2022 Southwestern Willow Flycatcher

An ArcGIS Online (AGOL) page containing historical and predictive maps developed by James Hatten of the USGS for the southwestern willow flycatcher habitat across the southwestern United States. The model predicts the probabilities for suitable habitat for SWFL and can be used to guide restoration efforts. 

Use the Habitat Viewer here: https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b362c94bd7…

 

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Colorado Parks & Wildlife - Wildlife Species Profiles & Habitat Scorecards

The purpose of these profiles is to provide landowners and land managers with easy-to-use guidelines for understanding habitat needs of priority wetland-dependent wildlife. 

Please note that these profiles are limited to birds found in Mesa & Delta Counties.

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Tamarisk biocontrol alters bird community composition in the absence of cottonwood and willow vegetation
Invasive species disturb ecosystems and threaten biodiversity. Invasive species management, such as biological control, can cause additional disturbances, so quantifying how native species respond to invasive control is important to inform best management practices.   Mahoney et al. quantified southwestern bird communities in sites that varied in the amount of the non-native plant tamarisk (Tamarix spp.), before and after biological control efforts.
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Lessons Learned for Successful Watershed Partnerships in the Colorado River Basin

What are the key ingredients of successful collaborative partnerships? What worked well and what did not? If we had to do it all over again, what would we do differently? This document, based on interviews with stakeholders from 11 watershed partnerships in the Colorado River Basin, discusses the successes and challenges encountered from initial partnership formation to maintaining momentum over the years. It informs how RiversEdge West and other partners can continue contributing to the long-term success and viability of watershed partnerships.

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Renewing Our Rivers: Stream Corridor Restoration in Dryland Regions
Our rivers are in crisis and the need for river restoration has never been more urgent. Water security and biodiversity indices for all of the world’s major rivers have declined due to pollution, diversions, impoundments, fragmented flows, introduced and invasive species, and many other abuses.   Developing successful restoration responses are essential. Renewing Our Rivers addresses this need head-on with examples of how to design and implement stream-corridor restoration projects.
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Field Guide for Managing Kochia

Plant guide from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service on managing Kochia. 

Casey, P.A. 2009. Plant guide for kochia (Kochia scoparia). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kansas Plant Materials Center. Manhattan, KS.

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Low-Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens - Western Slope: Below 7,000'

Many people have an interest in landscaping with native plants. The purpose of this booklet is to help people make the most successful choices, based on their location in Colorado. 

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Bringing Birds Home

Bringing Birds Home is a manual that describes how to proactively improve riparian habitat for bird species in Mesa County, Colorado.  

This guide was made possible by a grant from the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and was produced by RiversEdge West, with help from the Grand Valley Audubon Society, Tucson Audubon Society, and Audubon Arizona.

 
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How to Tell the Difference Between Russian Olive and Silverleaf Buffaloberry

This 1-page handout describes the differences between invasive Russian olive and native silverleaf buffaloberry. Photos of distinctive characteristics are provided. 

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Waterjet Stinger
This document describes how to use a stinger, a tool to plant dormant unrooted cuttings of willows, cottonwoods, dogwoods, and other species.
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Riparian Restoration Cost Calculator

This resource developed by RiversEdge West (formerly Tamarisk Coalition) allows users to estimate tamarisk and Russian olive removal and restoration costs based on existing site parameters. 

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Suggested Methodologies for Cottonwood Pole, Willow Whip, and Longstem Plantings

This guide describes techniques for harvesting, storing, and planting various types of plant materials, including dormant cottonwood pole cuttings, willow whip cuttings, and longstem products. This guide was prepared by RiversEdge West (formerly Tamarisk Coalition), based on input provided by Los Lunas Plant Materials Center.  

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Why Do We Care About ET?
Facilitator Tool Kit - A Guide for Helping Groups Get Results

The facilitator tool kit is a comprehensive, easy-to-use guide to tools, methods and techniques for assisting groups with planning and improvement projects and interactive meetings. Its clear, simple explanations and directions lead the reader through the selection and application of practical tools that have been tested with university groups.

Strategy for Long-Term Management of Exotic Trees in Riparian Areas for New Mexico’s Five River Systems, 2005-2014

This strategy addresses the long-term management of saltcedar, Russian olive, and Siberian elm in the narrow belts of riparian vegetation along the Rio Grande, Pecos, Canadian, San Juan, and Gila/San Francisco River systems, including connected perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral streams.

