Land restoration is a collaborative effort. That spirit has been displayed this season along Sixmile Creek outside of Ranchester. There, a large swath of wet meadows have undergone the start of what we hope will be a sea change.
Wet meadows play a key role in our world by providing forage for livestock while providing a home for many species of wildlife and plants. Wet meadows act as a natural sponge by absorbing and slowly releasing water so that surrounding plants and wildlife are not as negatively impacted by drought.
As gullies and head cuts start to form, water drains from the meadow at an accelerated rate, leading to a decrease in vegetation. If left unaddressed, this erosion can escalate to the point of losing the entire meadow.
In June, community volunteers and AmeriCorps members began building a series of simple rock structures called Zeedyks that can control erosion, improve wildlife habitat, restore soil water storage, develop drought resiliency, and increase vegetation.
This fall, a crew from the Montana Conservation Corps returned to continue the work. All told, 71 structures were built, with 28 more slated for next season.
SCLT will keep an eye on these Zeedyks to see how well they work. We hope they can help other ranchers on their land.
The landowners helped every step of the way, loaning equipment and letting the crew camp on their ranch.
It wouldn’t be possible without the help of many. Local volunteers and gifts from community members were leveraged by support from the Wild Turkey Federation, Pheasants Forever, The Nature Conservancy, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, which is why restoration is truly a collaborative effort.
