Wetland Restoration Work

 

 

 

 

In October of 2019, San Juan National Forest workers carried supplies 3 miles into the woods in order to help rehabilitate a high elevation wetland called a Fen. Rare wetlands such as Fens create unique ecosystems and they take thousands of years to develop. Erosion in the Grasshopper Fen was causing the wetland to drain and the vegetation to die. We spent two days covering the ground with biodegradable matting and transplanted 700 sedges, a type of native wetland grass. Through yearly monitoring we will make sure the fen vegetation is fully reestablished, which will help capture water and prevent erosion! The San Juan National Forest cares for our water, and for ecosystems that depend on water.

Check out our new San Juan National Forest Water Pages!