our revegetation program returns retired irrigated cropland to thriving perennial cover.
What is Revegetation?
Revegetation is the intentional replanting of perennials on formerly irrigated croplands following permanent fallowing. It is an essential practice for the hydrologic, ecologic, and economic integrity of groundwater-stressed regions.
By returning retired cropland to perennial cover, land stewards mitigate soil erosion and the respiratory and safety hazards that follow it, reduce groundwater withdrawals, provide grazing forage for diversified ruminant operations, and create biodiverse habitat for migratory species.
Why Now?
Across the American West, agricultural communities are grappling with declining aquifers, reduced precipitation, and rising temperatures. Hydrologic and legal constraints are forcing hundreds of thousands of irrigated acres out of production, threatening the livelihood of the family farm.
In Colorado's San Luis Valley alone, an anticipated 65,000–100,000 irrigated acres must retire to meet state-mandated aquifer recovery goals. Without ecologically viable, economically capable dryland strategies, this land transition could decimate the region's rural economy.
This story is echoed across the country and the world. The Ogallala Aquifer is drying up. So is the Snake River Plain. So is the San Joaquin Valley.
Our approach
we have a suite of tools and strategies for working lands, companies, and communities engaging with revegetation.
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We leverage a mix of internal and external funding sources to cover the cost of supplies and implementation for revegetation practices.
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We design, implement, and adapt customized revegetation plans tailored to the unique needs of the land and the landowner.
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Our technical assistance team utilizes a variety of federal and modified line point intercept methodologies to track and report revegetation progress.
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We partner with affordable, user-friendly soil moisture monitoring providers to deliver timely data for adaptive management.
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Our team specializes in local land use codes and permitting as they relate to revegetation, dust mitigation, renewable energy, and related land transitions.
clients & collaborators
