CESU BLM AZ Yuma Field Office (YFO) Mittry Soils Project

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Project Background Information: The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network is a national consortium of federal agencies, academic institutions, tribal, state, and local governments, nongovernmental conservation organizations (300 partners). The Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CPCESU) is a cooperative network, transcending political and institutional boundaries, which creates innovative opportunities for research, education, and technical assistance in support of the management and stewardship by partner agencies of the Colorado Plateau's natural, cultural, and social resources. The CPCESU has a unique collaborative relationship with research scientists, end users of research products, the public, and educators who are trained to bridge the gap between researchers, science users and educators. Mittry Soils Project has been ongoing since 2008. Restoration and rehabilitation activities have been ongoing, including soil treatments and quantitative monitoring. Data collected has shown extremely high soil salinity levels when the Mittry Moist Soil Units were initiated, but through chemical application and leaching, salinity levels have greatly reduced. These changes in soil health can now support native riparian habitat where in years prior would not support native threatened and endangered species habitat. Existing restoration sites are continually treated and tested for salinity, where new restoration site salinity monitoring and treatment is being established. Project Objective: The principle purpose of this project is to engage college students to carry out stewardship projects within the lower Colorado River landscape, focusing on soil health. The objective of this agreement is for graduate students to gain valuable field experience while analyzing existing salinity data and collect new data specific to soil health along the lower Colorado River. Data collected in recent years will be analyzed with new data collected to produce a quantitative based study providing a basis for the process to achieve the best success in creating native riparian habitat along the lower Colorado River.

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