DOLORES RIVER RESTORATION PARTNERSHIP: A PRIVATE/PUBLIC COLLABORATION DOLORES RIVER RESTORATION PARTNERSHIP
• TIMELINE OF PARTNERSHIP
• VISION AND GOALS OF PARTNERSHIP
• WHY HAS THE DRRP BEEN SUCH A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP?
• WHY THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN IMPORTANT TO THE BLM
ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF DRRP
• INITIAL RIPARIAN WORK ON SAN MIGUEL RIVER IN EARLY 2000’S – LED BY TNC, PRECURSOR TO THE DRRP. • 2009 – TNC AWARDED CONTRACT TO TAMARISK COALITION TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR THE DOLORES RIVER (DR-RAP) • 2010 - DR-RAP FINALIZED • 2010 - FIRST MOU SIGNED • 2010 – FIRST BLM ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT • 2012 – AGO BLUE RIVERS DESIGNATION • 2015 – TRANSITION PLAN FINALIZED • 2015 – DOLORES RIVER HEALTHY LANDS FOCAL AREA • 2015 – SECOND MOU SIGNED • 2016 – SECOND BLM ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT
DOLORES RIVER RESTORATION ACTION PLAN (DR-RAP) 1. IDENTIFIED A VISION: “A THRIVING DOLORES RIVER SYSTEM THAT IS ECOLOGICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE IN A MULTIUSE CONTEXT.”
“A DOLORES RIVER WATERSHED DOMINATED BY NATIVE VEGETATION, WHERE THE THREATS FROM TAMARISK AND OTHER ASSOCIATED INVASIVE SPECIES HAVE BEEN MITIGATED AND THE RIPARIAN AREAS OF THE WATERSHED CONTINUE TO BECOME MORE NATURALLY FUNCTIONING, SELF-SUSTAINING, DIVERSE, AND RESILIENT OVER TIME.” DRRP MANAGEMENT GOALS
Significantly increase the number of sustainable, healthy riparian plant Ecologic communities while reducing those dominated by tamarisk and other invasive, non-native plant species. Develop a professional, competitive, and efficient work force; improve Social aesthetic enjoyment; enhance public safety and protection of property from wildfire-risks associated with tamarisk. Cultivate employment opportunities; improve both the cost benefit ratio for contractors and youth service corps, as well as the effectiveness and Economic GOALS financial efficiency of riparian restoration; and bolster visitor travel to the area Adaptively manage the riparian zone by building on and sharing lessons learned; incorporate educational and interpretive practices to Management enhance public understanding of and appreciation for these management efforts; garner support for agency budgets and attract other sources of funding. DOLORES RIVER RESTORATION ACTION PLAN (DR-RAP)
2. IDENTIFIED A PURPOSE: a. ARTICULATE A SCIENCE-DRIVEN, CONSISTENT WATERSHED-SCALE APPROACH FOCUSED ON RIPARIAN HEALTH
b. INCREASE THE COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION AMONG STAKEHOLDERS DOLORES RIVER RESTORATION ACTION PLAN (DR-RAP)
3. IDENTIFIED GUIDING PRINCIPLES a. USE A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH b. SUSTAINED FUNDING TO IDENTIFY SUCCESS c. MINIMIZE HARM TO WILDLIFE SPECIES d. CONCURRENT WORK WATERSHED WIDE e. EDUCATE PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDERS WHAT HAS MADE DRRP A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP?
• ORGANICALLY DRIVEN • INITIAL FUNDING • CHAMPIONS • IDENTIFIED A CLEAR VISION • IDENTIFIED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES • DEVELOPED A STRATEGY • GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE • IDENTIFIED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES • TRUST AND COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT • ALL PARTNERS EQUAL • DECISIONS MADE COLLECTIVELY • CREATIVITY, FLEXIBILITY, ADAPTIVE DRRP ACCOMPLISHMENTS (2009 – 2016)
• ACRES OF INITIAL TAMARISK TREATMENTS 956.5 • ACRES OF TAMARISK RESPROUT TREATMENTS 1,390 • ACRES OF SECONDARY WEED TREATMENTS 2,924 • ACRES OF REVEGETATION 536 • RESTORED ACRES 1,319 • NUMBER OF YOUTH CORPS EMPLOYED 295 • NUMBER OF WORK HOURS BY YOUTH CORPS 114,100 • VOLUNTEER WORK HOURS 5,987 • NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED FOR LOCAL CONTRACTORS 87 • ECONOMIC FOOTPRINT $7,773,979 COLORADO COLLABORATION AWARD WINNERS!
