American River Watershed Research Paper

Invasive Plants in our Watershed
The watershed my partner and I chose to implement techniques to eliminate invasive plant species is the American River watershed. The American River drainage covers 1900 square miles of the Tahoe and El Dorado National Forests, including the Granite Chief Wilderness and Desolation Wilderness. Flowing west from the peaks of the northern Sierra Nevada west of Lake Tahoe, its streams gradually converge into the South, Middle and North Forks of the American River. It is a classic multi-use watershed, supporting mining, hydroelectric generation, timber cultivation, and many forms of recreation.
A major concern in the Watershed is the presence of Invasive plants. These plant species have caused many problems with native species and seek dominance over plants similar to themselves. Invasive plants are introduced species that can thrive in areas beyond their natural range of dispersal. These plants are characteristically adaptable, aggressive, and have a high reproductive capacity. Their vigor combined with a lack of natural enemies often leads to an outbreak in
population. These invasive plant species crowd out the region's traditional plant life, converting a healthy diversity of species into an unhealthy monoculture. These plants are to be avoided, managed, or removed throughout the watershed.
The main goal involved in dealing with these invasive species is to terminate as many of them as possible. We intend to accomplish this by hosting a contest where the task is to exterminate any invasive species that cross their path. The incentive to participate would be a cash prize and it would be based upon the total number of pounds of invasive species terminated. The word will get out about this event through newspaper, online or word of mouth. To make this all run smoothly, volunteers will be needed and there must be permission from the California department of fish and game for the course of action to be taken under legal terms. As we continue the course of this project, we must realize consistency is key and it must be done monthly to ensure that invasive species will be kept low or entirely exterminated. One way to keep participation high is to increase cash prizes monthly so participants will keep coming and invasive species will gradually drop.
Along the American River Parkway, plants of various forms sprout up and mature. Some of those are non-native invasive plants that out compete the native plants. Native plants are beneficial for wildlife and can sustain themselves with very little water. Some of the non-native plants use enormous amounts of water and are actually harmful to the wildlife.
For our solution to remove invasive plants in the American River watershed, my partner and I have decided that the most effective way to remove these plants is to create a partnership with the American River Parkway Foundation.
Through the foundation we would be able to organize a competition with a reward to whoever removes the largest quantity of invasive plants. According to the American River Parkway Foundation’s website, the foundation has removed many acres of invasive plants over the past five years due to a large volunteer effort in the community. Some of the species the foundation has targeted include: the Red Sesbania, Spanish Broom, French Broom, Scotch Broom, and Tamarisk, to name a few. My partner and I believe that this foundation is the most suitable for our project because they are already in touch with the community and would able to aid us in organizing an
event.
The event would be organized by the American River Parkway Foundation and would offer a cash reward to the team that was able to remove the largest amount of invasive plants along the American River. This competition would also raise awareness as to how these plant species effect the natural habitats of non-invasive species, and could also inspire some of the volunteers to start their own group to remove invasive plants around their neighborhoods and local watersheds.
Our entire project will be done in a small to medium scale based on the number of people we attract to participate. The larger the crowd attracted, the bigger of an impact we will have. We will also have to be more organized to accommodate a large crowd through communication and networking so the whole operation runs smoothly.
The project will cover mostly the river side of the American River watershed by the side of Rio Americano. If there are too many people to an acre of land, then we will allow participants to pick plants farther away. This will allow for certain parts of the watershed to be free of invasive species and possibly let the native species takeover.
We hope to make a difference in the overall well-being of the water shed to restore it to what it was before the arrival of invasive species. The impact will be seen by people and the environment alike. People will appreciate the watershed for what it was originally consisted of out of and not foreign plants that seek domination. The environment will benefit through promotion of the growth of native plants and decreased competition for survival.