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Want to help in a hands-on stream restoration project?! And be eligible for Dedicated Hunter Volunteer Hours? Join our Toll Canyon BDA project in collaboration with Wild Utah Project! We will be building low-tech stream restoration structures by hand. Beaver dam analogs (BDAs), are human made stream restoration structures that are designed so as to mimic the form and function of a beaver dam as created in the wild. BDAs help to restore eroded, incised streams in a low-tech and non-intrusive approach to stream restoration. BDAs facilitate water retention as sediments are trapped and deposited, thus building back incised stream corridors over time. Healthy streams benefit many user groups and resources, such as wildlife, agriculture, and recreation. However, streams in the West are often degraded, which can sometimes be attributed to the removal of beaver from ecosystems.
BDAs are not permanent structures; made entirely of natural materials, they will disappear within a few years as their purpose is served for a range of restoration goals. Riparian corridors are able to support more native woody vegetation such as willows, the water temperature is lowered, habitat for wildlife like the Bonneville Cutthroat is restored, and wet meadow restoration facilitates greater soil moisture and grass health. In some places, beavers will naturally return to BDA project sites and colonize their historical habitat. Beavers are truly watershed engineers.
Details: Must RSVP on the Wild Utah Project website. This project is eligible for dedicated hunter hours. There is no cost to participate. Bring gloves, eye protection, water, sun protection, bug spray, and lunch. Project is kid friendly but may require hiking up to 3/4 mile on a trail from vehicles.**
Where: Toll Canyon Creek in Summit Park, Summit County, Utah. Detailed instructions on where to meet will be provided to those that RSVP.
When: We will plan on meeting at 9 am both Saturday and Sunday and working until around 3 pm each day.