SER Southwest Chapter

The SER Southwest (SW) Chapter was formed in 2011 to facilitate communication and encourage coordination among land managers, researchers, and restorationists working in the southwestern United States, where minimal and variable precipitation presents unique challenges for the restoration of degraded ecosystems. The SW Chapter’s mission is to foster a network of resource specialists with interest and expertise in restoring desert and other arid ecosystems and to promote the exchange of knowledge, awareness, and collaborative opportunities as a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and reestablishing an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture. Are YOU a member yet? 1 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Friday, November 20th, 2015

Featured Plenary Presentation:

Don Falk is Associate Professor in the University of Arizona School of Natural Resources and the Environment, with joint appointments in the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research and the Institute of the Environment. He holds degrees from Oberlin College, Tufts University, and the University of Arizona, where he received his PhD in 2004.

Don’s research focuses on fire history, fire ecology, and restoration ecology in a changing world. Falk is an AAAS Fellow, and has received the Fulbright Short-Term Scholar award, the Ecological Society of America’s Deevey Award for outstanding graduate work in paleoecology, and awards from his School for both Outstanding Scholarly Contributions and Outstanding Teaching. He was awarded the Udall Fellowship in Public Policy during the academic year 2014-15 for studies in post-fire ecological resilience.

Don Falk was co-founder and Executive Director of the Center for Plant Conservation at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, now at Missouri Botanic Garden. He served subsequently as the first Executive Director of the Society for Ecological Restoration International (SER), of which he was also a founding Board member.

He is the author of more than more than 70 peer reviewed technical publications and four books, including Genetics and Conservation of Rare Plants (1991, Oxford University Press, with Kent Holsinger,), Restoring Diversity: Strategies for Reintroduction of Endangered Plants (1996, Island Press, with Connie Millar and Peggy Olwell), Foundations of Restoration Ecology (2006, Island Press, with Margaret Palmer and Joy Zedler), and most recently The Landscape Ecology of Fire (2011, Springer, with Don McKenzie and Carol Miller). He is a member of the Editorial Board for the Island Press series in restoration ecology, the Executive Board of the Southwest Fire Science Consortium, and the science lead for the FireScape initiative in the Arizona Sky Islands. Don teaches regularly at the National Advanced Fire and Resource Institute (NAFRI) and at national and international conferences. He serves currently as Chair of the Global Change Ecology and Management degree option in the UA School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

2 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference From Restoration to Resilience Ecology: Do We Need a New Paradigm? Donald A. Falk University of Arizona, Associate Professor, School of Natural Resources and the Environment; Associate Professor of Dendrochronology, Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, Tucson, AZ

Restoration ecology has always dealt with disturbed, non-equilibrial landscapes. However, current and emerging conditions of climate, land use, non-native species, and altered geochemical cycles may challenge traditional approaches. Some authors have argued that the original form of ecological restoration grounded in historical authenticity may become less viable in coming decades, because environments have changed so dramatically that literally restoring past configurations is no longer possible or relevant to the goals of conservation. These forces may make restoring key processes like species migration and natural fire regimes socially and economically difficult or unattainable.

In the face of these challenges, a new paradigm is emerging that emphasizes ecological resilience rather than restoration sensu stricto. In this model, a degree of change from past (reference) conditions is accepted not only as pragmatically inevitable, but also potentially adaptive. The goal of a “resilience ecology” approach is to facilitate the adaptation of ecosystems to emerging conditions, even when the specific form (e.g., the species that comprise a community, or the local distribution of a population) is different from what may have existed in the past. A resilience approach emphasizes combined strategies of enhancing resistance (e.g. survival and persistence), recovery (re-establishing the prior community where possible), and reorganization (allowing new suites of species to colonize an area that may be more adaptive under new conditions). We explore the implications of potentially irreversible ecosystem responses for land management in the coming century, and the emergence of resilience ecology as a new paradigm in the evolution of restoration ecology.

Contact Information: University of Arizona, School of Natural Resources and the Environment 1311 E 4th St., Tucson, AZ 85719; [email protected]

3 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Friday Morning Sessions

Invasives Session Moderator: Steve Plath, Signature Botanica

Tamarisk Beetle Expert Panel Report Ben Bloodworth1, Pat Shafroth2, Anna Sher3, Rebecca Manners4, Dan Bean5, Matt Johnson6, and Osvel Hinojosa-Huerta7 1Tamarisk Coalition, Grand Junction, CO 2 U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO 3 University of Denver, Denver, CO 4 University of Montana, Bozeman, MT 5 Colorado Department of Agriculture, Palisade, CO 6 Colorado Plateau Research Station at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 7 Pronatura Noroeste, Ensenada, Baja California, México

In 2001, the tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda spp.) was approved for limited release by USDA- APHIS as a biological control agent for the invasive shrub/tree Tamarix. Since that time, four separate beetle species have spread across much of the western U.S. and northern Mexico. As the beetles have dispersed throughout the Colorado and Rio Grande watersheds, increasing concern has arisen over potential impacts to wildlife. This concern focuses on the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, whose critical habitat includes thousands of tamarisk-dominated riparian acres yet to be impacted by the arrival of the beetle. In an effort to provide land managers with up-to-date information on the potential impacts of the beetles’ presence in the Lower Colorado River Basin, as well as solutions for restoration and the mitigation of any possible negative effects, Tamarisk Coalition convened an Expert Panel to discuss the impending ecosystem changes. A report from this panel discussion was recently published and information presented within it will be the focus of this presentation.

Contact Information: Tamarisk Coalition, 244 N 7th St. Grand Junction, CO 81501; [email protected]

Case Study: Ravenna Grass Management on the Rio Grande Chad Mckenna and Todd Caplan GeoSystems Analysis, Inc., Albuquerque, NM

Ravenna grass (Saccharum ravennae) is a large, perennial, rhizomatous grass native to western Asia and southern Europe that was first reported in New Mexico during the 1980’s. Since then, it has spread aggressively through riparian and wetland habitats along the Middle Rio Grande, including robust willow-dominated wetlands which support federally-listed species that are a focus of habitat restoration efforts. Millions of dollars have been invested in willow swale construction over the past decade and during that time, Ravenna grass has spread throughout the valley and invaded many of the restoration 4 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference projects. To some land managers it was a welcomed addition to the riparian forest as a large, exotic-looking, attractive grass while other agency staff was concerned that the species could compromise the performance of their restoration project. Its status as a management priority was unclear because little was known about Ravenna grass at that time and it was not formally listed as a noxious weed. In 2007, we coordinated with various agencies to build support for listing the species and in 2008, we successfully added the species to the New Mexico noxious weed list. Very little information was available for the species back in 2008 and since then we have documented the current extent through the Albuquerque Reach, monitored its expansion, educated agencies and land managers on identification and control, experimented with various treatment techniques, began formalizing a Cooperative Weed Management Area for the Rio Grande basin, and learned several important lessons. The lessons learned through this experience have broader adaptive management implications for other species and other regions.

Contact Information: GeoSystems Analysis, Inc., 3150 Carlisle Blvd. NE #107, Albuquerque, NM 87110; [email protected]

Implementation of a Multi-Benefit, Multi-Jurisdictional Salt Cedar Management Plan for the El Rio Reach of the Gila River, Maricopa County, AZ Jennifer Pokorski and Pat Ellison Flood Control District of Maricopa County, Phoenix, AZ

Over 60% of the Gila River as it runs through the cities of Avondale, Buckeye and Goodyear in southwestern Maricopa County is covered by saltcedar. The dense saltcedar growth has increased the size of the floodplain by seven square miles and contributed to major wildfires in the river. Residents who own land in the floodplain, and local jurisdictions who manage infrastructure near the river channel, are calling for the saltcedar to be removed. Several factors complicate the removal of salt cedar: 1) Approximately 50% of the land in the river channel is privately owned; the remaining ownership is split between local, state and federal governments; 2) The saltcedar provides cover for three endangered or threatened species; and 3) Initial cost estimates for removal and replacement of salt cedar with native species range from $300-500 million, including long-term maintenance. Despite these challenges, Maricopa County, the three cities, and state and federal government agencies, are collaborating on several studies and projects. Notably, the Flood Control District of Maricopa County is leading the development of a vegetation management plan that will identify effective salt cedar removal methods and recommend a planting schematic for native species based on future climate conditions, land use and water availability. This presentation will: 1) Provide an overview of the ongoing and completed projects in the El Rio area, 2) Describe the formation and maintenance of the coalition of landowners, special interests, and government agencies, and 3) Discuss the planned funding and joint permitting approach.

Contact Information: Flood Control District of Maricopa County, 2801 W Durango St., Phoenix, AZ 85009; [email protected] 5 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference

From Buffelgrass Monoculture to Upland Saguaro/Ironwood/Palo Verde Landscape: The Waterman Restoration Project John Scheuring and Ries Lindley Arizona Native Plant Society: Tucson Chapter, Tucson, AZ

Starting in 2010, eighteen acres of severely disturbed, buffelgrass infested BLM land has been the focus of the Arizona Native Plant Society led efforts to eradicate the buffelgrass, seed native woody species, rehabilitate bare areas, install one rock dam water harvesting, and spread tons of brush mulch. Results include near eradication of the buffelgrass., 850 native trees planted from seed and never given supplemental water, over 200 one rock dams resulting in extensive on-site rainwater capture, and vegetative coverage of 2.5 acres of previously bare and highly eroded areas. 123 native plant species from blow in seed from adjacent desert have been inventoried. About 1000 volunteer hours per year have resulted in a landscape rich in native plant species, nesting black throated sparrows, and a broad array of rodent and reptile species.

Contact Information: Arizona Native Plant Society, PO Box 41206, Sun Station, Tucson, AZ 85717; [email protected]

Buffelgrass Excludes Native Plants through Resource Competition rather than Allelopathy or Intensifying Consumption by Animals Pacifica Sommers and Peter Chesson University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) has become an invasive species of concern in arid and semi-arid environments worldwide. Many studies have suggested that the species richness and abundance of native plants declines following invasion by buffelgrass. However, these studies have been correlational and unable to distinguish between mechanisms. Understanding the mechanism by which invasive plants affect native competitors is important for forecasting the time scale of expected impacts, and designing and evaluating effective management strategies, but is rarely done. Using a combination of manipulative field and greenhouse experiments, we tested to what degree buffelgrass inhibits recruitment of perennial plants native to the Sonoran Desert through resource competition, consumer-mediated apparent competition, and direct allelopathic effects. We found no evidence of increased foraging pressure by the primary granivores and herbivores in invaded areas limiting the recruitment of native plants. We also did not find any evidence of leachate from buffelgrass inhibiting seedling growth in a greenhouse study. However, native perennial seedlings were smaller and less likely to survive near adult buffelgrass than in plots with recently removed buffelgrass, both in the greenhouse and in the field. This last result suggests that competition for a rapidly replenished resource, such as water or light, is mediating the effect. We conclude that resource competition primarily drives the negative effect of buffelgrass on native perennial seedling emergence and establishment in the Sonoran Desert.

6 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Contact Information: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Arizona, PO Box 210088 Tucson, AZ, 85721; [email protected]

Multi-benefit Floodplain Vegetation Management for the El Rio Reach of the Gila River, Maricopa County, AZ Zooey Diggory1, Glen Leverich1, Bruce Orr1, Pat Ellison2, Doug Williams2, Jennifer Pokorski2 1Stillwater Sciences, Berkeley, CA 2Maricopa County Flood Control District, Phoenix, AZ

Like so many other rivers in the Southwest, the 17-mile El Rio Reach of the Gila River, downstream of Phoenix, AZ, has been almost completely taken over by nonnative saltcedar (i.e., Tamarix spp.), resulting in significant loss of native vegetation cover and increased risk and spread of wildfire. In addition, saltcedar has taken up so much of the 100-year floodway that nearby lands slated for development are now predicted to flood under high flow events because of the added hydraulic roughness. Given these myriad impacts, the removal of saltcedar clearly has potential to provide multiple benefits for the river ecosystem and nearby land uses. Total removal, however, is expensive and complicated because (1) many native animals, including some endangered and threatened species, are now dependent on saltcedar for habitat, and (2) the tamarisk leaf beetle, which was released for biological control of saltcedar, is expected to arrive in the area in the next few years. A vegetation management plan is being developed for the El Rio Reach that strives to maximize the benefits of saltcedar removal, take advantage of the anticipated effects of the leaf beetle while minimizing its impacts on wildlife habitat, and efficiently enhance native vegetation and habitat while accounting for future climate, land use, and water availability conditions. This presentation will describe the components of the vegetation management plan, as well as physical and biological underpinnings for the plan components.

Contact Information: Stillwater Sciences, 2855 Telegraph Ave #400, Berkeley, CA 94704; [email protected]

Predicting Treatment Windows for Invasive Buffelgrass in Southern Arizona using MODIS and Climate Data Cynthia S.A. Wallace1, Jessica J. Walker1, Caroline Patrick-Birdwell2, Jake F. Weltzin3, Helen Raichle4 1US Geological Survey, Tucson, AZ 2Tucson Electric Power, Tucson, AZ 3USA-NPN, Tucson, AZ 4Contract Scientist

The increasing spread and abundance of an invasive perennial grass, buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare), represents an important shift in the vegetation composition of the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona. Buffelgrass out-competes native species and alters fire regimes, and its control and management is a high-priority issue for resource managers who seek to preserve the unique and iconic Sonoran Desert flora. Herbicidal treatment of 7 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference buffelgrass is most effective when the vegetation is actively growing; however, the erratic timing of active buffelgrass growth periods in southern Arizona confounds effective management decision-making. The goal of our research is to enable the strategic application of buffelgrass herbicide by using remote sensing data to detect when and where buffelgrass is photosynthetically active. We integrated ground-based observations of buffelgrass phenology (green-up and senescence) in the Tucson, Arizona area with climate information and Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery to understand dynamics and relationships between these disparate datasets during 2011 to 2013. Regression analyses and statistical tests were used to identify correlations between temporal patterns of the data sets. Our results reveal strong correlations between the observed greenness of in-situ buffelgrass and satellite LSP metrics, confirming that MODIS-EVI data can be a useful indicator of active buffelgrass growth at multiple scales. The analysis also reveals strong harmonics between precipitation and greenness, but with a lagged response, suggesting that precipitation can be a predictor of the location and intensity of buffelgrass green-up at landscape scales. This information can be used by resource managers to treat buffelgrass during optimal conditions.

