Monitoring our Progress
Project monitoring is key to preserving restoration successes, prioritizing future restoration actions, and learning from previous efforts. RiversEdge West often partners with the Western Colorado Conservation Corps to employ Riparian Monitoring Interns, also referred to as monitoring strike teams, to monitor DRC restoration sites.
A monitoring strike team includes two to three members who work together to scan and observe riparian areas for invasive species, while also looking for growth in native plant populations. To do this, the teams check areas that have been previously treated, and look for re-sprouts of invasive species and revegetation of native species. During this process, the crew records the locations of certain invasive plants as well as the plants with highest population numbers. This allows landowners to decide which areas are of highest priority and where to send future crews who will treat the invasive plants. Since there is a limited amount of time and funding for conservation efforts, this allows landowners to make informed and efficient decisions.
