COLORADO—On Sept. 13, the USDA Forest Service Partnership Office, in coordination with the National Forest Foundation and American Rivers, hosted a field day on the Gunnison District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. The trip showcased the Trail Creek Project, part of the larger Taylor Park Wetland Restoration Project, where low-tech, process-based restoration techniques are being used to restore stream, riparian and wetland habitat.

This collaborative endeavor in the headwaters of the Gunnison River, initiated in the fall of 2021, slows the flow of water through the Taylor River watershed. Human-made structures that function like beaver dams reduce the rapid water flow, allowing moisture to saturate the valley floor, essentially turning it into giant sponge that subsequently slows erosion and sediment flow. Beaver have repopulated the valley in some areas, building lodges and improving the human-made structures to create larger dams. 
The advantages of this project are many, both locally and in downstream states. Restoring historic wetlands helps recharge the aquifer, slows spring runoff, contributes to late season flows, promotes wildfire resilience, reduces storm flooding damage, increases biodiversity, improves aquatic and terrestrial habitat, improves threatened and endangered species habitat, stores carbon in the soil at a faster rate than degraded riparian systems, and decreases drought impacts on agriculture and communities.

“The Trail Creek Project is a great example of collaboration for wetland restoration,” said Forest Supervisor Chad Stewart. “These types of projects could have a significant impact on watersheds and measurable benefits for multiple users,” he added.

Other partners include High Country Conservation Advocates, Coca Cola Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, Eco Metrics, Western Colorado University, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Swire, LimnoTech, Arable Earth, RangeWorks and numerous volunteers. For more information, contact Kimberlee Phillips, kimberlee.phillips@usda.gov, or visit https://www.beaverbasedrestoration.org/.