Contact Information: US Geological Survey, 520 N Park Ave. #221, Tucson, AZ 85719; [email protected]

Fire Effects: Restoration of Watersheds and Springs Workshop

Session Moderators: Don Swann (Saguaro National Park) and Louise Misztal (Sky Island Alliance)

Geomorphic Responses of Burned Watersheds in Arizona: Floods, Debris Flows, and Long-term Recovery Ann Youberg, Ph.D. Arizona Geological Survey, Tucson, AZ

Numerous record-setting wildfires have occurred across Arizona and New Mexico since the early 2000s. These very large fires have resulted in significant contiguous burned patches and post-fire geomorphic responses – floods, debris flows and erosion. These post-fire geomorphic responses, however, can occur on any size burned area with moderate to high soil burn severity on steeper slopes. After wildfires, watershed hydrologic conditions and sediment transport rates can be significantly altered such that landscapes experience short-term but rapid geomorphic changes. Removal of vegetation and loss of surface sediment cohesion leads to decreased interception and infiltration, increased runoff volumes and velocities, and increased rain-drop erosion on newly exposed soil. Less energy is then needed to transport sediment and erode hillslopes and channels while more water 8 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference is available to do the work. Thus, typical monsoonal storms (2-10 yr RI) immediately following wildfires in the Southwest can generate significant floods, debris flows, and erosion. Watershed recovery is generally expected to occur in five to seven years. In 2011, however, a new trend with implications for the long-term health of watersheds was observed when areas burned at moderate and high severity in wildfires 34 and 17 years prior were re-burned by the Monument and Horseshoe 2 Fires. Geomorphic responses from these twice-burned watersheds were generated by common monsoonal storms (2-5 yr RI), and were as strong, or stronger, than previous responses. The implications for the long-term recovery of these burned watersheds are still being explored.

Contact Information: Arizona Geological Survey, 416 W Congress St. Suite 100, Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

Forecasting Post-wildfire Flood Risk under Current Conditions and Future Scenarios: Examples from Saguaro National Park East Jon D. Pelletier, Tyson L. Swetnam, and Perry Grissom University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

We describe a novel workflow that maps flood depths for a range of storm recurrence intervals, with and without wildfire-affected conditions, for existing vegetation and likely future scenarios (e.g. enhanced buffelgrass cover) using Saguaro National Park (SNP) East as an example. Our approach determines the storm runoff within a watershed consistent with a prescribed storm recurrence interval and wildfire scenario, then routes runoff over a high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to predict patterns of flood inundation. We establish the baseline risk of flood inundation in SNP East using historical data from stream gages, wildfires, lightning strikes, and vegetation cover. We then run a range of wildfire and post-wildfire storm scenarios with and without the effects of likely future expansion of buffelgrass and repeat the runoff simulation. The workflow is general and can be used to assess the risk of post-wildfire flooding now and under scenarios of future vegetation change in mountainous areas throughout the western U.S.

Contact Information: University of Arizona, Department of Geosciences, 1040 4th St., Tucson, AZ 85721; [email protected]

Three Years of Post-fire Land Treatment Effectiveness Monitoring of the 2013 Silver Fire, Gila National Forest Michael Natharius USDA, Forest Service, Gila National Forest, Silver City, NM

In 2013, the Silver Fire burned 137,326 acres of National Forest System lands in the Black Range of the Gila National Forest. The majority of the high severity burn was limited to mixed conifer and pine vegetation types. The fire left several communities, many private properties and County, State and Forest Service infrastructure at risk from post-fire flooding, sedimentation and debris flows. A Burned Area Emergency Response team (BAER) conducted an assessment of the fire and made recommendations to minimize post- 9 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference fire effects. The BAER team’s recommendations included aerial application of certified weed free straw to 2,880 acres of high severity burn and aerial application of certified weed free seed to 12,900 acres of high severity burn. The recommended seed mix included a small percentage of native perennial grass species and annual barley (Hordeum vulgare). An effectiveness monitoring plan was developed to evaluate treatment effects to site/soil productivity, site diversity, and long term recovery. This monitoring plan also sought to determine if invasive or noxious weeds were introduced with these treatments. Permanent plots were established in mixed conifer and pine vegetation types in non-treated, seeded and seeded and mulched treatment units throughout the burned area. This presentation provides results of three years of monitoring.

Contact Information: 3005 E Camino del Bosque, Silver City, NM 8806; [email protected]

Sediment Reduction and Watershed Restoration in Response to 2010 Schultz Fire, Flagstaff, Arizona Allen Haden Natural Channel Design, Inc. Flagstaff, AZ

The Schultz Fire burned approximately 15,000 acres of ponderosa pine forest within the Coconino National Forest in June 2010. The vast majority of the area was severely burned with total loss of trees and ground cover on steep, high elevation slopes and volcanic soils. Nearly 1,000 residential properties within Coconino County are located immediately down- slope of the burned area on inactive alluvial fans. Initial flooding in the summer immediately following the fire caused debris flows that originated in the steeper portions of the watershed. The neighborhood was inundated with flooding and tons of sediment. Since the Schultz fire, properties downstream of the burned area continue to be impacted by flooding, erosion, and debris damages from storm generated runoff.

Traditional engineering methods to build sediment detention basins and flood bypass channels were rejected by USFS for negative impacts on forest resources and by the county for potential heavy maintenance costs. A WARSSS study integrated with USFS collected data quantified the sources of sediment and the potential sediment reduction created by proposed practices in each watershed. Watershed surveys of channels, hillslopes, and roads indicated that the majority of sediment was derived from unstable channel banks. Fortunately, many opportunities for storage of sediment on, degraded alluvial fans existed. Natural recovery of the degraded channels would take decades. Quantification of sediment reduction potential provided a useful means of prioritizing actions. Use of natural channel design methods was shown to increase the rate of watershed recovery after the fire and was compatible with the USFS mission.

Restoration measures based on natural channel design methods have been undertaken to speed recovery of ephemeral stream channels that were damaged in major flood events immediately following the fire. Additional engineering analysis has been applied to insure that the channels and structural practices can accommodate the county specified design 10 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference storm for all project work. Restoration of channel morphology to predicted recovery dimensions has decreased the amount of sediment sourced and transported through these channels to private lands downstream. Additionally, restoration of alluvial fans in appropriate geomorphic settings is storing sediment otherwise transported from the watershed. Weed management and revegetation are an integral part of the restoration process. Seeding with native grasses has helped to stabilize the project area and multifaceted weed management has helped to minimize invasion of weed species onto project areas.

Contact Information: Natural Channel Design, Inc. 2900 N West St., Flagstaff, AZ 86004; [email protected]

Watershed Restoration Pre and Post-fire in the Chiricahua Mountains Carianne Campbell and Louise Misztal Sky Island Alliance, Tucson, AZ

Sky Island Alliance partnered with the US Forest Service, private land owners, scientists, and other conservation organizations to test whether low-tech structures constructed from onsite materials could increase ecosystem resilience in ephemeral stream channels in a burned and unburned watershed in the Chiricahua Mountains of southern Arizona. This novel collaboration involved community members of Douglas, Arizona through a paid youth summer internship and a work crew from the local prison to install over 700 structures over a 2-month period. USGS incorporated the sites into a larger regional framework to measure short and long-term native vegetation response to the structures, which are designed to slow water flow and increase infiltration, and soil moisture monitoring stations were installed to quantify immediate hydrological response. This degree of partner integration was the direct result of the Sky Islands Restoration Cooperative, a loose organization of diverse partners that meet periodically to coordinate restoration priorities for the region and collaborate on on-the-ground conservation responses.

Contact Information: Sky Island Alliance, 406 S. 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ; [email protected]

Friday Afternoon Sessions

Utilities, Plants, and Wildlife Session Moderator: Molly McCormick, Borderlands Restoration

TEP Panel: Working Together to Balance the Natural and Man Made Environment

11 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Leslie Carpenter, Michael Clark, Cheryl Eamick, Christina Frazer, Robin Lewellyn Tucson Electric Power, Tucson, AZ

How do you balance the need for electricity with being a good steward of both the natural and cultural environment? Through a collaborative effort with federal and state regulators, engineers, environmental professionals, construction managers and private land owners, Tucson Electric Power (TEP) has developed a tremendous example of striking a balance between the need for infrastructure and implementation of measures resulting in the protection of valuable resources in the Sonoran Desert. TEP has constructed a new single- circuit 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the Pinal Central Substation, east of Casa Grande, Arizona to the existing Tortolita Substation, southeast of Red Rock, AZ, in Pinal County. The project will add 500 kilovolts of transmission capability, increasing electrical system reliability throughout the Tucson, AZ, metropolitan area, creating opportunities for renewable electric resources and providing for greater reliability within the Western Electric Grid.

Early on, TEP’s environmental staff met with regulatory agencies, developed relationships with the community and other stakeholders to site the transmission line in the most environmentally sustainable route. The baseline for the project was developed during the transmission line siting process through the Arizona Corporation Commission, where TEP received a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility. State of the art planning techniques, “out of the box” thinking through collaboration resulted in significant cost savings, fewer impacts to the environment, and expanded on a growing company culture of environmental awareness that will be carried forward in TEP projects for years to come.

Contact Information: Tucson Electric Power, 88 E Broadway Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

Native Plant Conservation on the Pinal Central to Tortolita 500kV Transmission Line Project Leslie Carpenter1 and Diana Shiel2 1Tucson Electric Power, Tucson, AZ 2WestLand Resources, Tucson, AZ

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) will soon complete construction of a 41 mile, 500kV transmission line project between Red Rock and Coolidge, AZ. TEP employed three strategies to protect native plant resources during the project. First, TEP used a “minimal footprint” approach for clearing, in which work zones were kept small and use of existing access roads was maximized. Second, TEP and contractors developed a model to identify saguaros (Carnegiea gigantea) which were incompatible with construction and/or operation of the line. TEP used LiDAR technology to derive a height model, field verification, and engineering analysis to identify saguaros within the line clearance zone for the first 20 years of operation. Lastly, TEP conducted plant salvage efforts to remove and relocate the incompatible plants. Community partners like the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society and three local plant salvage companies were instrumental in the salvage

12 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference effort. With advanced planning and coordination among land resources, engineering, and construction departments, TEP kept the project footprint to approximately 18% of the right-of-way. This includes avoiding the removal of more than 600 saguaro, and salvaging over 650 cacti and native trees. This approach helped conserve valuable native resources for rare species like the Lesser Long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) and Morafka’s Desert Tortoise (Gopherus morafkai), reduced habitat fragmentation, and saved millions of dollars in stumpage fees and grading costs.

Contact Information: Tucson Electric Power, 88 E Broadway Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

Did the Increase of Lehmann Lovegrass cause the Decline of Grassland Sparrows in the Sonoita Plains? H. Ronald Pulliam, Matt Brown, Kelly Fleming, Randy Moore, and David Seibert Borderlands Restoration, L3C, Patagonia, AZ

Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana) increased an average of 300% from 2003-04 to 2013-14 on 16 study plots in the Sonoita Plains. Several species of grassland sparrows declined dramatically during the same period.

1. The diets of most over-wintering grassland sparrows consist of small grass and forb seeds ranging in mass from 0.1 to 1.0 mg. Lehmann lovegrass seeds have an average mass of 0.05 mg and are too small to the energetically profitable. 2. Lehmann’s lovegrass frequency has increased an average of 3 fold from 2003-2004 until 2013-2014. 3. All sparrow species had substantially lower overwinter densities in areas where lovegrass cover exceeded 25%. 4. Detailed comparisons showed that grassland sparrows in general, and Ammodramus sparrows in particular declined markedly on sites where lovegrass was scarce in 2004 and increased substantially (more than 50%) by 2013-2014. On sites where lovegrass was scarce in 2003-2004 but did not increase by 2013-14, sparrow numbers held steady. 5. Ammodramus sparrow abundance was, on average, 260% higher on experimental sites where Lehmann lovegrass was removed by hand than on two adjacent control sites where lovegrass was not removed. The maximum likelihood estimate of uncorrected sparrow abundance was 0.81 observations per 200 m (nearly identical to the value on un- manipulated sites without lovegrass) versus an estimate of 0.31 observations per transect on untreated controls.

Available evidence strongly points to a causal relationship between Lehmann lovegrass increase and grassland sparrow decline in the Sonoita Plains. Strategies for limiting the spread and dominance of lovegrass and increasing the ability of grassland sparrows to persist in the face of the lovegrass invasion will be discussed.

13 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Contact Information: Borderlands Restoration, 299 McKeown Ave, Suite #3, Patagonia, AZ 85624; [email protected]

Critical Habitat Restoration on the Upper Gila River Shawn Stone1, J. Johnson1, G. Leverich2, R. More-Hla1 1 Gila Watershed Partnership of Arizona, Thatcher, AZ 2 Stillwater Sciences, Berkeley, CA

The Upper Gila Riparian Restoration project is a proactive effort to re-establish native habitat for threatened and endangered species prior to colonization by the tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda spp.). Due to limited time before the arrival of the tamarisk leaf beetle, active restoration techniques have been employed. We utilize an excavator and masticating head to mechanically remove tamarisk from the riparian corridor and apply an herbicide to the freshly cut stumps. Native plant container stock is then introduced for greater establishment potential and to suppress secondary weed invasions. Provisional seed zones are used to direct seed collections and to ensure the locally propagated container stock is locally adapted. Local geomorphic diversity across our sites necessitates greater biologic diversity, as varying depths to groundwater support varying vegetative communities. We have classified planting zones for vegetative communities according to groundwater depths. These zones are based on an examination of relative elevation data at each of our restoration sites, which was then re-validated with our groundwater monitoring results. Re-establishing riparian obligate to xeric native plant species in the appropriate locations can help support a greater variety of faunal species, minimize erosion after the initial treatment, and re-establish ecosystem processes negated by tamarisk monocultures. Through careful planning and adaptive management procedures, we hope that our approach will ensure cost effectiveness by capitalizing on evolutionary adaptations and minimizing re-treatment efforts.

