2022 Southwestern Willow Flycatcher

An ArcGIS Online (AGOL) page containing historical and predictive maps developed by James Hatten of the USGS for the southwestern willow flycatcher habitat across the southwestern United States. The model predicts the probabilities for suitable habitat for SWFL and can be used to guide restoration efforts. 

Use the Habitat Viewer here: https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b362c94bd7…

 

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Colorado Parks & Wildlife - Wildlife Species Profiles & Habitat Scorecards

The purpose of these profiles is to provide landowners and land managers with easy-to-use guidelines for understanding habitat needs of priority wetland-dependent wildlife. 

Please note that these profiles are limited to birds found in Mesa & Delta Counties.

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Tamarisk biocontrol alters bird community composition in the absence of cottonwood and willow vegetation
Invasive species disturb ecosystems and threaten biodiversity. Invasive species management, such as biological control, can cause additional disturbances, so quantifying how native species respond to invasive control is important to inform best management practices.   Mahoney et al. quantified southwestern bird communities in sites that varied in the amount of the non-native plant tamarisk (Tamarix spp.), before and after biological control efforts.
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Lessons Learned for Successful Watershed Partnerships in the Colorado River Basin

What are the key ingredients of successful collaborative partnerships? What worked well and what did not? If we had to do it all over again, what would we do differently? This document, based on interviews with stakeholders from 11 watershed partnerships in the Colorado River Basin, discusses the successes and challenges encountered from initial partnership formation to maintaining momentum over the years. It informs how RiversEdge West and other partners can continue contributing to the long-term success and viability of watershed partnerships.

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Renewing Our Rivers: Stream Corridor Restoration in Dryland Regions
Our rivers are in crisis and the need for river restoration has never been more urgent. Water security and biodiversity indices for all of the world’s major rivers have declined due to pollution, diversions, impoundments, fragmented flows, introduced and invasive species, and many other abuses.   Developing successful restoration responses are essential. Renewing Our Rivers addresses this need head-on with examples of how to design and implement stream-corridor restoration projects.
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Field Guide for Managing Kochia

Plant guide from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service on managing Kochia. 

Casey, P.A. 2009. Plant guide for kochia (Kochia scoparia). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kansas Plant Materials Center. Manhattan, KS.

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Low-Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens - Western Slope: Below 7,000'

Many people have an interest in landscaping with native plants. The purpose of this booklet is to help people make the most successful choices, based on their location in Colorado. 

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Bringing Birds Home

Bringing Birds Home is a manual that describes how to proactively improve riparian habitat for bird species in Mesa County, Colorado.  

This guide was made possible by a grant from the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and was produced by RiversEdge West, with help from the Grand Valley Audubon Society, Tucson Audubon Society, and Audubon Arizona.

 
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How to Tell the Difference Between Russian Olive and Silverleaf Buffaloberry

This 1-page handout describes the differences between invasive Russian olive and native silverleaf buffaloberry. Photos of distinctive characteristics are provided. 

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Waterjet Stinger
This document describes how to use a stinger, a tool to plant dormant unrooted cuttings of willows, cottonwoods, dogwoods, and other species.
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Riparian Restoration Cost Calculator

This resource developed by RiversEdge West (formerly Tamarisk Coalition) allows users to estimate tamarisk and Russian olive removal and restoration costs based on existing site parameters. 

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Suggested Methodologies for Cottonwood Pole, Willow Whip, and Longstem Plantings

This guide describes techniques for harvesting, storing, and planting various types of plant materials, including dormant cottonwood pole cuttings, willow whip cuttings, and longstem products. This guide was prepared by RiversEdge West (formerly Tamarisk Coalition), based on input provided by Los Lunas Plant Materials Center.  

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Monitoring Tamarix Changes Using WorldView-2 Satellite Imagery in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Remote sensing methods are commonly used to monitor the invasive riparian shrub tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) and its response to the northern tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda carinulata), a specialized herbivore introduced as a biocontrol agent to control tamarisk in the Southwest USA in 2001.

Overview of Saltcedar Biological Control (2006)

A 2006 review of the saltcedar (Tamarix) biocontrol program. 

 

DeLoach, C.J., Milbrath, L.R., Carruthers, R., Knutson, A.E., Nibling, F., Eberts, D., Thompson, D.C., Kazmer, D.J., Dudley, T.L., Bean, D.W. and Knight, J.B., 2006. Overview of saltcedar biological control. In Monitoring science and technology symposium: unifying knowledge for sustainability in the Western Hemisphere. Proceedings RMRS-P-42CD. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, Colorado (pp. 92-99).

COMPLAINT FOR INJUNCTIVE AND DECLARATORY RELIEF; Center for Biological Diversity v. Vilsack D. Nev. 20017

"This case challenges the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (“APHIS”) 2010 decision to terminate, without taking necessary remedial action, the agency’s program authorizing wide-scale release of an invasive species known as the tamarisk leaf-eating beetle (“beetle”) that is having, and will continue to have, devastating effects on the highly endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher (“flycatcher”) and its habitat, including designated critical habitat."

Ctr. for Biological Diversity v. Vilsack, 276 F. Supp. 3d 1015 (D. Nev. 2017)

USDA APHIS PPQ Moratorium for Biological Control of Saltcedar (Tamarix species) using the biological control agent Diorhabda species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

In this 2010 Memo from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA - APHIS terminates the tamarisk biocontrol program.

​​​​​​​USDA Secretary Vilsack's Response to Senator John McCain

In this November 20, 2014 letter, Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture Vilsack responds to Senator John McCain regarding impacts of the tamarisk biocontrol program on the federally-listed, endangered southwestern willow flycatcher. 

Pest Risk Analysis of Tamarisk Leaf Beetles, Diorhabda spp., with an Evaluation of its Potential to Spread into Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Empidonax traillii extimus, Critical Habitats and Evaluation of Control Options

This document is an update to the previous risk analysis that was produced on August 9, 2017, to help inform decision makers of the spread potential of Diorhabda beetles and the potential control options available within the authority of APHIS to limit impacts to the SWFL and designated critical habitat. APHIS updated the analysis in response to a remedial order from the United States District Court for the District of Nevada on June 19, 2018.

 

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY v. PERDUE 2018 Remedial Order

Remedial order issued to address nontarget effects by the tamarisk beetle on the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. Lists actions required of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). 

Center for Biological Diversity v. Vilsack, No. 2: 13-cv-1785-RFB-GWF (D. Nev. June 19, 2018).