08/01/2006
Groups Plan Joint Conservation Work on Canadian River
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To address the need for riparian, or streamside, restoration on a larger scale, 32 conservation groups and natural resource and wildlife agencies met recently in Canadian, Texas, to discuss a cooperative project along the Canadian River in Texas and Oklahoma.
"Many groups, including the NWTF, are already doing riparian restoration projects along the Canadian River," said Joel Pedersen, NWTF wildlife biologist. "We're working to remove invasive plants that use a lot of valuable water, but have little wildlife value and replace them with native plants that are very beneficial for wildlife. But efforts from individual groups aren't enough to tackle this multi-million dollar problem."
The meeting was hosted by the NWTF, the Texas Prairie Rivers Region, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - all of which have programs devoted to improving riparian areas along the banks of the Canadian and other rivers and streams in western states.
"It was really exciting to have so many organizations meet with one common goal," said Pedersen. "This project is still in the infancy stages, but as the groups pool their knowledge to find dollars to get work done on the ground, wildlife and humans will benefit greatly."
Riparian areas are prime habitat for both game and nongame species, including bald eagles, wild turkeys and many types of waterfowl. These areas also keep contaminants from reaching rivers, streams and lakes, prevent flood damage to nearby communities and croplands and reduce the need for maintenance to nearby drainage ditches and irrigation canals.
"The banks of western waterways have become infested with invasive plants that have out-competed native vegetation, such as cottonwoods, willows and other native trees, grasses and shrubs," said Pedersen. "Recent research has shown that if these areas continue to lose cottonwoods at the current rate, the region's wild turkey population will decline dramatically over the next 20 years."
The majority of the land along the Canadian River is privately owned, and much of it is covered with invasive plant species such as salt cedar, Russian olive and eastern red cedar.
"We understand that the cooperation of private landowners will be critical to the success of this project", said Pedersen. "As the project progresses, partners will be soliciting input from landowners as part of their planning process."
The collaborative project would target the Canadian River and its tributaries in five Texas counties, including Hutchinson, Roberts, Hemphill, Carson and Gray and six Oklahoma counties including Ellis, Roger Mills, Dewey, Custer, Blaine and Canadian.
"The opportunity to better the habitat on these riparian areas is crucial to the success of wildlife in the area," said Dr. James Earl Kennamer, senior vice president for conservation programs. "This is an opportunity to improve wildlife habitat, improve water quality and make more water available -- not only for today, but for generations to come."
For more information about improving property with riparian habitat, landowners in Texas should contact John Crowell with the North Rolling Plains Resource Conservation and Development Council, (806) 669-0312 and Oklahoma landowners should contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District or Clay Pope, with the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts at 405-699-2087.
For information about the NWTF or its Southern Great Plains Riparian Initiative call (800) THE-NWTF.