Contact Information: Gila Watershed Partnership of Arizona, PO Box 1614, Thatcher, AZ 85552; [email protected]

A Comparison of Intraspecific Variation in Early Life History Characteristics of Native Colorado Plateau Forbs Magdalena Eshleman12 and Andrea Kramer2 1Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 2Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago, IL

Plant species with wide geographic distributions can experience very different biotic and abiotic factors to which they may be adapted. Research has shown that many traits display population differentiation, and in many cases this is a result of adaptation to local conditions. However, critical information about local adaptation is too often lacking on species that are used in restoration seed mixes, making it difficult for land managers to make seed source decisions based on scientific evidence. To address this need, I tested six priority restoration forbs for population differentiation and local adaptation in early life history stages, including germination and emergence. I also tested whether seed dispersal 14 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference strategy had an influence on the detection of population differentiation. Differences in early life history stages were tested across optimal germination conditions in an incubator study, and the potential for local adaptation was tested in a reciprocal transplant field study. There was significant population differentiation for many of the traits tested, but these results lacked evidence for local adaptation. Low germination and emergence in the field study limited my ability to test for local adaptation. However, in the incubator study there was no difference in population differentiation between gravity-dispersed and wind- dispersed species. Long-term studies are needed to determine whether local adaptation occurs in these species at later life history stages.

Contact Information: Northwestern University, 633 Clark St, Evanston, IL 60208; [email protected]

How much is Enough: Lessons from Native Plant Restoration in support of Hummingbirds in Southern Arizona Molly McCormick and Ron Pulliam Borderlands Restoration, Patagonia, AZ

The Sky Island Region of Southern Arizona is biologically diverse, but how do we assess its ecological health amongst seeming abundance? Can this assessment drive efficient and effective restoration, and how would we determine the efficacy of restoration work?

In a project aimed at restoring the nectar landscape and base of the food chain, Borderlands Restoration, a restoration group based in Patagonia, AZ, worked to support hummingbirds by installing native plants on four sites ranging from 7 to 12 hectares, using low-input techniques. Our baseline assessment of ecological condition began by examining temporal availability of floral resources at 100 randomly chosen points on each site. This assessment identified gaps in nectar available for nesting and migrating hummingbirds. We then installed native hummingbird-attracting plants at these sites and monitored flower production for 1 to 3 years after planting. Using this information, we were able to compare existing floral resources with those of the restoration plants, and determine if our plantings impacted floral resource availability. We then analyzed survival of the plantings, looking for patterns amongst various factors: planting timing, use of Dri-Water bags, and the existence of irrigation. Restoration practitioners and land managers alike could use these findings in planning efficient and effective restoration projects in support of pollinators in the Sky Island Region.

Contact Information: Borderlands Restoration, 299 McKeown Ave, Suite #3, Patagonia, AZ 85624; [email protected]

Developing Monitoring Protocols for Vegetation Response to Watershed Restoration; Preliminary Results from Southeastern Arizona Natalie R. Wilson1, Laura M. Norman1, Miguel Villarreal1, Steve Buckley2, Joel Sankey3, David Dean3, Steve Delong4, Whitney Henderson4, Carianne Campbell5, Kate

15 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Tirion6, David Seibert7 and H. Ron Pulliam7 1US Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, Tucson, AZ 2National Park Service, Southwest Exotic Plant Management Team, Tucson, AZ 3US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, AZ 4The University of Arizona, Biosphere 2, Tucson, AZ 5Sky Island Alliance, Tucson, AZ 6Deep Dirt Farms, LLC, Patagonia, AZ 7Borderlands Restoration, Patagonia, AZ

Watershed degradation – arroyo cutting, erosion, and decreasing ground water levels and surface water availability – threatens ecological and cultural values throughout the Madrean Archipelago Ecoregion which extends from southeastern Arizona into northern Mexico. Watershed restoration techniques – gabions, check dams, cross vanes and one-rock dams – have been implemented by land managers seeking to conserve these values but the relative effectiveness of these techniques is still unknown. This research explores the utility of field-based and remote sensing methods for evaluating the short and long-term effects of the different restoration techniques. Vegetation metrics – vegetation abundance, species composition and species diversity – are used as a proxy for assessing changes in water availability resulting from successful restoration and will be considered in tandem with long-term presence/absence studies of birds. To quantify short-term effects on vegetation the area within 4m of the restoration structures and within the channel was divided into zones based on proximity to structure. Within these zones nested frequency plots, canopy cover estimation and photo points were implemented to assess abundance, composition and diversity. Field results from one study area were compared with terrestrial LiDAR results collected over a two year period. Long-term monitoring plots were established using point-line intercept in three different height strata (field, subcanopy and canopy); this will capture changes in vegetation structure in addition to changes in abundance. Long- term monitoring plots include subplots to assess changes in species composition and diversity. Baseline data was collected at four study areas and will be presented.

Contact Information: US Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, 520 Park Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719; [email protected]

Fire Effects: Restoration of Watersheds and Springs Workshop

Session Moderators: Don Swann (Saguaro National Park) and Louise Misztal (Sky Island Alliance)

Fire Effects on Tinajas and Frog Habitat at Saguaro National Park Don Swann, Kara O’Brien, and Chuck Perger Saguaro National Park, Tucson, AZ

16 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Saguaro National Park has been monitoring lowland leopard frogs and their habitat for 19 years, particularly in tinajas, a local name for spring-fed rock pools located in intermittent mountain streams. Following large wildfires in 1999 and 2003, many tinajas (often far downstream from the fires themselves) became filled with sediment, leading to local extirpations of frog populations. We have continued to monitor frogs, sediment, and water in tinajas to track their long-term response to these fires. In addition, we have experimented with restoration of tinajas through manual excavation of sand and gravel. This talk will review the results of this program and examine the relationship of fire and aquatic habitat across a range of spatial and temporal scales.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Initial Response to Fire on Springs Samantha Hammer, Louise Misztal, Carianne Campbell, and Christopher Morris Sky Island Alliance, Tucson, AZ

Arizona has the highest abundance and density of springs in the western US – in southeastern Arizona alone, there are over 1000 springs. Because springs support disproportionately high levels of productivity, endemism, and biodiversity, they are an important component of climate change resiliency in the Southwest, where climate change effects are projected to be particularly severe. Changes in fire regime due to climate change have affected many springs and will affect many more, but it is unknown how fire or fuel treatments may potentially benefit or harm springs. Additionally, most springs lack critical baseline information to assess the impacts of fire and to plan and implement restoration after fire. We collected data on springs’ location, ecology, and status for over 30 springs using citizen science inventory and assessment methodologies in mountain ranges affected by recent fires, an area being restored – the Pinaleño Ecosystem Restoration Project, and unburned areas. We combined springs data with spatial data on burn severity to understand the impact of fire on springs. These data will allow us work with land and natural resource managers to incorporate springs into pre-fire treatment planning on public lands, to safeguard priority springs, and to restore springs post-fire.

Contact Information: Sky Island Alliance, 406 S. 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

Response of Vegetation after Wildfire on the Warm Springs Natural Area in Moapa, Nevada Von K. Winkel, Ph.D., Restoration Ecologist and David J. Syzdek, Environmental Southern Nevada Water Authority, Las Vegas, NV

During July 2010, a wildfire burned 407 acres of the Warm Springs Natural Area (WSNA) in Moapa, Nevada. The WSNA is a nature preserve owned and operated by the Southern Nevada Water Authority and is home to 28 sensitive wildlife and macroinvertebrate species including the endangered Moapa dace (Moapa coriacea), the Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax trailii extimus), Vermillion flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus), and the 17 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Moapa naucorid (Limnocoris moapensis). The fire burned 112 acres of mesquite bosque, 16 acres of riparian tree corridor along the Muddy River and its tributaries, 157 acres of shrubland, nine acres of California palm (Washingtonia filifera) groves, 93 acres of grassland and 20 acres of wet meadow and marshland. Following the fire, the recovery of resprouting species was rapid in contrast to non-sprouting species which was nearly non- existent. Five years following the fire, nearly every burned Western honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana) had resprouted. The average length of resprouted branches was nearly 75% of pre-fire tree height. Western honey mesquite trees rebounded so quickly and abundantly that several mesquite groves were thinned to decrease fuel loading. In contrast, almost no screwbean mesquite (Prosopis pubescens) trees had resprouted after five years. Burned velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina) tree resprouts were so abundant that new stems outnumbered burned stems 6:1. In contrast, few cottonwood trees (Populus fremontii) resprouted. Other resprouting species such as arrowweed (Pluchea sericea), water jacket (Lycium andersonii), and saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) reached near pre-fire growth by summer 2015.

Contact Information: Southern Nevada Water Authority, 1001 S. Valley View Blvd., Mailstop 760, Las Vegas, NV 89153; [email protected]

Increasing Resilience and Creating Habitat Refugia at Springs in the Chiricauhua Mountains Carianne Campbell and Louise Misztal Sky Island Alliance, Tucson, AZ

The Chiricahua Mountains connect the diverse Sierra Madre with the vast Gila Wilderness – perfectly positioned for importance to a huge diversity of plants and animals. Increasing scarcity of mid and high-elevation water sources has prompted project partners to create new open-water habitats for bats in this mountain range, and partners quickly realized that threatened Chiricahua leopard frogs and other wildlife can benefit from the same habitat modifications. In 2014, new open-water habitat was created at Ash Spring as part of a collaborative wetlands restoration workshop. During construction, partners decided to reduce the number of ponds created with heavy machinery from 9 to 3 in order to preserve wet meadow habitat. Following lively discussions with partners, this scaled-down approach was taken a step farther at Hermitage Seep in 2015, where Sky Island Alliance proposed to create open water habitat without the need to excavate a pond at all in the existing wet meadow. An extensive and healthy population of whorled milkweed (Asclepias subverticillata), larval host for monarch butterflies, was identified onsite, underscoring the importance of preserving the wet meadow habitat. These habitat creation projects will allow AGFD to release new Chiricahua leopard frog populations and contribute to the recovery of the species, and these two projects embody the flexible and responsive nature in which SIRC partners are collaborating to continually improve outcomes.

Contact Information: Sky Island Alliance, 406 S. 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

18 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference 2002 Rodeo-Chediski Post-Wildfire Restoration Efforts Daniel Pusher White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Resources Program, Whiteriver, AZ

Many springs emerged after the wildfire and many withstood the catastrophe 2002 Rodeo- Chediski wildfire that burnt over ~280,000 acres on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Since the wildfire many post wildfire restoration treatments were conducted and many restoration best management practices were unsuccessful. The relevance and value of this presentation is to emphasize the importance of proactive watershed management strategies. Proper watershed management and mitigation strategies that are utilized and/or considered must be pertinent to the physical properties of a particular watershed. Physical, chemical, and biological properties must be assessed and understood before a mitigation strategy is implemented.

Contact Information: White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Resources Program, 201 E. Walnut St, Whiteriver AZ, 85941; [email protected]

Developing Guidance for Climate-informed Springs Ecosystem Restoration Louise Misztal1, Carianne Campbell1, Larry Stevens2, Jeri Ledbetter 1Sky Island Alliance, Tucson, AZ 2Springs Stewardship Institute, Flagstaff, AZ

Over the past two years Sky Island Alliance has worked with managers and experts to develop an Arizona Springs Restoration Handbook. The Handbook walks practitioners through considerations and a process for planning and implementing springs restoration, including how to effectively consider and incorporate climate change. Fire effects at springs are of increasing concern in the context of climate change as larger more intense fires burn throughout the state and significantly alter watersheds. Other common threats to springs include: flow diversion, interruption of disturbance regimes, grazing impacts, exotic plant and animal invasions and groundwater extraction and/or contamination. Springs have significant potential to recover and when key stressors are removed, however the science on spring restoration is limited with very few restoration projects published and reviewed for success. To address this knowledge and guidance gap, we convened interactive workshops with practitioners to vet key topics and develop a draft handbook for spring restoration in Arizona. We seek to advance climate-smart spring restoration and provide a consistent approach for springs stewards. Handbook topics include defining desired conditions/goals in the context of climate change, inventorying, assessing and planning, restoration options, management strategies, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating success. The purpose of the handbook is to summarize the established, standardized protocols for springs restoration and management in Arizona. Through the partnership of Sky Island Alliance and the Museum of Northern Arizona’s Springs Stewardship Institute, this handbook is to be used as a guide and catalyst for the advancement of conservation efforts for Arizona’s springs ecosystems.

19 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Contact Information: Sky Island Alliance, 406 S. 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ; [email protected]

20 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Saturday, November 21, 2015 Saturday Morning Sessions

Collaborative Watershed Restoration Session Moderator: Michele Girard, Eco Ideas, LLC

Restoration of Cienegas and Headwater Tributaries of the Rio San Bernardino David Hodges and Valer Austin Clark Cuenca Los Ojos A.C. Agua Prieta, Sonora Mexico and Cuenca Los Ojos Foundation, Pearce, AZ

The Cuenca Los Ojos Foundation restores lands, wetlands, and wildlife in Arizona and Sonora. This semi-arid area receives limited rainfall in a given year with extreme fluctuations, sometimes receiving up to 45% of the annual rainfall in one event. Many streams are seasonal and depending upon the watershed, can go from dry to flooding in an hour’s time. Harvesting water on both slopes and drainages is therefore crucial to achieving maximum conservation outcomes. Historically, a large cienega wetland was located where Black Draw, Hay Hollow, and Silver Creek came together to form the Rio San Bernardino, just south of the International Border. The wetlands were a major stopping place for migrating birds and animals. In the early 1900’s these wetlands dried due to incision of the adjacent streams. Cuenca Los Ojos has been working for more than a decade to restore these streams and adjacent upland areas. Despite historic drought conditions during the entirety of this restoration period, our work has resulted in a dramatic increase in the cienega acreage and riparian and grassland vegetation. This in turn, has led to an increase in wildlife such as native fish, frogs, riparian and grassland bird species, and a host of mammals.

