Rio Abajo Conservation Area Habitat Restoration Phase I

Southern end of Rio Abajo Bosque

The Rio Abajo Conservation Area 80 acres prime Bosque along Middle Rio Grande – suitable habitat for SW Willow Flycatcher and the Yellow billed Cuckoo 120 acres of uplands open space

Site Bosque Winter 2005

Species Recovery Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax trailii ssp extimus) Yellow billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

Restoration Species List: Primarily Black willow & Cottonwood patchy mosaic including Coyote willow New Mexico olive Screwbean mesquite Wolfberry False indigo Golden currant native forbes & grasses

Salt cedar encroachment

Levee road, Rio Abajo South

Bosque approach to Rio Abajo Conservation Area

Budget Rio Abajo Habitat Restoration Phase I ItemResults, products VSWCD In-Kind $ Match Requested funding Total funds budgeted Year 1: Monitoring:NEPA compliant EA, Baseline Data for species recovery $5,000$10,000$15,000 Control:20 acres invasives removed $5,00041,000$46,000 Administration (5% total costs):Contracts administration, Annual Report $2,500 Year 2: Monitoring:Species surveys $2,500$7,500$10,000 Control:20 acres invasives removed $5,000$41,000$46,000 Restoration:20 acres restored habitat $2,500$15,000$17,500 Administration:Contracts administration, Annual Report $2,500 Year 3: Monitoring: Species Surveys, Final Species Recovery Monitoring/Mgt. Plan $5,000 $10,000 Restoration:20 acres restored habitat $5,000$12,500$17,500 AdministrationContracts administration, Final Report $2,500 Total Project Costs$30,000$139,500$169,500

TIMETABLE Rio Abajo Conservation Area Habitat Restoration Phase I 1 st Year: EA, Biological surveys, species surveys, 20 acres control of invasives (areas to be determined–GPS), restoration planning, annual report. 2 nd Year: Species surveys, resprout treatment of 20 acres cleared 1 st year, restoration of 20 acres cleared 1 st year, eradication of next 20 acres of invasives, annual report. 3 rd Year: Species surveys, begin monitoring of habitat restoration, resprout treatment 40 acres, restoration of additional 20 acres cleared, finalize long-term maintenance & monitoring plan (10 year), final report.