Tools and Links

Forest Health - Invasive Species

• Tamarisk (salt cedar)
• Russian olive
• Siberian Elm

Climate and Fire

• Climate forecast and outlook from CLIMAS
• Precipitation maps for New Mexico
• National Drought Monitor
• Wildland Fires in New Mexico

Forest Type Descriptions

• Land Use History of the Colorado Plateau
• Riparian Areas

General Resources

• Bosque Education Guide
• Save Our Bosque Task Force
• Middle Rio Grande Bosque Initiative
• Rio Grande Restoration

Restoration Projects

• Albuquerque Bosque Resoration Projects - US Army Corps of Engineers
• Bosque Restoration Projects - The Pueblo of Santa Ana
• Bosque Restoration Project - The Pueblo of San Felipe

Discussion

Southwestern streams and rivers have unique ecosystems along their banks called bosques. In the past, bosques included cottonwood stands, dense young willow and native olive patches, and wetland areas with rushes and cattails. This mosaic of vegetation was home to a diverse group of animals and birds.

Most lowland streamside communities are now highly dense stands of invasive trees such as tamarisk, Russian olive and Siberian elm trees. When these non-native trees invade bosques, they reduce diversity, increase fire danger, and use more water than native vegetation. Other problems in bosques include lowered water tables and increases in woody fuels on the ground. The dense thickets of invasive plants and woody debris are of special concern because they have increased the risk of crown fire in bosques. These fires burn with high intensity under current conditions, and cause widespread mortality of all trees in the bosque, including large cottonwood trees.

Some recommendations for developing an ecological prescription for bosque forests include:

• Remove invasive species. Cut and remove invasive non-native species such as tamarisk, Siberian elm, and Russian olive trees. You will need to use follow up treatments with hand-pulling or conservative use of safe herbicides to prevent these invasive trees from reestablishing at the site.
• Remove large amounts of dead, down wood. You should eliminate large pieces of wood by removing them from the site, by using a chipper, or by piling and burning. A hydro-ax or Fecon head machinery allows you to chunk trees into varying sizes.
• Restore natural river flow and flooding. When restoring natural river flow is not possible, you may provide artificial water flow by diverting irrigation channels.
• Replant native species if needed, including cottonwood trees, willows, New Mexico olive, and other species.