Respect The Rio - Forest Programs

Santa Fe National Forest

Introduction/Overview

An SCA intern talking with campers during the contact ranger program

 

After seven years, Respect the Rio has rapidly become a successful education and watershed restoration program. Not only has the program reached thousands of people, but it has also provided a common goal for disciplines such as wildlife/fisheries, recreation, hydrology, and range on the Jemez and Cuba Ranger Districts of Santa Fe National Forest. A Respect the Rio program on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District is just beginning.

The success of the Respect the River program in the Pacific Northwest spurred the Santa Fe National Forest to create Respect the Rio to address water quality issues in heavily used areas and to meet the needs of the Hispanic population of the southwest.

Respect the Rio concentrates on overall watershed health by pairing new management ideas with watershed restoration. Watershed restoration efforts include, but are not limited to, willow planting, installation of improved road drainage systems, road decommissioning, fence reconstruction and installation, upland water development, modification of dispersed recreation sites, trail improvement and relocation, fish habitat improvement, stream bank stabilization, wetland re-creation, off-road vehicle closures, and an updated annual operating instructions for grazing.

Problems

The Jemez Watershed was designated as an impaired watershed through regulations established by the Clean Water Act. The Jemez Watershed has the following impairments within Respect the Rio's project area: More information on water quality definitions

• Clear Creek has exceeded standards for turbidity;.
• Jemez River has exceeded standards for turbidity, metals (chronic aluminum), and sedimentation/stream bottom deposits;
• Rio Cebolla has exceeded standards for temperature, and sedimentation/stream bottom deposits;
• Rio de las Vacas has exceeded standards for temperature and Total Organic Carbon loads;
• Rio Guadalupe has exceeded standards for turbidity, metals (chronic aluminum), and sedimentation/stream bottom deposits;
• Rito Peñas Negras has exceeded standards for temperature, and sedimentation/stream bottom deposits.

Santa Fe National Forest manages most of the Jemez Watershed and must respond to these water quality impairments. Two grants from the New Mexico Environmental Department-Surface Water Quality Bureau and Environmental Protection Agency were procured for this watershed to begin addressing impairments. Since all but chronic aluminum impairments can be linked to dispersed recreational use along this watershed, Respect the Rio began laying the ground work for watershed restoration and education. .

Solutions

To combat the problems mentioned above, Respect the Rio combines restoration projects with education. The restoration projects repair or improve damages to the riparian areas. The education component explains to the general public what we are doing (restoring) and why.

A park vehicle in front of a fence exclosure and a walk-in campsite

Volunteers sit on one of the bridges they built along the East Fork Trail

Volunteers work on the trail to Spence Hot Springs

New Mexico Trout volunteers construct a cattle fence along the upper Rio Cebolla

Two employees planting willow slips along the upper Rio Cebolla

An excavator adding boulders, wood, and root wads to improve the stream bank and fish habitat

 

Our restoration efforts have included the following:

• Assessing dispersed campsite conditions: Dispersed campsite inventories were conducted to assess the dispersed recreation conditions along riparian areas and to assess improvements made by the above projects. This inventory provided key areas for dispersed campsite modifications.
• Modifying dispersed campsites: Crews built wooden fences to restrict vehicle and/or cattle access to heavily damaged dispersed campsites. Browned out areas were replanted with native vegetation.
• Pulling vehicles and cows back: Vehicles and cows are pulled back from streams thru fencing and signage. Regulations prohibit vehicles between the river and road, except in designated pullouts, within the project area.
• Assessing trail conditions: Crews assessed the present condition of the trail system in the San Pedro Parks Wilderness and identified areas where resource damage is occurring.
• Decommissioning roads: User created roads and Forest Service roads that pose the greatest threat to streams and riparian areas have been decommissioned or are under evaluation for decommission.
• Replanting with native vegetation: Efforts to enhance riparian areas and stabilize stream banks include replanting native riparian vegetation, such as willow.
• Improving cattle distribution: Many fences have been repaired or installed to improve cattle distribution and to reduce the effect of cattle concentrating in canyon bottoms and riparian areas.
• Improving and increasing upland water developments: In order to reduce concentrated cattle use on perennial streams within the project area, stock tanks in upland areas were upgraded or constructed.
• Improving stream habitat: After conducting intensive stream habitat inventories, restoration plans are implemented to eliminate resource damage and to improve stream and floodplain conditions.
• Improving water flow: Water flow and fish passage has been improved by replacing two 36 inch culvert pipes with two bottomless arch culverts that span 16 ft. across.
• Reconnecting wetlands: Natural springs and seeps that are part of a wet meadow system were previously separated by a road. Three French drains (perforated pipes filled with and surrounded by rocks) were installed under the road to allow the water to flow back into the wet meadow.