Contact Information: Cuenca Los Ojos, 12626 E. Turkey Creek Road, Pearce AZ 85625; [email protected]

Sky Island Restoration Cooperative (SIRC) – An Overview Michele M. Girard and SIRC Members Eco Ideas, LLC., Tucson, AZ

The Sky Island Restoration Cooperative (SIRC) is a loosely organized, bi-national community based cooperative of restoration practitioners, land managers, landowners, and researchers. Our backgrounds are diverse and include: government and non-government organizations, private landowners, ranchers, students, and volunteers. Our goal is to combine our energy and knowledge to improve restoration activities, outcomes and awareness across the Madrean Archipelago and nurture an understanding of the importance of biodiversity for human well-being. Our cooperative builds bridges across 21 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference institutional, administrative, and cultural boundaries to create effective regional restoration strategies.

Our SIRC vision is to: • Restore hydrological and biologic processes throughout entire watersheds. • Maintain the unique biocultural diversity of the region by working across borders, jurisdictions, and public/private boundaries • Build resilient natural and human communities based on restoration economies • Address social inequities and improve the quality of life in the Borderlands

In 2014 SIRC partners combined resources to implement sixteen projects that included: watershed research, spring inventory and restoration, watershed restoration using low tech/low cost rock erosion control structures, seed collection, plant material propagation, wildlife monitoring, and community outreach and educational programs - valued at over $2 million dollars. Much of this contribution came from volunteers getting involved in their local communities and watersheds. An overview of the SIRC approach, accomplishments, and updated information from 2015 will be presented. SIRC is a cost effective, locally based, grass roots approach to watershed restoration that can serve as a model for other areas.

Contact Information: Eco Ideas, LLC, 8112 W Whispering Dove Way Tucson, AZ 85743; [email protected]

House Pond Renovation at Brown Canyon Ranch: Promoting Partnerships and Improving Wetland Habitat John Kraft Forest Service - Coronado National Forest, Sierra Vista Ranger District, Hereford, AZ

The Coronado National Forest, Sky Island Alliance, and others collaborated to improve aquatic habitat at Brown Canyon Ranch for two federally listed species: the Chiricahua leopard frog and the northern Mexican gartersnake. Brown Canyon Ranch is a historic site located on the Coronado National Forest in the eastern foothills of the Huachuca Mountains and is visited by thousands of people annually. The primary objective was to replace the pond liner at House Pond, but additional plans to improve bank habitat and connect two lentic sites with an ephemeral wet meadow were accomplished. This project impacted natural, historical, cultural, and recreational resources on the Coronado National Forest and was accomplished with the efforts of numerous partners, and a diverse collection of volunteers. This presentation will focus on the balance of these outside partnerships as well as the cooperation between different resource areas within the Forest Service to wildlife habitat.

Contact Information: Forest Service - Coronado National Forest, Sierra Vista Ranger District, 4070 South Avenida Saracino, Hereford, AZ 85615; [email protected]

22 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Restoration Work by Cuenca Los Ojos in the North Eastern State of Sonora México. Jose Manuel Perez-Cantu Cuenca Los Ojos A.C., Pearce, AZ

Since 1999 Cuenca Los Ojos A.C. (CLO) a Mexican Non-profit organization has done restoration on the north Eastern state of Sonora in México, on the apache high land ecoregion, here is where CLO has restoring the biodiversity, and preserving the wild life corridors on the border land region. The effort of years working different techniques as loose rock structures, dirt berms and wire baskets or gabions, tree planting, and native grass seeds production, for the restoration of this important biological region.

Contact Information: Cuenca Los Ojos A.C., 12626 E. Turkey Creek Road, Pearce AZ 85625; [email protected]

A Multidisciplinary Multi-method Approach to the Assessment of the Hydrologic and Geomorphological Effects of Watershed Restoration James Callegary, Laura Norman, and Stephen Wiele US Geological Survey, Tucson, AZ

A variety of methods are being applied to aid in restoring arid southwest watersheds. Typically, these include reshaping of and the installation of structures on hillslopes and in channels to slow runoff, decrease erosion, increase infiltration, and reactivate floodplains. Recently a number of methods have become available that allow for monitoring and assessment at multiple scales of the hydrologic and geomorphologic changes induced by these structures. We report on results from a multidisciplinary, multi-scale approach to assess the interaction of restoration methods with land management and natural processes at several sites in southeast Arizona. Local-scale techniques include high-resolution topographic surveys (RTK GPS and terrestrial- and drone-based LiDAR and photogrammetry) to assess geomorphologic changes; combining repeat photography, in- channel water stage, and subsurface temperature variation to assess streamflow, and infiltration rate and volume; electrical resistance tomography and electromagnetic induction to determine subsurface structure and spatiotemporal water-content variability; and isotopic analysis of bed sediments to assess changes in carbon and nitrogen cycling and storage. Stream-gaging, and rainfall-runoff and hydraulic modeling are being used to evaluate hydrologic and geomorphologic changes occurring at both local and landscape scales. Measurements of streamflow, soil-moisture, and infiltration are used in conjunction with models to estimate local impacts to the water budget and the response of channel morphology. Preliminary results indicate that methods to support restoration planning, monitoring, and assessment must not only be tailored to the scale, information needs, and scope of the individual project, but also to landscape characteristics, including geologic substrate, topography, and soil hydraulic properties.

Contact Information: US Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, 520 Park Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719; [email protected] 23 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference The North-Central New Mexico Watershed Restoration Project Cody L. Stropki1 and Dierdre L. Tarr2 1Watershed Scientist, SWCA Environmental Consultants, Albuquerque, NM 2District Manager, Claunch Pinto Soil and Water Conservation District, Mountainair, NM

The North-Central New Mexico Watershed Restoration Project is a collaboration of over 37 partners who are all involved for the common goal of restoring watersheds that have degraded in health over the past century due to anthropogenic sources (land development, public polices, population growth). These partners range from Native American Tribes, to local government, state government agencies, federal government agencies, private consultants, grazing permittees, and private land owners. This partnership began in 2002 with the formation of the Estancia Basin Watershed Health, Restoration, and Monitoring Steering Committee which was developed to oversee forest thinning projects and the monitoring of forest and watershed health in the Estancia Basin and included 4 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD). Then in 2003 the Greater Rio Grande Watershed Alliance was formed, which was a group of 5 SWCDs, in order to collectively manage State funding for removing non-native invasive trees from the riparian forest. These two groups began collaborating in 2005 and have had great success leveraging funding to complete projects. Since 2002 these groups have treated over 25,000 acres on public and private lands across multiple jurisdictions with 20,000 of those acres treated in the past 5 years. This group has also been able to leverage funding due to the diverse partnerships, which has resulted in over $25 million in funding since 2002. This partnership is a great example of how working together to bring everyone to the table can result in successful restoration of New Mexico watersheds.

Contact Information: 5647 Jefferson St, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109; [email protected]

Cross-Watershed Network Lindsay Murdoch Cross-Watershed Network Coordinator, AmeriCorps VISTA, Grand Junction, CO

Diverse stakeholders, complex issues, and varying geographies are just some of the opportunities and challenges facing the people who manage our watersheds and associated resources across the Arid West. Participants are coming together to form a new and innovative approach to collaboration— the Cross-Watershed Network (XWN), an initiative that strives to connect practitioners through information sharing, collective capacity building, and collaboration across watersheds.

To date, the XWN has developed an interactive website (www.crosswatershed.net) to connect practitioners across the Arid West as well as held numerous workshops on watershed health issues ranging from enhancing ecological resiliency, to funding and conducting long-term monitoring, to working with threatened and endangered species, and understanding geomorphic processes.

24 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference This presentation will provide an overview of the XWN, including progress to date and what the future looks like for enhancing cross-watershed collaboration.

Contact Information: [email protected]

River Restoration - Flows

Session Moderator: Matt Grabau, GeoSystems Analysis

Response of Riparian Vegetation to Minute 319 Environmental Flow in the Colorado River Delta, Mexico. Martha Gómez-Sapiens1, Pat Shafroth2, Erick Lundgren3, Karl Flessa1, and Edward P. Glenn4 1. Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 2. U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO 3. School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 4. Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

In the spring of 2014 130 million cubic meters of water were delivered to the Colorado River delta riparian corridor in Mexico. This was part of a pilot program implemented by Minute 319 - a new agreement between Mexico and the U.S. regarding the river’s management. The aim of this environmental flow was to promote the establishment of native vegetation an enhance bird habitat quality. To assess the effects of the flow in plant communities we determined the distribution of seedling patches and their survival at the end of the growing season along 21 transects distributed in 92 river km. We monitored before and after the peak flow to assess changes in cover, seed availability, the extent of inundation and groundwater level to derive recession rates and soil salinity. Native species (Populus fremontii, Salix spp. and Baccharis spp.) germinated in six of the 21 transects and non-native Tamarix spp. was present in 14 transects after the pulse flow. At the end of the growing season, seedlings of native species were present in four transects and Tamarix spp. seedlings survived in 12 transects. Seedling patch extent was reduced by 90% in all tree species. Native tree seedling establishment was likely limited by 1) the availability of bare ground, 2) competition with annual species, 3) availability of soil moisture, and 4) availability of seeds. We can use these results to identify areas along the riparian corridor where most of the requirements for establishment of native vegetation can be met to plan future restoration efforts.

Contact Information: Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1040 4th St, Tucson, AZ 85721; [email protected]

Restoration Treatments to Improve Vegetation Response to Environmental Flows in the Colorado River Delta Karen J. Schlatter1,2 , Matthew R. Grabau1, and Francisco Zamora-Arroyo1. 25 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference 1Sonoran Institute, Tucson, AZ 2University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Since the mid-1900s, the Colorado River Delta has not regularly received freshwater flows due to the diversion of Colorado River water for human consumptive use. Despite altered hydrologic regimes and resulting desiccation of 90% of the Delta, sporadic flood flows have successfully regenerated patches of native riparian habitat along the river corridor in Mexico. In 2014, an experimental pulse flow of water was delivered to the Colorado River in Mexico as part of the U.S.-Mexico binational agreement, Minute 319, to determine if a designed flow could improve biologic and hydrologic conditions in the Delta with a relatively small amount of water.

Laguna Grande, a target restoration site in the central Delta, was not expected to receive high-magnitude flows needed to create conditions for riparian tree recruitment during the pulse flow. To improve recruitment, areas within Laguna Grande were cleared of saltcedar and arrowweed prior to the pulse flow, and some areas were seeded with Goodding’s willow and Fremont cottonwood during flow recession to promote riparian tree establishment. A controlled, replicated experiment was implemented to assess effects of four restoration treatments on riparian tree species recruitment: 1) control (no inundation from pulse flow), 2) inundated, 3) inundated and cleared, and 4) inundated, cleared, and seeded. Vegetation was monitored in March, May, and October of 2014 (before, immediately after, and one growing season following the pulse flow). Preliminary results indicate that environmental flow deliveries in the Delta require additional management actions (clearing and seeding) for the successful recruitment of riparian tree species.

Contact Information: Sonoran Institute, 44 E Broadway Blvd #350, Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

Restoring Flows on the Verde River, Arizona Jeanmarie Haney and Kim Schonek The Nature Conservancy, Tucson, AZ

The Verde River is of great ecologic, economic, and cultural importance to surrounding communities and to Arizona and the southwest. Flows have been reduced through surface water diversions, groundwater pumping, and climatic factors, and future flows are threatened by continuing and increased depletions. To address these challenges The Nature Conservancy is working with partners to develop a comprehensive integrated water management approach that addresses surface water use, groundwater resources, and watershed management in the Verde River watershed. Projects implemented thus far include surface water diversion monitoring; installation of modern infrastructure to enable irrigation companies to match diversion to actual demands, thus diverting less water; full and partial season fallowing; diversion reduction agreements; conversion from flood to drip irrigation; and recharge feasibility studies for urban runoff and treated effluent. Extensive flow monitoring in the river, ditches, and tributaries provides data to gage benefits to the river and downstream communities and to attribute models for projection

26 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference of benefits from future projects. By working with partners in the agricultural, industrial, and municipal sectors to develop voluntary water transactions, leases and purchase agreements, groundwater recharge networks, and more efficient irrigation water delivery systems, we can demonstrate how human water demands can be met while also keeping rivers healthy.

Contact Information: The Nature Conservancy, 1510 E. Fort Lowell Road Tucson, AZ 85719; [email protected]

Take Back the Rain! Stream Dynamics & Urban Water Harvesting in Silver City, NM Claire Catlett and Van Clothier Stream Dynamics, Inc., Silver City, NM

Urbanization has changed how water naturally drains from the landscape in our cities and towns, and in effect, has created a new sub-set of the natural watershed: the urban sub- watershed. In sub-watersheds streets, roofs, parking lots, and sewer systems collect stormwater; altering water flow, transporting contaminants, and impacting the health of our waterways. In order to address the negative impacts of urbanization on our watersheds, we need to learn how to take back the rain and work with nature through green infrastructure projects like rainwater harvesting to beautify our neighborhoods and improve watershed health.

Stream Dynamics is working to address the dynamic and permanent impacts that urban infrastructure has caused to natural watersheds. Stream Dynamics, Inc. has been awarded $138,220 by the New Mexico Environment Department, as part of its River Stewardship Program. This funding will be used for the San Vicente Creek Urban Watershed Restoration project, which will address stormwater management, water quality, and overall riparian zone health for the San Vicente Creek watershed.

