Low-tech Restoration

This project, offers an opportunity to use natural processes to heal erosion on rangelands. Restoring land can be intensive and expensive, but low-tech structures offer a back-to-basics approach to help slow rangeland erosion. These techniques let the water do the work to restore riparian and wet meadows by increasing soil moisture and vegetation growth.

Research indicates that these methods can effectively increase vegetation productivity by 25% and keep plants greener longer, which results in greater resiliency against drought and climate variability. Low-tech structures include Zeedyk structures (media luna, one rock dam, zuni bowl, rock rundown and rock mulch) and Beaver Dam Analogs (BDA).

Example of a beaver dam analog

Example of a Zuni Bowl

Example of a one rock dam

Example of a media Luna

Example of a rock run down

Example of rock mulch