Last week, Rio Blanco 4-H youth from Meeker and Rangely participated in a Community Pride project and had a lot of fun at the same time. Youth were up to their elbows in mud as they made mud/seed balls as part of a project planned to reclaim riparian land along the White River west of Rangely. The group is going back this Friday, Oct. 21 to throw the dried seed balls around the designated reclamation site where they will sit over the winter. If all goes as planned, the seed balls will spout in the spring when the snow melts and the moist ground warms up. The seeds include a mixture of native grasses and forbs that will improve the habitat at the site following the removal earlier this year of non-natives including tamarisk (salt cedar) and Russian olive trees.
This project is part of a larger riparian restoration effort by the White River Partnership (WRP). The WRP, led by Rivers Edge West (REW), is a collaborative watershed group consisting of diverse local, regional, and state-level partners. The WRP’s goal is to improve the health and function of the White River and its riparian areas by removing invasive tamarisk and Russian olive trees and replacing them with diverse, native vegetation. Friday’s participants included participants from CSU Extension, RBC 4-H Youth, the Bureau of Land Management, Yampatika, CNCC and REW.
The White River provides crucial habitat for endangered fish species and adjacent riparian areas provide habitat for elk, deer, and other terrestrial wildlife. The White River is the lifeblood of Rio Blanco County’s agricultural communities and growing outdoor recreation tourism sector. Engaging local 4-H youth members in river stewardship is crucial to supporting the long-term ecological, agricultural, and socio-economic well-being of the White River and surrounding community. 4-H youth donated their time as part of their commitment to giving back to their communities.
Special to the Herald Times