Stream Dynamics currently is building 80 water harvesting projects on Town of Silver City Right of Way to directly treat stormwater pollution from the urban grid system. Additionally, Stream Dynamics will work downstream in the urban watershed at the riparian zone health through work to improve urban forestry and stream bank restoration work with in-channel design work along the floodplain and riparian zone of the San Vicente Creek. It is hoped that through urban water harvesting for watershed restoration, urban ecosystems can see positive changes in water quality, shallow water table levels, and groundwater recharge. Stream Dynamics will be restoring the San Vicente’s watershed to integrate the constraints of the modern day built environment with the natural watershed system’s needs. This shall serve as a practical model for other urban streams in New Mexico, and the as well throughout the southwest.

Contact Information: Stream Dynamics, Inc. PO Box 785, Silver City, NM 88061; [email protected]

27 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Electromagnetic Induction to Determine Soil Salinity Trends for Floodplain and Riparian Restoration Matthew R. Grabau1,2, Chad McKenna2, Tzung-Mow Yao2, and Karen J. Schlatter1 1Sonoran Institute, Tucson, Arizona. 2GeoSystems Analysis, Inc., Tucson, Arizona.

Disconnection of river channels and floodplains due to flow control structures has severely impacted riparian ecosystems worldwide. In arid regions such as the desert Southwest, a lack of occasional flooding, especially combined with upstream evapoconcentration of salts in reservoirs, can result in floodplain salinization and mortality of salt-intolerant native trees like Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) and Goodding’s willow (Salix gooddingii). Minute 319, an addition to the US-Mexico international water treaty, provided a one-time “pulse flow” and sustained “base flow” deliveries over five years to the Colorado River in Mexico to determine if riparian corridor conditions can be improved with limited water dedications. Minute 319 provided an opportunity to observe flow effects on floodplain salt levels. We used calibrated electromagnetic induction results to map pre (March 2014) and post (October 2014 and March 2015) pulse flow 0-1.2 m soil electrical conductivity. Sensor readings were highly correlated with laboratory results (R2 > 0.82), allowing reasonable interpolations of soil salinity. We estimated large salinity reductions (median composite soil EC decreased by approximately 50%) during the first year of environmental flows. However, salinity will likely trend toward pre-pulse conditions without continued flows. Repeat monitoring is planned to determine the longevity of salinity reductions. The electronmagnetic induction methodology provides a useful tool for restoration site and planting palette selection. The primary limitation we observed is poor estimation of surface soil salinity due to soil moisture variation. We continue to explore the ability of additional data to improve correlations and/or reduce the need for event-specific calibration.

Contact Information: Sonoran Institute, 44 E Broadway Blvd #350, Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

Evaluating the Effect of Gabions on Vertical Water Flux in an Ephemeral Stream using Wildlife Cameras and Temperature Sensors Chloe Fandel1,2, James Callegary3, Ty Ferre1, Laura Norman3, Christopher Scott1,2 1 University of Arizona, Department of Hydrology & Water Resources, Tucson, AZ 2 University of Arizona, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, Tucson, AZ 3 U.S. Geological Survey, Tucson, AZ

In water-scarce regions prone to flash-flooding, simple rock structures can be used to slow runoff and erosion in ephemeral-stream channels, increasing infiltration and recharge and improving riparian ecological health. However, few quantitative studies assess the effectiveness of such structures for enhanced infiltration and recharge. We aim to evaluate the impact of newly-installed gabions (rock-filled wire baskets) in an ephemeral-stream channel located in a grassland in southeastern Arizona. Four gabions were installed in the channel in May, 2015. We have instrumented channel reaches upstream and downstream 28 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference of one gabion with wildlife cameras, pressure transducers, and surface and subsurface temperature sensors. We plan to infer vertical water flux through the subsurface using daily surface and subsurface temperature fluctuations and analytical solutions of heat transport in soil. These methods use the extent to which daily temperature fluctuations are dampened and delayed with depth (because water transmits temperature changes more quickly than dry soil). Flow on August 20, 2015 was captured by both cameras and temperature sensors. Novel to this study, we will use the repeat camera imagery to estimate ponded area through time. This will be used to convert temperature-sensor derived infiltration flux to total flow, with and without the gabion’s influence. Additionally, we expect to be able to monitor changes in infiltration flux through time, which will advance our understanding of the impacts of fine-sediment deposition upstream of the gabion.

Contact Information: University of Arizona, Department of Hydrology & Water Resources, 1133 E James E Rogers Way, Tucson, AZ 85721; [email protected]

Stormwater Capture and Recharge to Enhance Riparian Habitat Michael Milczarek1, Cyrus Miller2, Karen Riggs3, Brooke Bushman4, Robert Rice1, Lindsey Bunting1 and Laurel Lacher5 1 GeoSystems Analysis, Inc, Tucson AZ 2 JE Fuller Geomorphology and Hydrology, Tucson, AZ 3 Cochise County, Bisbee, AZ 4 The Nature Conservancy, Tucson, AZ 3 Lacher Hydrological Consulting, Tucson, AZ

Stormwater capture with subsequent recharge to groundwater has been proposed as a method to enhance riparian habitat and augment groundwater resources in semi-arid regions. Small scale retention structures such as the trincheras innovated by the Austins have been shown to reduce flood flows and increase groundwater elevations which can support riparian vegetation in mountainous watersheds. In floodplain river systems, riverbank storage in response to large flood events is known to raise local groundwater elevations and support base flow for months after the event. However, in areas of groundwater pumping or previous groundwater extraction, flood frequency may be insufficient to raise groundwater elevations to a level that can support riparian vegetation. Urbanization increases stormwater runoff rates because of the increase in impervious surfaces; the resulting “urban enhanced runoff” presents an opportunity to capture and recharge surface water to enhance riparian habitat. This presentation will discuss the technical challenges associated with evaluating the amount of stormwater that can be captured, retained and recharged and the siting and design stormwater capture and recharge facilities.

Contact Information: GeoSystems Analysis, Inc, 3393 N Dodge Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716; [email protected]

29 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference

30 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Featured Plenary Presentation:

Steve Buckley is a botanist for the National Park Service’s (NPS) Southwest Exotic Plant Management Team. He works with 55 national parks in six western states on all things botanical, including seed collection and plant materials production, restoration planning and implementation, in particular, the restoration of nectar landscapes for pollinator recovery. With support from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the NPS he is helping to develop the Madrean Archipelago Plant Propagation (MAPP) Center in Patagonia, Arizona to increase the availability of native plant materials for restoration. He leads the development of the Interagency Seed Strategy for the Madrean Archipelago to support the goals articulated in the National Interagency Seed Strategy.

Steve is working on a doctorate at the University of Arizona and has been involved with restoration projects and research throughout the southwestern United States since 2001. He has worked on academic, private, tribal, state, and federal projects. He has worked for the Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) at Northern Arizona University where he received both undergraduate and masters’ degrees; with Native Seeds/SEARCH and a range of other agricultural and conservation organizations including as an intern with the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER); and has worked with all the federal land- management agencies. Since 2009, he has worked with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Sonoran Desert Network of the Inventory and Monitoring division; the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and their Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts Zone of their Inventory and Monitoring program; the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Safford field office; the US Geological Survey (USGS); the US Forest Service and the Coronado National Forest; and the NPS Southwest Exotic Plant Management Team (SWEPMT).

Steve works closely with the NPS Desert Research Learning Center (DRLC) in Tucson, Arizona, where he manages the Flora Project; an interagency effort to produce field guides and other floristic information resources for land managers, researchers, and the public. The Flora Project is an interagency effort to address floristic information needs across federal boundaries and also address the lack of botanical training opportunities to develop the next generation of botanists. The Flora Project trains botanical interns, agency botanists and botanist trainees, as well as resource managers throughout the region, providing training in the field for staff and volunteers alongside classroom and lab-based plant systematics short courses, survey assistance for rare or invasive species, and floristic information tools and resources. 31 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference In Gratitude for Seeds: Growing a Restoration Economy Steve Buckley Southwest Exotic Plant Management Team, National Park Service / Bureau of Land Management, Tucson, AZ

Ecological restoration relies on the ready availability of diverse native plant materials. In the vision offered by the 2015 National Seed Strategy this translates to “the right seed in the right place at the right time.” The National Seed Strategy, while a culmination of more than a decade of work, has elevated the conversation to new prominence about how we collect and grow the seed necessary to support a diverse and locally adapted plant materials supply. Taking cues from national and other ongoing ecoregional efforts, the Madrean Archipelago Seed Strategy is a nascent effort between federal agencies, non- profits, and private partners for how to best conserve the unique plants of the region and develop a robust plant materials supply chain. In a region that does not have an existing seed industry, developing a seed strategy means engaging with a range of landowners, community groups, nurseries, and agricultural producers to develop regionally adaptive solutions. These efforts are exploring how restoration can contribute to economic development in the US-Mexico borderlands, how we inhabit these landscapes, and how seed collection and production can set the stage for long-term intergenerational restoration efforts.

Contact Information: Southwest Exotic Plant Management Team, 12661 E. Broadway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85748; [email protected]

32 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Friday Afternoon Sessions

Wetland Restoration Session Moderator: Natalie Wilson, USGS

Reflections on 30 Years of Restoration Valer Austin Clark Cuenca Los Ojos, Pearce, AZ

Contact Information: Cuenca Los Ojos, 12626 E. Turkey Creek Road, Pearce AZ 85625; [email protected]

Native Woody Riparian Restoration and Mapping Potential Beaver Habitat in New Mexico to Increase Wetland and Riparian Habitat Jim Matison1, Bryan Bird1, and Kurt Menke2 1WildEarth Guardians, Santa Fe, NM 2Bird’s eye View GIS, Albuquerque, NM

WildEarth Guardians has been planting native riparian vegetation across streams in New Mexico to improve water quality, wildlife habitat, and reestablish wetlands. Although riparian habitats historically constituted a small fraction of the landmass in the desert Southwest they support up to 80% of vertebrates at some stage of their life and over 50% of the nesting bird species use riparian habitats as the primary habitat for breeding purposes. An estimated 95% of this habitat has been altered, degraded or destroyed. WildEarth Guardians restoration activities are intended to restore functioning riparian ecosystems to address water quality impairments but also to improve wildlife habitat and climate change resilience. Since 1997, WildEarth Guardians has completed 50 projects, planting more than one million native trees and forage species along 35 miles of stream and recreating 150 acres of wetlands. In 2012 WildEarth Guardians conducted an assessment of potential and suitable beaver habitat on federal lands across the state. The dam-building beaver’s activities create a diversity of habitats and dams trap sediment, create and maintain wetlands, and modify nutrient and decomposition cycles. The presence of dam-building beaver reduces high flows and downstream flooding that can result in destructive erosion, provides more constant summer flows, elevates the water tables and improves riparian habitat. Of 2,617 miles of perennial streams assessed, 82% are considered potential dam building beaver habitat. Among this set of streams, 359.7 miles were determined to be least suitable, 443.7 miles moderate suitability, 575.0 miles good suitability and 765.1 miles optimum suitability. From this geographic information, WildEarth Guardians will work with partners to prioritize restoration activities to facilitate the return of beaver to unoccupied habitat and increase restoration effectiveness and climate resilience.

33 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Contact Information: WildEarth Guardians, 516 Alto Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501; [email protected]

Wetland Sod: Living, Self-Repairing Riprap Van Clothier Stream Dynamics, INC., Silver City, NM

The Plug and Pond method has been used to restore incised stream channels for many years. For the past five years, Stream Dynamics has been adapting this technique to restore gullied wet meadows in the Valles Caldera National Park of Northern New Mexico. Design, construction and monitoring of new restoration techniques has been funded by the New Mexico Environment Department, Surface Water Quality Bureau. The completed project includes: restoration of 40 sites in 7 drainages, ecological monitoring, and an illustrated Technical Guide (forthcoming online). Monitoring results show improved wetland habitat, higher water tables, greater volume of subsurface storage, increased base flow, decreased flood peaks, lower water temperature, higher water quality and increased riparian obligate vegetation. Designs and construction techniques have been developed to use wetland sod in lieu of rocks for grade controls such as sod Zuni bowls and sod rundowns, and to cap small gully plugs to immediately restore aesthetics, stability, and natural process. Worm ditches (very high sinuosity channels dug through competent wetland sod) have been used to transition flows around headcuts, arresting their progression. We also developed on- contour spillways and the “Contour pond with a valley-wide glide” to keep spillway shear stress below the threshold of erosion.

This presentation features beautiful before, during and after photo points and videos of construction techniques. Van Clothier of Stream Dynamics, Inc. will discuss the theory and practice of these new restoration techniques and will cover their applicability, anticipated results and actual monitoring results from piezometers, thermographs and vegetation transects.

Contact Information: Stream Dynamics, Inc. PO Box 785, Silver City, NM 88061; [email protected]

El Rio Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan Doug Williams Flood Control District of Maricopa County, Phoenix, AZ

The Flood Control District of Maricopa County (FCD) recently completed a draft of the Lower Gila River Floodplain Delineation Study between Bullard Avenue and Painted Rock Reservoir. The study was based on new physical data which included the increased density of salt cedar in the river. The results of the study identified additional land within the 100- year floodplain when compared to the existing FEMA Effective Floodplain, which was completed in 1999. Due to the changes in floodplain dimensions, the FCD initiated an EL Rio Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Plan evaluates flood hazard mitigation scenarios and

34 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference reevaluates the El Rio Watercourse Master Plan alternative. This approach included input from landowners, District Staff, and the general public.

Hydraulic and economic evaluations were conducted to determine the effectiveness of a range of flood hazard mitigation which includes river restoration scenarios. These assessments could protect residents, property, and infrastructure from the effects of flooding through fiscally responsible and sustainable floodplain management. To this end, hydraulic modeling of flood mitigation scenarios helped determine the hydraulic response of the river in regards to a reduction of the floodplain limits. Flood hazard mitigation scenarios include a Thousand Foot Clearing, Vegetation Clearing and Native Vegetation Replacement, Maximum Vegetation Clearing, Partial Levee, Full Levee and the Hybrid Native Vegetation Replacement and Partial Levee Scenario.