River Ecosystem Restoration Initiative Community Partnerships Restoring New Mexico Rivers

This document profiles restoration success stories from New Mexico. Projects were funded through the River Ecosystem Restoration Initiative.

Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study: Study Report
The Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study (Study), initiated in January 2010, was conducted by the Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) Upper Colorado and Lower Colorado regions, and agencies representing the seven Colorado River Basin States. As defined in the Plan of Study, the purpose of the Study is to define current and future imbalances in water supply and demand in the Basin and the adjacent areas of the Basin States that receive Colorado River water over the next 50 years (through 2060), and to
Restoring Cottonwood & Willow Riparian Forests: A Field-Calibrated Seedling Recruitment Model for the Lower San Joaquin Basin
In California’s Central Valley, widespread flow regulation and land development have greatly reduced the extent and sustainability of native cottonwood and willow riparian forests, which provide critical habitat for many species of wildlife and fish. The results of a three-year study of seedling recruitment processes were used to develop an ecological modeling approach for supporting restoration planning.
Field Guide to Managing Saltcedar in the Southwest

This USDA Forest Service document described different management options for tamarisk control. 

Water Transfers in the West - Projects, Trends, and Leading Practices in Voluntary Water Trading
The goal of this report is to provide policy options and information that states can consider as they work to make the transfer process more effective. Importantly, the report recognizes that each state’s individual circumstances will determine how it should address transfers and does not attempt to provide a “blueprint” for states to follow. 
Managing Riparian Habitats for Wildlife

Focused on Texas, this guide describes approaches to manage riparian habitat for wildlife species. 

Restoring Riparian Buffers: A What Works Snapshot
This document presents a snapshot of work to restore and protect riparian buffers in the United States. Two types of information are provided: 1.) a summary of the results of a short, national survey of organizations involved in riparian buffer restoration and 2.) a selection of case studies documenting projects in various watershed situations.
Native Plant Materials Policy

This document describes the Native Plant Materials Policy adopted by the United States Forest Service in 2008. A Strategic Framework for implementing the Policy is detailed. 

Independent Peer Review of Tamarisk & Russian Olive Evapotranspiration Colorado River Basin

This report focuses on ten specific questions on the current knowledge about tamarisk and Russian olive (TRO) effects on water availability. The Panel assembled to complete the report was asked to address whether TRO water use, or evapotranspiration (ET), is sufficiently understood to reasonably predict the water savings associated with TRO removal and native species restoration. The panel was also asked to detail where and how future research and demonstration projects could best contribute to tamarisk and Russian olive management and its role in the stewardship of Western rivers.

Herbicide Resistance: Toward an Understanding of Resistance Development and the Impact of Herbicide-Resistant Crops
Reducing the Risks of Herbicide Resistance: Best Management Practices and Recommendations
Bumble Bees of the Western United States

This helpful guide helps users identify bees of the western United States; a key is provided, as are numerous photos and descriptions of defining characteristics. 

Watershed Governance Structures & Funding Mechanisms

This document summarizes governance structure information acquired during the analysis of watershed initiative case studies examined for the 2011 Tamarisk Coalition report Sustainable Funding Options for a Comprehensive Riparian Restoration Initiative in the Colorado River Basin.

Successful Restoration of Severely Disturbed Lands: Native Plants and Adapted Seeds for Reclamation

This document offers resources for selecting native plant species and appropriate seed sources to revegetate degraded lands in the state and region.

Milkweeds - A Conservation Practitioner’s Guide
The scope of this document includes: • An overview of milkweed biology and ecology. • Descriptions of milkweeds’ role in supporting monarchs, bees, and other beneficial insects. • Guidelines on milkweed propagation and seed production, from seed germination through seed harvesting and processing. • Profiles of milkweed specialist insects that may present challenges to commercial growers. • A compendium of known milkweed diseases. • Advice on including milkweeds in habitat restoration efforts. • In
Colorado Headwaters Invasive Partnership

This document, updated in 2008, is a consolidated woody invasive species management plan for Colorado’s Colorado, Gunnison, Uncompahgre, Dolores, White, andYampa/Green Watersheds.

Fundraising Plan Development Worksheets

These worksheets were developed by The Foundation Center and provide helpful exercises for thinking through and developing the components of a Fundraising Plan. Attached is an example of a sample fundraising plan as well.