High Level Summary

Attendees of this field trip will learn about the issues that have resulted in degraded riparian wet meadow ecosystems in the park and will get to visit both passive and active restoration sites attempting to return some of these areas to functioning riparian wet meadow.

Recommended for field trip: long-pants, long sleeve shirt, sturdy close toed shoes, ball cap or brimmed hat, sunscreen, snacks, lunch and water.

Detailed description

Montane riparian wet meadows in Rocky Mountain National Park have been drastically altered over the last century. These wet meadows were drained and much of the riparian vegetation removed for homesteading. In more recent history browse by ungulates, disease, fire and other factors have further degraded the vegetation characteristic of historically wet meadows. Once inside the park we will visit an elk exclosure. Inside the elk exclosure, we will discuss some of the current and past issues that have created the drier meadow environments we see today and what historically these meadows may have looked like. We will talk about the historical alterations that have occurred in these areas as well as biological and physical factors whose presence or absence have contributed to the present day meadows. As we will be inside of an exclosure (a fenced areas meant to keep out large browsing ungulates), we will discuss fences as a means of passive restoration. We will then head up near Deer Ridge Junction where we will stop at an overlook where we can look down from above on one of these elk exclosures. This will be a short stop where we observe how the elk exclosures are working and further talk about the utility of these passive restoration techniques.

After visiting the overlook, we will stop in Moraine Park where we can enjoy lunch. This will not be a manicured picnic area with picnic benches. Rather we will be walking across some uneven meadow out to a rocky area with some shade where there are several nice rocks to sit on while we enjoy our lunches.

From there we will continue on to an active restoration site in Moraine Park meadow. Active planting is occurring in this site. We will talk about the techniques used in active restoration of these riparian meadows including removal of some of the present vegetation to allow for planting of willows, alder, and birch. We will discuss harvest of materials for planting and different techniques we have used to produce plant materials for these projects. If we are lucky, vegetation crews may even be out there planting during the tour.

If there is time, we will make a short stop at the park’s greenhouse and nursery where we will talk about producing plant materials for these projects. After a visit to the nursery, the bus will head on it’s way back to Denver.

Travel from Denver will be by bus. There will be some walking to sites. This will not necessarily be on paths and trails so do expect some uneven terrain. Participants may also have to roll underneath fences to get inside exclosures.