The Hybrid Native Vegetation Replacement and Partial Levee Scenario, a favorite of the communities, increases the benefits of the Vegetation Clearing and Native Vegetation Replacement Scenario with levees.

Contact Information: Flood Control District of Maricopa County, 2801 W Durango St., Phoenix, AZ 85009; [email protected]

Automated Soil Moisture and Surface Water Monitoring to Enhance Restoration Monitoring and Adaptive Management Lindsey A. Bunting1, Matthew R. Grabau2,1, and Michael A. Milczarek1. 1GeoSystems Analysis, Inc., Tucson, AZ 2Sonoran Institute, Tucson, AZ

The presence or absence of suitable hydrology can determine the success or failure of restoration projects. This is especially true for riparian restoration projects with drought- intolerant and phreatophyte vegetation. However, restoration monitoring does not always include hydrology monitoring. A lack of these data can limit the ability of practitioners to determine if hydrology was the cause of failure. Additionally, for irrigated projects, soil moisture and groundwater data can be used to optimize water use.

To demonstrate the usefulness of irrigation, soil moisture, and groundwater monitoring, we completed a pilot project for the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program at a flood-irrigated 75 acre restoration plot within the 1,300 acre Palo Verde Ecological Reserve near Blythe, California. The primary objectives of the project were to determine irrigation distribution and efficiency, plant water availability in the root zone, and quantify the presence of saturated or inundated soils as desired to enhance habitat quality for native birds. A range of equipment types, at various levels of complexity and cost, were installed to determine which instruments and data loggers were most cost- effective.

Irrigation efficiency was limited by large field sizes, coarse soils, and low irrigation flow rates. Irrigation efficiency could therefore be improved by decreasing field sizes, selecting 35 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference less sandy zones for restoration, and/or applying higher flow rates. Water availability through the root zone was not limiting during the monitoring period, indicating that irrigation frequency could be reduced. However, soil inundation and saturation was limited to during and immediately after irrigation.

Contact Information: GeoSystems Analysis, Inc, 3393 N Dodge Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716; [email protected]

Rivers - Restoration and Monitoring

Session Moderator: Dana Backer, Saguaro National Park

Improving River-Floodplain Connectivity on Regulated Rivers in the Southwestern United States: A Case Study from the Rio Grande, New Mexico. Todd R. Caplan1, Mark Stone2, Colin Byrne2, Chad McKenna1, and Grace Haggerty3 1GeoSystems Analysis, Inc., Albuquerque, NM 2Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 3New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, Albuquerque, NM

Like many southwestern rivers, the Rio Grande in central New Mexico has undergone anthropogenic changes that limit river-floodplain connectivity. Since the constrained river no longer naturally creates new off-channel riparian-wetland and aquatic habitats, resource managers are physically excavating floodplain terraces to promote seasonal inundation. This active restoration approach seeks to improve habitat for several federally threatened and endangered fish and wildlife species. The purpose of this talk is to present site-screening methods applied to a 31-mile river reach of the Rio Grande aimed at minimizing excavation costs while maximizing restored acres.

We utilized one-dimensional hydraulic models and LiDAR data to evaluate floodplain inundation potential under target river flows. Target flows emphasized the two-year discharge using flow records from the past ten years to reflect observed reductions in discharge associated with extended drought. The model outputs indicated extensive inundation potential at the targeted discharge levels through the project reach. Additional GIS analysis was performed to screen these sites further based upon land ownership and vegetation conditions.

This desktop screening process yielded twenty-one candidate restoration sites that were then field verified and narrowed down to six final design sites. To generate final designs, we collected high-resolution topographic data to support development of 2-dimensional hydrodynamic models for each site. Models were used to determine excavation depths required to achieve desired inundated habitat characteristics, including inundated area, flow depth and velocity. These data were used to generate conceptual engineering designs to guide construction that is scheduled to begin in fall 2015.

36 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference

Contact Information: 3150 Carlisle Blvd, NE; Ste 203; Albuquerque, NM 87110; [email protected]

Bringing New Life to America’s Most-Endangered River – Trail Development Leads to Channel Restoration along the Santa Fe River Robert M. Oberdorfer Sites Southwest, LLC, Albuquerque, NM

The recently-realized Santa Fe River Trail has been many years in the making. A recent literature search identified studies making recommendations for dealing with the river corridor dating to the 1960s. The most recent efforts to plan a multi-use trail alongside the river date back to 1994; however, fragmented and unclear land ownership, a vocal populace, and significant physical constraints, combined with frequent staff changes and administrative priorities had resulted in a series of unfulfilled Master Plans for the river and/or a trail alongside. In recent years, the ephemeral river had downgraded to the extent that it was threatening adjacent homes and properties – to the point where it was deemed “America’s Most Endangered River” by the conservation group American Rivers in 2007.

By that time the City of Santa Fe had started the process of actually doing something about the ailing river corridor; this time with the intent of approaching the river restoration and trail design as a holistic package. In anticipation of the myriad concerns that would ultimately need to be addressed, the selected consultant assembled a supporting team that included landscape architects, civil engineers, geomorphologists, public involvement specialists, and even the local watershed alliance. A combination of “natural channel design” and more traditional hydraulic engineering was used to develop a restoration plan that met the public’s perception of what the City’s proposed “Living River” corridor should be, while providing recreational access via a new multi-use trail. The results have been enthusiastically received by the community.

Contact Information: 121 Tijeras Ave, NE #3100, Albuquerque, NM 87102; [email protected]

Verde Watershed Restoration Coalition: Four Years of Applied Riparian Restoration Anna Schrenk Friends of Verde River Greenway, Cottonwood, AZ

The Verde River is treasured for its wildlife habitat, water supply, recreational opportunities and natural beauty. The Verde River is both unique and one of the hardest working rivers in the arid Southwest. It supports primarily native vegetation and rare Cottonwood/Willow Riparian Gallery Forests, although non-native invasive plants – particularly Tamarix spp. (tamarisk), Eleaganus angustifolia (Russian Olive), Ailanthus altissima (Tree of Heaven), and Arundo donax (Giant Reed) – threaten the long-term health 37 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference and sustainability of these native vegetation communities. In 2010, stakeholders gathered to discuss and prioritize these threats, the results of these workshops was a five-year management plan and a collaborative public/private partnership. The Verde Watershed Restoration Coalition (VWRC) is in year four of implementing the invasive plant management plan with results to share about successes, challenges and opportunities that are guiding us into expanded restoration planning efforts.

Contact Information: 903 N. Main Street Suite B, P. O. Box 2535, Cottonwood, AZ 86326; [email protected]

Binational Collaboration for Restoration of the Colorado River Delta Karen J. Schlatter, Francisco Zamora-Arroyo, Edith Santiago Serrano, Tomás Rivas Salcedo, and Matthew R. Grabau Sonoran Institute, Tucson, AZ

The Colorado River is a lifeline for the western United States and northwestern Mexico, supporting nearly 40 million people and irrigating over 5 million acres of farmland. However, due to river diversions, little or no water enters the river’s delta in Mexico, and the Colorado River rarely reaches the sea. Consequently, over 90% of the historic Delta, which encompassed over 2 million acres, has been lost. Despite severe degradation, episodic flows have demonstrated the Delta’s ability to be revived with a small amount of water. Habitat restoration projects have been underway since 2002. However, scaling up and securing water have proven to be politically challenging. Political will and public support have been fostered through cross-border partnerships, collaborative research, pilot restoration projects, and local community engagement. To date, hundreds of acres of riparian and marsh habitat have been created with participation of over 10,000 people from local community groups, universities, and government agencies. Binational partnerships between conservation organizations and government agencies have enabled implementation of innovative transboundary water policy, culminating in Minute 319. This agreement, signed in 2012, allocated water to the Delta for the first time in history. To achieve restoration goals, we are using both conventional and innovative restoration techniques to establish a mosaic of habitat types and increase native plant diversity. Efforts to secure long-term water dedications, which will be required to sustain restoration areas, are ongoing, along with research on how to most effectively allocate this critical, yet increasingly scarce resource.

Contact Information: Sonoran Institute, 44 E Broadway Blvd #350, Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

Southwestern Riparian Habitat Restoration Effectiveness Monitoring David C. Lightfoot SWCA Environmental Consultants, Albuquerque, NM

Wildlife habitat restoration is increasingly important for damaged Southwestern riparian environments. A variety of different types of habitat restoration are being utilized for 38 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference different wildlife species, including stream channel modifications, overbank flooding and removal of exotic tree species and planting of native vegetation. Habitat restoration often targets endangered species, and species specific habitat restoration techniques are being developed. Habitat restoration effectiveness monitoring (HREM) is essential to determine whether or not habitat restoration projects are successful, and is essential as part of adaptive management. However, HREM is often not conducted at all or is inadequate to determine project success. Effective HREM should be based on the objectives of the restoration itself and should be designed to produce data that will determine if those restoration objectives were met. HREM sampling designs and measurements should include restoration treatment and adjacent non-treated control areas, baseline pre- restoration measurements, post-treatment/restoration measurements for as long as the system is expected to change relative to the objectives, and comparative reference areas or desired reference conditions. The development of appropriate evaluation criteria is a critical step in HREM, and those criteria should be based on the objectives of the restoration, and on desired reference conditions. Observational low-intensity and/or quantitative high-intensity HREM may be utilized, depending on the complexity of the restoration treatments and available budgets. HREM should address both the habitat features and the population/community aspects of the species. The concepts and processes of HREM are discussed and examples from the Southwest are presented.

Contact Information: SWCA Environmental Consultants 5647 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109; [email protected]

Plenary: Bringing it All Together Session Moderator: Laura Norman, SER SW President

Planting the Seeds of Change Caleb Pipes1, Oscar Medina1, Andy Bennett2, Vicente Guerrero1, and Brandon Landeros1 1Changemaker High School, Urban Restorative Ecology and Agriculture Program, Tucson, AZ 2Tucson Audubon Society, Restoration Project Manager, Tucson, AZ

This presentation will focus on the educational experiences of high school students and their ecological restoration efforts on their ten acre campus, Changemaker High School (CMHS) located in the urban core of Tucson, AZ. With support of non-profit conservation agencies like Tucson Audubon Society, students developed green, academic and practical skills that are intended to support their future careers in a time of climate change. Through water harvesting, restoration planting, and urban agriculture, students are engaging the community by transforming the exterior of their school into a learning laboratory for climate readiness. The community workshops held at CMHS have helped shape students’ understanding of the importance of conserving and producing habitats with native vegetation for wildlife while understanding the negative effects of invasive species that can impair ecosystems. Environmental sustainability as well as traditional ecological

39 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference knowledge plays a fundamental role in our restorative ecology program. Preliminary data on passive and active rain water harvesting and restoration planting will be presented. Students will share their comprehension of environmental literacy through an interdisciplinary approach that blends the academic with the practice of ecological restoration. Students will present their future social ventures related to the restoration economy and health. The teacher will discuss the connection between environmental literacy and social justice.

Contact Information: Changemaker High School, 1300 S Belvedere Ave, Tucson, AZ 85711; [email protected]

Rural Arizona’s Youth Restoration Movement – the BECY Institute and Beyond Caleb Weaver Borderlands Restoration, L3C, Patagonia, AZ

The Borderlands Earth Care Youth (BECY) Institute is a paid summer internship whose mission is to train the next generation of conservation leaders and rural land stewards. By combining watershed, ecosystem and food system restoration, youth learn hands-on marketable job skills from a broad spectrum of innovative ecologically and socially-focused organizations and individuals to restore their home watersheds. Through steady exposure to working professionals who have built conservation careers in unique ways appropriate to solving ecosystem challenges, high school students living within the burgeoning restoration economy of the US/Mexico borderlands can better imagine a positive professional role in the communities where they have grown up. As of autumn 2015, 31 youth from Patagonia, Arizona to Douglas, Arizona have participated in the summer programming, many of whom have switch their career focus to fields within conservation. The BECY Institute, the innovative program that has inspired a thesis from a master’s degree-seeking student from Northern Arizona University, has led to multiple subsequent programs – from a hiking club at the Patagonia High School to an after-school business incubator program for high school aged youth. Thanks to the BECY Institute, student interns have access to an unparalleled network of support to hone their unique restoration skillset that will be necessary to face the challenges of ecosystem restoration the Southwest well into the future.

Contact Information: Borderlands Restoration, 299 McKeown Ave, Suite #3, Patagonia, AZ 85624; [email protected]

The National Seed Strategy: The Right Seed in the Right Place at the Right Time Peggy Olwell Plant Conservation Program Lead, Bureau of Land Management, Washington, DC

Large-scale disturbances and other stressors threaten important native plant communities and the ecosystem services they provide. These stressors include the spread of invasive 40 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference plant species, altered wildfire regimes, habitat modification, and climate change. The National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration 2015-2020 will provide a more coordinated approach for stabilization, rehabilitation, and restoration treatments. With almost 30 percent of U.S. lands under Federal management, the Strategy encourages large- scale habitat restoration; however, smaller scale restoration will benefit from large-scale public investment in commercial native seed production. The Strategy is national in scope and engages both Federal and non-Federal partners restoring public, tribal, state, municipal, and private lands. Success on a national scale will be achieved through coordinated establishment of a nationwide network of native seed collectors, a network of farmers and growers working to develop seed, a network of nurseries and seed storage facilities to supply adequate quantities of appropriate seed, and a network of restoration ecologists who know how to put the right seed in the right place at the right time. Implementing this Strategy requires investments in a national assessment identifying and meeting seed needs, research, improved decision tools, and enhanced communication.

