I was previously a volunteer conservationist with the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation dedicating my weekends to promote watershed awareness among Utah residents and visitors. My experience sharing the history of conservation work in the Cottonwood Canyons led me to wonder if the reforestation of high-altitude, semi-arid watersheds on a broad scale could be a solution to the water crisis facing the Wasatch Front and the West.
I purchased this property as a retreat for family recreation. But as a researcher from a long line of farmers, my curiosity naturally desires to explore silviculture practices specifically for watershed management that minimize evapotranspiration loss and preserve snowpack later in the season. Existing research indicates forest cover is the most significant variable in snowpack preservation. A mixed conifer/deciduous, multi-story stand with 20% canopy cover in rows on contour the width of 1.5 to 2 times canopy tree height preserves snowpack during low-angle winter shading while allowing adequate sunlight to penetrate meadow alleys of the same width between rows for the cultivation of cold-/drought-tolerant produce. Introducing crop byproducts to increase soil organic matter up to as little as 2% can reduce irrigation needed by 75% compared to poor soils having less than 1% organic matter. This has the potential to offset the increased drought stress of watershed forests and aquifers resulting from climate change. However, there is insufficient research evaluating these practices, particularly as a means of habitat restoration in early succession regeneration.
I hope to validate economic incentives for sustainable agroforestry can promote harmony with environmental conservation beyond simply restricting land use. I believe nurturing proper soil ecology for biological diversity and the cultivation of drought-resistant species will replenish aquifers supporting organic permaculture. My vision is a living food forest garden for the public to enjoy and appreciate the role of silviculture in watershed protection and carbon sequestration while advancing high-altitude, semi-arid agroforestry.
