landscapes to climate change in the traditional territories of its eight founding Secwépemc First Nations Communities.

In April of 2021, the UBCO club will partner with SRSS to assist streamside replanting/restoration efforts deploy remote cameras for multi-species monitoring. Project will also include analyzing camera data to monitor multi-species distribution trends post fire-disturbance.

SEE THE RECAP ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA HERE!

Utah State University (Logan, UT): Protecting Laketown Canyon Creek from Illegal Off-Road Vehicle Damage

Project will work with the Bureau of Land Management to repair fencing and install signage to protect riparian zones from off-road vehicle use. Big Creek, which runs through Laketown Canyon is one of a handful of feeder creeks to Bear Lake. It provides important spawning habitat for the Bear Lake strain of Bear River Cutthroat Trout, an endemic species and popular sportfish. Otter and Randolph creeks are small tributaries to the Bear River and efforts have been underway in each to restore native populations of Bear River cutthroat trout. The BLM management reported that the fences and signs protecting these creeks from OHV usage and grazing cattle are old and out of repair. New fencing and improved signage will help keep motorized vehicles and cattle out of Big Creek, Otter Creek, and Randolph Creek. These relatively simple improvements will benefit water quality and spawning habitat for cutthroat trout and inform public landowners, including OHV users, of the importance of adhering to local restrictions to protect sensitive habitat.