Contact Information: Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street NW, Room 2134 LM, Washington, DC 20240; [email protected]

Status of Danaus plexippus (monarch butterfly) in Arizona Gail Morris, C. Kline, and S. Morris. Southwest Monarch Study

A recently published paper based on Citizen Science observations and tagging, “Status of Danaus plexippus in Arizona” established the importance of rivers and riparian areas as crucial monarch migration and breeding corridors in Arizona. Monitoring data collected by the Southwest Monarch Study resulted in the identification of key breeding Asclepias spp. and nectar flora resources preferred by D. plexippus by elevation. Monarch butterflies were also reported puddling in slow moving streams and seeps especially when temperatures are high and humidity is low, an uncommon behavior in monarch butterflies. Migration destination for Arizona monarchs was identified as primarily to Mexico during the peak migration but a smaller number also migrated to California earlier that appears to be influenced by wind direction. Nearby riparian trees, especially Cottonwoods and Goodding Willows, were utilized for night roosts and refuges during weather extremes. This study also identified small overwintering monarch aggregations in Phoenix, Yuma, Parker, Lake Havasu and Tucson. By far the largest monarch butterfly breeding and migration populations were found in the Sky Island region of Arizona. The Southwest Monarch Study is a partner with Monarch Joint Venture who is supporting the development of Monarch SOS by Nature Digger, a new smart phone application currently available for education purposes. When it is complete next season, it will be instrumental in reporting monarch adults and immatures, tagging information and in identifying Asclepias spp. Currently available for iPhones and iPad, it will be available for Android users as well.

Contact Information: [email protected]

No Pat Answers – Restoration in Novel Environments 41 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Jonathan Horst Tucson Audubon Society, Tucson, AZ

I want to start a discussion, a discussion to make us more relevant within a world of continually increasing societal constraints on restoration projects, and to acknowledge that in an uncertain future we must build toward resiliency and flexibility which may mean embracing the novel. With ever-increasing frequency the lack of appropriate reference site presents a challenge for restoration projects. Funders want them as a baseline and they streamline the process creating performance standards. However, even if they did exist they may not represent the highest functioning and most resilient option for what can exist at a particular site. How do we identify and justify those highest or most important functions? How can we turn constraints or artificial conditions into functional assets? How do we intentionally build resilient, flexible, and adaptable systems that might cover unanticipated climatic change? Let’s build a framework and figure out the critical guiding questions that we can ask ourselves.

Contact Information: Tucson Audubon Society, 300 E University Blvd # 120, Tucson, AZ 85705; [email protected]

42 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference POSTER ABSTRACTS

2015 Tamarisk Beetle Distribution Map Ben Bloodworth Tamarisk Coalition, Grand Junction, CO

In 2004, the tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda spp.) was approved for full open field releases by USDA-APHIS as a biological control agent for the invasive shrub/tree Tamarix. Once established in several major systems, the beetle spread dramatically throughout riparian landscapes across the west. The dispersal of beetle populations has been tracked by the Tamarisk Coalition since 2007 and provided in spatial format for land managers to plan for, and incorporate, the arrival and presence of the beetle into their restoration planning. The 2015 annual beetle distribution map provides both historical and current information on beetle populations across 11 states and Mexico.

Contact Information: Tamarisk Coalition, 244 N 7th St. Grand Junction, CO 81501; [email protected]

Agave Restoration at Coronado National Memorial Laura Fawcett, Jason Mateljak, and Ryan Janway Southeast Arizona Group and National Park Service

In 2015, Resource Management staff members have continued work in the agave restoration area at Coronado National Memorial. The agave restoration area consists of 7.6 acres which were part of the staging ground for equipment and materials during construction of the international border fence in 2008. To offset the loss of Palmer’s Agaves (Agave palmeri) during this construction, the Department of Homeland Security provided funds for restoration. Agaves are an essential food source for endangered Lesser long- nosed bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) when they roost in the memorial each summer. Resource Management staff and hardworking volunteers have planted 6,344 agaves in the restoration area and adjacent areas over the past five years. Approximately 490 volunteers have worked an estimated 2,294 hours in the restoration area. Most recently, multiple planting days were held during the summer of 2014 and 2015. In addition to planting, resource management staff and volunteers perform monitoring, watering, erosion control, herbivore control measures and invasive species control in the area. Lehmann lovegrass, (Eragrostis lehmanniana) dominated the area in 2010, but subsequent years of chemical and mechanical control have resulted a healthy grassland consisting of mostly native grass species. Approximately 3,154 agaves have been grown from seed for planting in 2016 and 2017 to offset losses from fire, frost, and herbivory.

Contact Information: [email protected]

43 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Coronado National Memorial Partners with School Garden Program to Benefit Endangered Bats Laura Fawcett, Jason Mateljak, and Ryan Janway Southeast Arizona Group and National Park Service

Abstract: Coronado National Memorial is engaged in a multi-year restoration project focused on mitigation of border impacts and restoration of critical habitat of endangered Lesser long-nosed bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae). This project focuses on propagating native Palmer's agave and outplanting these plants in disturbed areas near the U.S.-Mexico Border fence. A by-product of this project has been a tremendous community outreach program where volunteers support the project in large one-day planting events. The park has expanded on this stewardship with an Impact Grant from the National Park Foundation and Disney nature, by partnering with a local middle school to propagate and transplant native agaves. Students from Kindergarten-8th grade have received presentations on important bat-agave relationships, propagation, and restoration, and are getting unique hands-on opportunities to engage in restoration activities. The park hosted three school field trips in 2014, to plant agaves and collect ripe agave seeds. These were the first on-site school presentations in Coronado National Memorial since 2010; a result of border activities. Students germinated the agave seeds in their classrooms, and are currently growing and caring for hundreds of young agaves, which they will plant in the memorial once they reach adequate size. In 2015, students returned for two more field trips to plant agaves in the restoration area. School field trips will continue for the foreseeable future.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Fertile Islands - A New Approach to Managing Lehmann Lovegrass – Dominated Grasslands Laura Fawcett, Jason Mateljak, and Ryan Janway Southeast Arizona Group and National Park Service

Abstract: Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana) is an invasive, perennial grass which dominates the grasslands at Coronado National Memorial. A new approach for controlling E. lehmanniana invasions on a more feasible scale is to institute “fertile islands.” These islands are an adapted management technique that involves maintaining small patches of persisting native vegetation within the E. lehmanniana monoculture. These microsites often have higher soil moisture, different soil characteristics, or resilient individual plants that can compete with E. lehmanniana. Resource Management employees identified areas with native species, applied different combinations of treatments, and are monitoring which treatments result in the highest increase of biodiversity. These fertile islands will facilitate an increase in native plant diversity of the landscape, an increase in native seeds in the seed bank, a decrease in E. lehmanniana seeds in the seed bank, a decreased fire susceptibility and continuity, and restoration of natural ecosystem function.

Contact Information: [email protected]

44 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Adopt A Spring: Using Citizen Science to Monitor Springs Before and After Restoration Samantha Hammer, Louise Misztal, Carianne Campbell, and Christopher Morris Sky Island Alliance, Tucson, AZ

Arizona has the highest abundance and density of springs in the western US – in southeastern Arizona alone, there are over 1000 springs. Because springs support disproportionately high levels of productivity, endemism, and biodiversity, they are an important component of climate change resiliency in the Southwest, where climate change effects are projected to be particularly severe. However, most springs lack critical baseline information to assess the impacts of climate change and plan restoration. To address this information gap, Sky Island Alliance has inventoried over 100 springs in southeastern Arizona over the last four years, collecting information on their location, ecology, geomorphology, and status. While these inventories collect vital data, they represent only one point in time. For springs that are targeted for restoration action, planning the most effective restoration requires longer-term data. Sky Island Alliance has initiated a pilot “Adopt A Spring” project using trained volunteers to monitor six springs located in six different mountain ranges year-round. Two of these springs have undergone restoration and two are potential restoration sites, where the data will provide a comprehensive understanding of the site prior to restoration. Data collected include water flow, depth, and extent; water quality; area of different microhabitats; and plants and animals present. These data will allow us to assess the effectiveness of restoration, plan restoration more effectively, and better understand these spring ecosystems and the stressors acting on them.

Contact Information: Sky Island Alliance, 406 S. 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

Locally Adapted Plant Material Production for Southeastern Arizona M. Cheyney1, J. Johnson1, R. More-Hla1, J. Conn2, S. Stone1 1Gila Watershed Partnership of Arizona, P.O. Box 1614, Thatcher AZ 85552 2Bureau of Land Management, 711 S 14th Ave, Safford AZ 85546

The Gila Watershed Partnership in collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management and Eastern Arizona College produce locally adapted plant materials for various restoration projects throughout Southeastern Arizona. Germination and cultivation of these plant materials occur at the Native Plant Nursery in Safford, AZ. The Native Plant Nursery specializes in providing locally adapted genotypes, specialized container stock for arid and mechanized planting, and comprehensive information on wildland seed collections in order to bridge the gap between plant science and practitioner application. Due to the remoteness of ecological restoration projects, commercial availability of locally adapted plant materials is often limited. We employ and train seed collectors under Seeds of Success protocols to sustainably collect plant materials from numerous provisional seed zones. In turn, we are able to offer practitioners plant materials that are adapted to the local climatic conditions of the targeted restoration site. Many restoration sites are 45 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference challenged by water availability, site access, and/or the spatial extent of the site. We are able to provide container stock with extended root systems, allowing deeper plantings closer to groundwater. In addition, much of our container stock is sized to allow for the transportation of numerous plants to sites with limited vehicle access. Finally, many sites require mechanized planting to help limit the cost of restoration. We offer stock grown specifically for a mechanical planter. Although few nurseries, at this time, have dedicated resources to providing locally adapted genotypes, we believe this model offers numerous economic, ecological, and educational advantages.

Contact Information: Gila Watershed Partnership of Arizona, PO Box 1614, Thatcher, AZ 85552; [email protected]

Integrating Restoration into River Park Design K. Connor1, L. Woods1, C. Henley1, S. Bolduc2, D. Brosnihan,2 and H. Lasham3. 1RECON Environmental Inc., Tucson, AZ 2Pima County Regional Flood Control, Tucson, AZ 3Psomas Tucson, AZ

Historically Pima County Regional Flood Control created river parks to provide recreation opportunities along watercourses reinforced for flood protection. However, at Paseo de las Iglesias River Park along the Santa Cruz River, ecosystem restoration was also a primary design goal. This recently completed project includes a variety of ecosystem restoration elements such as rainwater harvesting basins, a diverse native plant palette, preserved-in- place mesquite thickets, dri-water and tall pot planting techniques, enhancements to an existing ephemeral toad-breeding pond, raptor perches, lizard salvage and re-introduction, on-going monitoring, and invasive species removal and control.

Contact Information: RECON Environmental Inc., 2033 East Grant Road Tucson, AZ 85719; [email protected]

Youth Engaged Stewardship Christine In-Albon1 and Suzanne Dhruv2 1Empire High School, Cienega Watershed Partnership 2Ironwood Tree Experience

Youth Engaged Stewardship (YES!) began in the summer of 2012 with a goal of engaging youth (ages 14-19) in meaningful projects on public lands in southeastern Arizona while enhancing youth leadership skills. YES! focuses on youth-directed stewardship that includes a range of activities: landscape assessment, habitat restoration, monitoring, setting protocols and interpreting ecological sites for visitors. Youth work with both government and NGO partners to develop project guidelines and budget requirements, and implement the work needed. Over the past 4 summers at the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, 33 youth have participated in the program. Work completed by the students has resulted in creating habitat ponds for endangered species, removal of non- native grasses and reintroduction of native grasses into habitat ponds. This work included

46 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference the successful transplanting of Huachuca water umbel and restoration of eroded sacaton grasslands. This last summer students established long term study plots and monitoring protocols in order to understand and to reverse the erosion of grasslands adjacent to Gardner Canyon at Las Cienegas. YES! students planned and held volunteer work days aiding with their restoration efforts, expanding the work they could successfully complete and educating others in the process.

Contact Information: Empire High School, 10701 E Mary Ann Cleveland Way, Tucson, AZ 85747; [email protected]

Improved Cave Management at Coronado National Memorial Ryan Janway and Jason Mateljak Southeast Arizona Group, National Park Service

In 2014, Coronado National Memorial received funds to improve cave and karst management and develop WNS response. The memorial has a fledgling program that has remained dormant for many years. Coronado Cave is one of several caves in the park and is open to visitors as a wild cave experience. Park staff sought to employ a series of monitoring and restoration activities as well as develop outreach and educational opportunities regarding caves. We are partnering with other local cave parks to improve our regional understanding of similar karst in southeast Arizona.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Greenup and Evapotranspiration (ET) of Riparian Vegetation Following the Minute 319 Environmental Pulse Flows to Mexico C. J. Jarchow1, P. Nagler1, and E. P. Glenn2 1US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Sonoran Desert Research Station, Tucson, AZ 2Environmental Research Laboratory of the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

During the spring of 2014, 130 million cubic meters of water were released from Morelos Dam on the lower Colorado River, allowing water to reach the Gulf of California for the first time in 13 years. A year later, we continue to analyze the effects of this historic experiment, the result of a new U.S.-Mexico agreement. Based on MODIS and Landsat 8 satellite imagery and field observations, initial findings show an overall positive response by vegetation (i.e., increased greening) to the pulse flows within the river’s riparian corridor. This reverses an overall decline in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and evapotranspiration (ET) since the last major flood in 2000. In addition to the current status of this experiment and effects of these pulse flows, we will present a conceptual model of the role of groundwater and surface flows in maintaining the riparian corridor in Mexico. Based on preliminary findings, pulse flows could be an effective tool for restoring the lower Colorado River’s riparian zone.

