Republican River Riparian Management Workshop Aug. 7-8

July 23, 2013

LINCOLN, Neb. — An Aug. 7-8 Riparian Management Workshop will focus on the challenges of managing vegetation in the Republican River valley. 

The Aug. 7 indoor session in Alma from 1-5 p.m. will address forestry topics such as water use by riparian forests, threats to the forest, invasive plants, ecosystem services of riparian forests, etc.  On Aug. 8 an all-day bus tour, beginning and ending in Franklin, will look at Republican River riparian projects including tree pruning and thinning, channel excavation and invasive vegetation control.

Scott DeWald, Nebraska Forest Service  South Central District forester, said, "Riparian areas are some of the most difficult to manage because of constant changes in water level and plant communities, but they play a critical role in water use, bank stability, wildlife habitat and water filtration."

The Republican River Riparian Management Workshop is sponsored by the Twin Valley Weed Management Area, Lower Republican Natural Resources District, Nebraska Environmental Trust and the Nebraska Forest Service.

Both days of workshops are free, including the lunch, but participants are encouraged to call ahead for accurate lunch count and bus seating. For more information or to RSVP, contact Scott DeWald at 402-762-4412, sdewald1@unl.edu, or Merle Illian at 402-746-4558, tvwm@gpcom.net.