Riparian and wetland locations are some of the most diverse and productive ecosystem types in Utah. Riparian and wetland ecosystems have unique restoration challenges that include invasion by non-native species, diminished water quantity and quality, and land-use pressures such as development and grazing. Wetland and riparian restoration can include invasive species removal, harvesting, seeding, and replanting with native species, restoring hydrologic connectivity, and improving water quality in natural rivers and wetlands ^[1]. Restoring the Great Salt Lake wetland ecosystem and riparian ecosystems such as those along the Colorado River is often challenging but is considered a high-priority goal for many restoration practitioners around the state.

Resources

Educational Webpages

• Health and Restoration of Utah Wetlands
• The wetland restoration process
• Streams 101
• UPR article on reseeding Great Salt Lake's wetlands after Phragmites

Guides, Manuals, and Handbooks

• Low-Tech Process Based-Restoration (LT-PBR) of Riverscapes Design Manual
  • LT-PBR Pocket Field Guide
• A Landowners Guide to Utah Wetlands
• Seeding the Way: A Guide to Restoring Native Plants in Great Salt Lake Wetlands
• Taking Care of Streams and Rivers in Cache Valley | USU Forestry Extension
• A Handbook of Riparian Restoration and Revegetation for the Conservation of Land Birds in Utah With Emphasis on Habitat

Collaborations, Programs, and Tools

• Riverscapes Consortium
• Restoration Consortium | USU
• Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative
• Watershed Planning and Restoration Program | SLCo
• BLM Utah Riparian Program
• R-CAT: Riparian Condition Assessment Tool

Research and Publications

• Need to Seed? Ecological, Genetic, and Evolutionary Keys to Seed-Based Wetland Restoration
• Riparian vegetation communities change rapidly following passive restoration at a northern Utah stream
• Invasive Phragmites australis management outcomes and native plant recovery are context dependent

References