Recap: Labor Day Weekend Wet Meadow Restoration Project

It’s been a busy stewardship season at High Country Conservation Advocates and we would like to share the story of our most recent project restoring wet meadows in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem. Whether you joined us in person, in spirit, or through contributions your support helped us immensely.

Our Labor Day Stewardship Weekend was a huge success thanks to the hard work and volunteerism of this community. In partnership with the US Forest Service, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, and Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, 61 volunteers spent three days restoring five acres of critical wildlife habitat and improving watershed health at Black Sage Pass in Waunita Park, and Miller Ranch State Wildlife Area in the Ohio Creek Valley. 

In addition to the hard work of our volunteers, we are grateful for support from Firebrand Deli and Jermaine’s for making delicious lunches, and for Zuni Street Brewing, providing the much-deserved kolsch at the end of each day.

Wet meadows and riparian areas in sagebrush shrublands provide important brood-rearing habitat for the threatened Gunnison Sage-grouse. These habitats are also important for numerous other species, including neo-tropical migratory birds, elk and mule deer, as well as ranchers for livestock grazing. A number of wet meadows and riparian areas, already compromised by erosion and lower water tables, are likely to be further altered from drought and high intensity rainstorms associated with a changing climate.

Thank you to all our great partners and sponsors!