“One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds. Much of the damage inflicted on land is quite invisible to laymen. An ecologist must either harden his shell and make believe that the consequences of science are none of his business, or he must be the doctor who sees the marks of death in a community that believes itself well and does not want to be told otherwise.”
~ Aldo Leopold
~ Aldo Leopold
My projects focus on implementing restoration within a scientific framework, both to utilize what is currently known, and to add to the growing body of knowledge on restoration ecology. Restoration can be predictable, as no two sites are exactly alike. Treating restoration as an experiment, with carefully recorded observations, thoughtful questions, along with well thought out pre- and post-construction monitoring aimed at answering the original questions is key. If at the end of the day you have dirty hands and a full mind, its been a successful endeavor!
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Grand Ditch Breach, Rocky Mountain National ParkA landslide in Rocky Mountain National Park, resulting from management of a trans-basin irrigation canal, deposited many tons of rock and soil in the Colorado River. The subsequent deposition in a valley floodplain wetland damaged the tall willow community that beavers historically relied on. We are working to restore the headwaters of the Colorado River and its floodplain.
Grand Ditch Breach, RMNP |
Florrisant Fossil Beds National MonumentOver 100 years of land management led to channelization of a wet meadow, dropping the water table multiple feet below the ground. Channels were filled in an effort to raise the water table and support a diverse sedge meadow.
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High Park Fire,
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