| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
In May of 2010, we erected a fence along a 150_meter section of Boulder Creek, on the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area, to prevent cattle access to the riparian area. Years of cattle grazing and unrestricted access to the creek has degraded fish habitat and been conflicting with recent efforts to enhance habitat and restore a kokanee run into Boulder Creek. To support previous fish habitat enhancement efforts on Boulder Creek, the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program – Columbia Basin, the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area, and the Creston Valley Rod & Gun Club partnered and erected 325 meters of fencing to keep cattle out of an easily accessible section of the stream to reduce bank erosion and silt loads into the creek. With cash and in_kind support from the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program and the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area, members from the Creston Valley Rod & Gun Club provided 52 hours of volunteer time and donated 21 hours of equipment time toward the successful completion of the project. After only a few months, we noticed that the vegetation within the fenced area was in better shape than the vegetation outside of it. We also noted vegetation growing on the shoreline in locations that were previously heavily trampled by the cattle and stripped of vegetation. |