A parked car near an interpretive sign explaining why the area is closed to vehicles

A boy moving his game piece while playing the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Life Cycle game

 

Educational components include:

• Public Contact (Contact Rangers) - Forest Service staff and/or volunteers visit dispersed campsites within the project area. The Contact Rangers educate campers about our current restoration projects and how to be more river-friendly while enjoying what the Santa Fe National Forest has to offer. The Contact Rangers also provide a positive view of the Forest Service to the visiting public. Contact Rangers do not give out tickets; they are strictly educational. However, if a serious violation has occurred, they will notify the Respect the Rio Forest Protection Officer.
• On-Forest visual media - With topics ranging from "Why is this road closed" to "Goin' in the Woods", 25 interpretive signs (17 English and 12 Spanish translations) have been developed and placed in restoration areas, such as dispersed campsites.
• School and community programs - We currently facilitate environmental educational programs to schools and the public. Our most popular presentation is the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Life Cycle Game and Curriculum, a fun, interactive way for children and adults to learn not only about the life cycle of the cutthroat trout, but to also provide an avenue for discussions related to environmental challenges faced by the trout. Players confront challenges such as predation by non-native trout, ATV traffic, and conservation issues such as wasting water.
• Off-Forest multimedia - Media include this Web site, newspaper articles, advertisements in an Albuquerque movie theater, interpretive panels, and a native fish aquarium and interactive display at the Walatowa Visitor Center.
• Volunteer Programs - We are currently acquiring a volunteer base of individuals and organizations who are willing to help with restoration and educational projects. Contact Amanda Webb for more information.
• Annual reports on dispersed recreation and education.

Success

The education campaign has been an incredibly important component in the long-term success of Respect the Rio. From students to campground users to dispersed recreationists, Respect the Rio has directly reached over 11,300 people during the past five years through presentations and contact ranger programs. In addition, through the contact ranger program, we know that 93% of visitors to the project area are from the Albuquerque area. Of that, 30% reside in a predominantly Spanish speaking neighborhood. We now know where to focus our educational message.

Many more individuals have been reached through the proactive multi-media campaign both on and off the forest. This Respect the Rio and Respect the River Web site was developed as part of the Respect the Rio's educational campaign.

Restoration efforts have improved dispersed campsites and have encouraged visitors to park away from the streams. There are plans to continue improving areas that have been damaged by overuse. While there have been a few visitors who do not like the vehicle restrictions, most visitors have noted a change for the better and are pleased we have taken an interest in protecting our streams.

The Respect the Rio program has allowed the construction and reconstruction of 9 miles of fence to restrict domestic livestock use within riparian corridors. Upland earthen tanks, providing watering sources away from riparian areas for both wild and domestic ungulates, have also been accomplished through this program. Treatment of noxious weeds within riparian corridors has been a part of the Respect the Rio program of projects.

Future

Respect the Rio is still going strong. Plans to continue and to expand the program to the entire forest are underway. Education and restoration efforts will continue as funding sources are explored. We are constantly conducting educational programs and reaching forests visitors through our multi-media campaign.

Main Contact

Chantel Cook
Santa Fe National Forest
11 Forest Lane
Santa Fe, NM 87508
505-438-5441 Phone
cmcook@fs.fed.us