• DRRP RECOGNIZED BY THE COLORADO NONPROFIT ALLIANCE FOR “OUTSTANDING COLLABORATION” IN 2014:
• DEPTH OF COLLABORATION • SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS • INNOVATIVE RESPONSIVENESS TO A SPECIFIC CHALLENGE OR OPPORTUNITY • SERVES AS A MODEL FOR OTHER COLLABORATIVE’S TO REPLICATE • EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT • COLLABORATIVE AND NONPROFIT BEST PRACTICES
• $50,000 CASH AWARD
LIST OF PARTNERS
• THE NATURE CONSERVANCY • BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, UT & CO
• TAMARISK COALITION • US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE • WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION • COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION • PACKARD FOUNDATION • NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE • TERRA FOUNDATION • BUREAU OF RECLAMATION • GATES FAMILY FOUNDATION • DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY • BIRD CONSERVANCY OF THE ROCKIES
• CONSERVATION LEGACY, SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION CORPS • COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PALISADE INSECTARY
• WESTERN COLORADO CONSERVATION CORPS • UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RIO MESA CENTER
• FOUR CORNERS SCHOOL OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION CANYON • NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY COUNTRY YOUTH CORPS • FORT LEWIS COLLEGE • DOLORES COUNTY, CO • UNIVERSITY OF DENVER • SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, CO
• MONTROSE COUNTY, CO • WILDLANDS RESTORATION VOLUNTEERS
• MESA COUNTY, CO • COLORADO CANYONS ASSOCIATION
• GRAND COUNTY, UT • RIMROCKER HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WESTERN MONTROSE COUNTY
• COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE • INTERPRETATIVE ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN COLORADO • UTAH DIVISION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES • DOLORES RIVER BOATING ADVOCATES • GATEWAY CANYONS RESORT
LIST OF PARTNERS
• CHRIS MASINGILL CONSULTING,
• COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY,
• COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD,
• DOLORES CONSERVATION DISTRICT,
• DOLORES RIVER DIALOG,
• FRED PHILIPS CONSULTING,
• GRAND CANYON TRUST,
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INVASIVE SPECIES SCIENCE,
• RIM TO RIM RESTORATION,
• SOUTHEASTERN UTAH TAMARISK PARTNERSHIP,
• DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS,
• UNIVERSITY OF UTAH,
• UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
• NUMEROUS PRIVATE LANDOWNERS
• HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS BLM – COLORADO (AND UTAH)
• THREE BLM CO FIELD OFFICES (UNCOMPAHGRE, TRES RIOS, GRAND JUNCTION) • ONE BLM UT FIELD OFFICE (MOAB)
UT CO AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS BLUE RIVER DESIGNATION BLM HEALTHY LANDSCAPES FOCUS AREA PROGRAM
• LANDSCAPE LEVEL SCALE • IDENTIFY CLEAR RESTORATION GOALS • FIVE-YEAR FUNDING PLAN • LEVERAGE PARTNERSHIPS AND FUNDS • 4 HL FOCAL AREAS IDENTIFIED IN COLORADO • UTAH INCLUDED AS A FOCAL AREA • WORK CLOSELY WITH LOCAL BLM OFFICES CHAMPIONS • PETER MUELLER • SPARKY TABOR • DANIEL OPPENHEIMER • AMANDA CLEMENTS • MIKE WIGHT • MIKE JENSEN • RUSTY LLOYD • ANN MARIE AUBRY • MARGARET BOWMAN • JORDAN DAVIS