Climate Resiliency Update

Friends of the Lower Blue River has been busy working with our partner landowners, non-profits and governmental agencies designing climate resiliency projects for this summer and autumn. 

We have successfully secured grant funding from Colorado Parks and Wildlife through their Wetlands for Wildlife program. It is dynamic initiative. We will be working with EcoMetrics, a stream and wetlands restoration firm based in Breckenridge, to implement Beaver Dam Analogs in the Spruce Creek near Kremmling. These are man-made structures designed to mimic the form and function of a natural beaver dam. Increasing the water flow in wetland areas mirrors historical natural flows to benefit many wildlife species, provide drought resistance, and allow for more carbon capture. 

Coincidental to this work through the same grant, Grand Environmental, based in Grand Lake, will help us review the entire Lower Blue River Valley for potential wetland uplifts for biodiversity. Geographic Information Service (GIS) mapping will be followed by volunteer field trips throughout the summer and autumn. 

Ultimately, through this work, along with outreach to landowners, agencies and other non-profits, we anticipate enhancing additional wetlands for wildlife, water, wildfire mitigation and climate resiliency in the years ahead. 

Just as exciting is our mycelium initiative. We are working with our partner, Colorado Mycology Watershed Institute and our early adaptor landowners to introduce mycelium (the root system of mushrooms) into various landscape types. Our initial focus will be a fertilizer approach on shrubland and an inoculated approach, using a dowel with fallen dead trees.

We anticipate this will improve soil health. We will be comparing outcomes to our baseline soil sampling program last summer at our partner ranches. Over time, we seek to increase the physical, chemical and biological attributes of the landscape in the face of a changing climate.

We are also working with the Blue River Watershed Group on a regional partnership initiative through a grant with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Great Outdoors Colorado. We will work with partners to facilitate a higher degree of conservation and recreation planning collaboration in Summit County. Ultimately, we will be sharing information and best practices with Eagle, Grand and Pitkin counties to better care for our natural resources in the face of increased tourism and climate change. 

We thank you for your support. If you would like to talk about potential ecological uplifts on your property, as well as provide funding to help us continue this work, please let us know.