Habitat Restoration After a Wildfire in the Middle Rio Grande Bosque
Amy Erickson1* and Gina Dello Russo2
1Save Our Bosque Task Force, Socorro, NM, USA; avianecologist@gmail.com
2Turner Enterprises, Inc., Socorro, NM, USA; gdellorusso@wildblue.net
In June 2017, a lightning strike ignited a large wildfire along the Rio Grande bosque (riparian forest) near the historic community of San Marcial, New Mexico, and north of Elephant Butte Reservoir. In total, 9,200 acres were burned on both private and public lands. A quick response is necessary after a fire to minimize the threat posed by tamarisk reemergence and to mitigate for future wildfire threats. A group of interested stakeholders immediately came together to find long-term solutions to the problem of reoccurring fires in this bosque, which was not historically a fire-driven ecosystem. Restoration of native vegetation along the Rio Grande floodplain is difficult due to altered hydrologic patterns caused by human land-use changes, water management, and changing climatic patterns. The outcome of this restoration project depends on thorough analysis of the system including future predicted water availability and proper planning. We have outlined approximately 1,700 acres of priority areas on which to focus our restoration and rehabilitation efforts. We received $466,000 from the New Mexico Water Trust Board to implement Phase 1 of our rehabilitation efforts: analysis, planning, site preparation (initial control of invasive woody species in native-dominated forests) and environmental compliance. Another approximately $900,000 in federal funds will be distributed to New Mexico State Forestry to be used for post-fire rehabilitation. Partners on this project include the Save Our Bosque Task Force, Sierra Soil and Water Conservation District, Bureau of Reclamation, New Mexico State Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico Bureau of Geology, and private landowners.