AUBURN, CA – The Placer Resource Conservation District entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to implement riparian restoration activities in Placer County. The agreement included $50,000 for restoration. Funding will remove invasive species like red sesbania (Sesbania punicea) and enhance and protect riparian areas through fencing, planting, or other restoration activities.
Healthy riparian areas, like those found alongside streams or rivers, play a vital role in providing a wide array of benefits and ecosystem services, including water filtration, wildlife habitat, erosion prevention, and flood risk reduction. However, some riparian areas in Placer County are challenged due to invasive species and habitat degradation. For example, red sesbania can grow in dense clusters within riparian areas, causing potential streambank erosion and impeding water access for both humans and wildlife. By addressing these challenges to riparian ecosystems and more, Placer RCD and the Service hope to enhance stream and river health in Placer County.
With questions regarding the Placer Riparian Restoration Project, please contact:
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Andrew Justus-Fritz
Community & Conservation Director
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Brian Pimentel
Agriculture Program Manager