47 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Contact Information: Southwest Biological Science Center, Sonoran Desert Research Station, 1110 E. South Campus Drive, Room 123, Tucson, AZ 85721; [email protected]

Application of an Ecohydrological Approach to Guiding Riparian Restoration Planning, Upper Gila River, Arizona

Glen Leverich1, Zooey Diggory1, Bruce Orr1, Tom Dudley2, James Hatten3, Kevin Hultine4, Matthew Johnson5 1Stillwater Sciences, Berkeley, CA 2Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 3Columbia River Research Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, Cook, WA 4Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ 5Colorado Plateau Research Station, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ

Riparian systems across the Southwest region, such as the upper Gila River in eastern Arizona, are threatened by numerous natural and anthropogenic stressors, including flooding, drought, invasion by tamarisk (saltcedar; Tamarix spp.), wildfire, urban encroachment, and land- and water-use practices. A new concern in the upper Gila watershed is the eventual arrival of the tamarisk leaf beetle that is expected to soon colonize the tamarisk-dominated riparian corridor as the beetle continues to spread across the southwest region. While there are numerous potential benefits to tamarisk suppression (e.g., groundwater conservation, riparian habitat recovery, fire-risk reduction), short-term negative consequences are also possible, such as altered channel hydraulics and canopy defoliation during bird nesting season (e.g., the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher). In preparation for anticipated impacts following beetle colonization, we developed a holistic restoration framework to promote recovery of native riparian habitat. Pivotal to this process was an ecohydrological assessment that identified restoration sites based on consideration of natural and anthropogenic factors that, together, influence restoration opportunities—flood-scour dynamics, vegetation community structure and resilience, surface- and groundwater availability, soil texture and salinity, wildfire potential, and land-use activities. Data collected included high-resolution remote-sensing products, GIS-based delineation of channel migration, and vegetation field mapping. These data along with other information generated, including pre-biocontrol vegetation monitoring and flycatcher-habitat modeling, were synthesized to produce a comprehensive restoration plan that highlights those areas of the river best suited for active restoration and, ultimately, assist watershed managers in development and prioritization of ecologically appropriate restoration strategies.

Contact Information: Stillwater Sciences, 2855 Telegraph Ave #400, Berkeley, CA 94704; [email protected]

Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS) Seth M. Munson U.S. Geological Survey – Southwest Biological Science Center 48 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference

Dryland regions in the southwestern U.S. have been degraded by invasive species, wildfire, overgrazing, agricultural conversion, energy development, recreational activity, and urban growth. These disturbances and others are accelerated by one of the fastest growing human populations in the country and a pressing background of decreasing water availability due to drought and elevated temperatures that are projected to become more pronounced. The potential reduction and loss of ecosystem productivity from these lands could have large socioeconomic and environmental costs. Restoration practices are needed to promote recovery from disturbance, improve the health and integrity of drylands, and ensure the long-term sustainability of ecosystem services. Despite the demand for restoration, little information is available to help managers effectively reestablish perennial vegetation and stabilize soils in regions strongly constrained by water availability, and even less information is available to help managers structure restoration efforts to be successful in the context of changing climate and disturbance regimes. The Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS) is a new initiative with an aim to strengthen restoration strategies and outcomes by providing science and guidance on effective restoration practices to land managers. RAMPS will be coordinated at the U.S. Geological Survey - Southwest Biological Science Center and composed of a consortium of scientists, managers, and practitioners with dryland restoration expertise. Here the preliminary objectives of RAMPS are outlined to encourage participation and feedback from the Southwest restoration community.

Contact Information: Southwest Biological Science Center, Sonoran Desert Research Station, 1110 E. South Campus Drive, Room 123, Tucson, AZ 85721; [email protected]

Wide-Area Estimates of Evapotranspiration by Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and Associated Vegetation in the Murray-Darling River Basin, Australia Pamela L. Nagler1, Tanya M. Doody2, Edward P. Glenn3, Christopher J. Jarchow1, Armando Barreto-Muñoz4, and Kamel Didan4 1US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Tucson, AZ 2CSIRO Land and Water, Glen Osmond SA, Australia 3Environmental Research Laboratory of the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 4Vegetation Index and Phenology Lab, Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Floodplain red gum forests (Eucalyptus camaldulensis plus associated grasses, reeds and sedges) are sites of high biodiversity in otherwise arid regions of southeastern Australia. They depend on periodic floods from rivers but dams and diversions have reduced flood frequencies, leading to deterioration of trees and associated biota. There is a need to determine their water requirements so environmental flows can be administered to restore and maintain the forests. We used previous measurements of transpiration (EG) of red gum trees and an algorithm based on the MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) from the Terra satellite to estimate total ET for a large area of red gum forest fed by the Murrumbidgee River in Yanga National Park, New South Wales. MODIS red gum ET estimates adequately predicted sap flux estimates (r2 = 0.80). From 2000-2012, MODIS ET 49 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference estimates were the same as water balance estimates determined from river gages at the entry and exit points for water into the forest. However, during a drought period from 2000-2009 MODIS overestimated ET compared to water balance data due to water stress detected in sap flow studies. The time course of ET was extended back to 1995 using Landsat imagery and gage data. Over the 38,134 ha of continuous forest, ET consumed 11% of river water during the wet years of 1990-1997 while during the drought years of 2000- 2009, 35% of inflows were consumed. This study supports ground studies suggesting that red gum trees are resilient to drought conditions but at this location they require environmental flows of 2000 GL yr-1 or more to produce flooding sufficient to keep them in good condition over wide areas of forest. However, only about 120-200 GL yr-1 of river water will be consumed in ET, with the remainder flowing out of the forest where it will enter the Murray River system.

Contact Information: US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, 1110 E. South Campus Drive, Room 123, Tucson, AZ 85721; [email protected]

Pima County Regional Flood Control District’s Land Stewardship Program Marisa Rice, Jennifer Becker, and Carla Danforth Pima County Regional Flood Control District, Tucson, AZ

Pima County Regional Flood Control District (District) is responsible for managing approximately 25,000 acres of land within Pima County, located mostly in and around rivers and washes. These lands are owned in fee, by easement or maintained through intergovernmental agreements. Drainage infrastructure such as detention basins and constructed channels make up half of the acreage, while the remaining acreage is mostly undisturbed open space, purchased primarily to preserve floodplain function. The drainage infrastructure areas and constructed ecosystem restoration projects have been inspected regularly to ensure they function as designed and until recently, the open space lands were inspected only when prompted by a public complaint. In early 2015, the District created the Land Stewardship Program to begin actively managing and improving our open space lands and the District’s active ecosystem restoration projects or “restored lands”.

The Land Management Program goal is to protect floodplain and ecosystem function on the District’s open space and restored lands. Management activities include property inspections, annual monitoring, long-term maintenance of large-scale restoration projects, and small enhancement projects (e.g., invasive species control, erosion mitigation, etc.). Management of these lands will be guided by watershed-scale land management plans that will prioritize enhancement projects by resource needs. In an effort to pool available resources, the District is seeking opportunities for collaboration with federal, state and local agencies and local non-profits to complete these projects.

Contact Information: Pima County Regional Flood Control District, 97 E Congress St # 3, Tucson, AZ 85701; [email protected]

50 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Analysis of 15-Year Bat Study at Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site Amanda Selnick1, Karen Krebbs2, and Jason Mateljak1 1Southeast Arizona Group, National Park Service 2Karen Krebbs Consulting

Abstract: Chiricahua National Monument has collaborated with Karen Krebbs over the last 15 years to monitor bat populations at CHIR and FOBO. This long-term monitoring effort began as summer only surveys and expanded to year-round surveys in 2011. Each year the surveys seek to identify species present in the park and to capture basic health and trends in bat populations within the park. Continuing this project will contribute to WNS and Climate change monitoring as well as determining post-fire impacts on bat populations in the ecologically diverse Chiricahua Mountains. The park is currently collaborating with U of A and U of Montana to analyze trends over time and compare to similar regional surveys on both sides of the international border.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Wildlife Camera Trap Inventory at Chiricahua National Monument Amanda Selnick and Jason Mateljak Southeast Arizona Group, National Park Service

Biologists of the Southeast Arizona Group, in conjunction with the USFWS, implemented a short term wildlife camera trap inventory at Chiricahua National Monument. NPS staff, USFWS employees, SCA interns, and volunteers assisted with the deployment of 45 camera traps across the park. These cameras were stratified by elevation and deployed in randomly generated locations at least 1 kilometer apart. After 8 weeks, staff retrieved the cameras, obtaining 24,156 photos, with 3,956 photos containing animals. This survey confirmed 22 mammal species within the park, including one new species never before documented on camera (the mule deer). Furthermore, this survey is part of the continued development of a regional mammal camera trap inventory for parks and refuges across the southwest. It has been piloted at Saguaro NP, Fort Bowie NHS, Leslie Canyon NWR, and San Bernardino NWR, and it will soon provide a standardized protocol for repeatable mammal inventories. This type of protocol will inform land managers about local or broad species extirpations, which appear to be increasing as human developments close to protected lands increase.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Wildlife Camera Trap Inventory at Fort Bowie National Historic Site Amanda Selnick and Jason Mateljak Southeast Arizona Group, National Park Service

A camera trap bio blitz was set up at Fort Bowie with 44 cameras inside the 999 acre park. Over 7 weeks, images of wildlife were captured at 11 different locations to find a species 51 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference census of mammals inside of the park. 5 locations were picked by the biological technicians and 6 locations were picked at random. Each location had four cameras set up within 50 meters of the center point of the location. This short term wildlife census was set up to create a much faster species inventory that spans the whole park. This was also used as a pilot study to determine which method (random or bio tech choice) was most effective. The 44 cameras captured 16 mammals identifiable to the species level. The western spotted skunk was identified at Fort Bowie for the first time since 1976. The cameras also caught 13 birds identifiable to the species level. About 11% of pictures were of gray fox, 10% were of an insect, 8% were of birds and 7% of pictures of cotton tails. This study photographed all species, but one (the striped skunk), that had been captured on our long term cameras. This study analyzed photos across only 53 days. The long term camera analysis for Fort Bowie consisted of 1,568 days.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Salsola: Iconic Plant or Scourge of the West? K.A. Thomas1 and M.H. Redsteer2 1U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 2U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ

Salsola species, commonly known as tumbleweed, are highly invasive, annual plants, introduced to the U.S. in the late 19th century. While the genus Salsola occurs across the North American continent, several species occur in the arid Southwest (S. tragus, S. paulsenii, S. collina, and S. gobicola). Within the last decade, during predominantly drought conditions, public and tribal resource managers in the Southwest have observed increased extent and duration of Salsola infestations, including undisturbed habitat incursions. Salsola has long been recognized as a weed related to agricultural and land disturbance; it presents a number of consequences for invaded ecosystems, including degradation of native grasslands and their wildlife habitat quality, competition with native vegetation, and potential promotion of dune mobility. Salsola is also an alternate host to the beet leaf- hopper vector of curly top, can cause oxalate poisoning in sheep, builds massive biomass piles on infrastructure, and poses a fire hazard. However, in some contexts Salsola may be of benefit, such as providing nurse plant functions in restoring sites. Some infestations of Salsola have been self-limiting, with the population density decreasing with 3-7 years after initial establishment. The extent of Salsola infestations is not documented regionally and description of its impacts, positive and/or negative, on restoration on disturbed sites is wanting. In an effort to advance our understanding of Salsola’s occurrence and effects on ecosystems, we invite resource managers and restoration practitioners to provide input through this interactive poster on your experiences and observations on Salsola and restoration.

Contact Information: Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. 85719 USA; [email protected]

52 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference Modelling Soil Erosion Vulnerability to Off-road Vehicle Disturbances to Inform Management and Restoration of Arid Landscapes Miguel L. Villarreal1, Robert H. Webb2, Laura M. Norman3, Jennifer L. Psillas4, Abigail S. Rosenberg5, Shinji Carmichael3, Roy E. Petrakis4 and Philip E. Sparks4 1US Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, Menlo Park, CA 2School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 3U.S. Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, Tucson, AZ 4University of Arizona, School of Geography and Development, Tucson, AZ 5Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, AZ

Intensive off-road vehicle use for immigration, smuggling, and security of the United States- Mexico border has prompted concerns about long-term human impacts on sensitive desert ecosystems. To help managers identify areas susceptible to soil erosion from vehicle disturbances, we developed a series of erosion potential models based on factors from the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), with particular focus on the management factor (P-factor) and vegetation cover (C-factor). To better express the vulnerability of soils to human disturbances, a soil compaction index (applied as the P-factor) was calculated as the difference in saturated hydrologic conductivity (Ks) between disturbed and undisturbed soils, which was then scaled up to remote sensing-based maps of vehicle tracks and digital soils maps. The C-factor was improved using a satellite-based vegetation index, which was better correlated with estimated ground cover (r2 = 0.77) than data derived from regional land cover maps (r2 = 0.06). RUSLE factors were normalized to give equal weight to all contributing factors, which provided more management-specific information on vulnerable areas where vehicle compaction of sensitive soils intersects with steep slopes and low vegetation cover. Resulting spatial data on vulnerability and erosion potential provide land managers with information to identify critically disturbed areas and potential restoration sites where off-road driving should be restricted to reduce further degradation.

Contact Information: US Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, 345 Middlefield Rd., Menlo Park, CA 94025; [email protected]

53 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference 2015 SER Southwest Chapter Conference Planning Team

Travis Bean, Southern California Representative for the SER-SW Chapter and Cooperative Extension Weed Science Specialist with the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California at Riverside.

Carianne Campbell, Conference Chair. Vice-President of the SER-SW Chapter and Restoration Director at Sky Island Alliance.

Jason Eckberg, Southern Nevada Representative for the SER-SW Chapter and Environmental Biologist with the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA).

Conor Flynn, New Mexico Representative for the SER-SW Chapter and Biologist with SWCA, Inc.

Michele Girard, Hydrologist with Eco Ideas, LLC.

Matt Grabau, Representative at large for the SER-SW Chapter and Restoration Scientist with the Sonoran Institute.

Allison Kutcher, Sky Island Alliance intern and student at Prescott College.

Louise Misztal, Conservation Director at Sky Island Alliance.

Laura Norman, President of the SER-SW Chapter and Research Physical Scientist at US Geological Survey.

Steve Plath, Arizona Representative for SER-SW Chapter.

Victoria Stubbs, Treasurer of the SER-SW Chapter and Owner of MHR Consulting, LLC.

Don Swann, Saguaro National Park.

Kathryn Thomas, Secretary of the SER-SW Chapter and Research Scientist at US Geological Survey.

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54 Society for Ecological Restoration - Southwest Chapter 2015 Annual Conference