Zamora - 2014 - CEER - Restoration Challenges and Successes
Summary
RESTORATION CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES IN MEXICO: PLANNING, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT In the last two decades, efforts to understand the impacts of Colorado River water management on the natural habitat in the Colorado River Delta have revealed significant restoration opportunities. Although less than 10% of original wetland area and less than 5% of cottonwood and willow forest remain in the Delta, small-scale restoration projects have been underway since 2002 to protect and enhance riparian and marsh habitat. However, scaling-up restoration efforts and securing water for instream flows in the Delta have proven to be politically challenging due to the Colorado River’s transboundary nature. Restoration of the Delta requires [...]
Summary
RESTORATION CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES IN MEXICO: PLANNING, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
In the last two decades, efforts to understand the impacts of Colorado River water management on the natural habitat in the Colorado River Delta have revealed significant restoration opportunities. Although less than 10% of original wetland area and less than 5% of cottonwood and willow forest remain in the Delta, small-scale restoration projects have been underway since 2002 to protect and enhance riparian and marsh habitat. However, scaling-up restoration efforts and securing water for instream flows in the Delta have proven to be politically challenging due to the Colorado River’s transboundary nature. Restoration of the Delta requires not only a legal framework for transboundary water negotiations, but also the binational political and public support for restoration efforts.
Cross-border partnerships, collaborative research, successful pilot restoration projects, and local community engagement in Delta restoration activities have greatly increased support for restoration efforts. Through on-the-ground restoration projects, the Sonoran Institute and partner organization, Pronatura Noroeste, have demonstrated the feasibility and the ecological and economic benefits of restoration in the Delta. To date, they have restored over 150 acres of riparian habitat and created more than 500 acres of marsh wetlands. Additionally, over 10,000 people from local community groups, universities, and government agencies have participated in restoration activities, helping to foster long-term stewardship of restored areas. Lastly, binational partnerships between conservation organizations and government agencies at the local, state, and national levels have enabled the negotiation and implementation of innovative transboundary water policy.
As a result of these efforts, the U.S. and Mexico signed binational agreement Minute 319 in November 2012, which will expand restoration efforts and allocate water to the Delta for the first time in history. Over the next four years, 158,088 acre-feet of water will be dedicated to the Colorado River in Mexico for environmental purposes, and 2,300 acres of riparian habitat will be restored in the Colorado River Delta region. With the legal framework and binational partnerships in place, the next challenge will be to achieve the ambitious restoration goals of Minute 319. Sonoran Institute and partners are exploring diverse restoration techniques, including hydroseeding, to promote native riparian tree establishment through both natural germination and planting. In this presentation we will report on the success of these efforts and potential challenges in meeting restoration goals.
