Completion Form

2018

American Conservation Experience (ACE) cr ews wor ked for 21
days treating Russian Olive within specified polygons along the banks of the White
River, south of the city of Vernal, Utah. The work entailed using a "hack and squirt"
method of treatment to apply herbicide to the targeted trees. This method placed
herbicide into the internal structure of the tree with the intent that the herbicide will
travel natural pathways in the tree and distribute itself throughout the tree. This
technique is intended to kill the tree over time while avoiding the time consuming
process of cutting, piling, and buring slash in addition to treating the cut stumps of each
tree.
The polygons identified are extremely thick with Russian Olive undergrowth and cutting
the trees and removing the slash would prove to be not cost effective or efficient.
River conditions played a challenging role for the crew this year. High flows in the
White River negated the safe use of a watercraft so treatment sites were accessed by
foot. The proximity of these sites to the crews spike camp provided quick and safe
access for the crew. 
Utah Conservation Corps treated Russian Olive on the White River from Bonanza Bridge to Asphalt Wash on 69.32 acres of public lands. The crews treated 100% of the standing Russian Olive with a frill cut method, leaving the biomass in piles or lopped and scattered. Crews cut on remote sites which were accessed by rafting on the White River. During hitches, crews were based out of remote backcountry spike camps. The crews started the project with three weeks of training and an orientation rafting trip down the White River. The crews treated the stands of Russian Olive in order to restore the sustainability and biological diversity of these riparian corridors.

Dan Emmett

11/14/2017 14:00:23