Hill Country Alliance hosting Nov. 3 workshop on management of riparian areas
Though riparian areas comprise a very small percentage of the total land mass, they play a crucial role in the health of streams and rivers. Landowners don’t always know the best ways to manage those area or aren’t aware of the resources available to them. The Healthy Creeks and Riparian Areas workshop on Saturday, Nov. 3, can help answer questions about these critical areas. The workshop is 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Sunrise Beach Civic Center, 124 Sunrise Beach in Sunrise Beach Village. Go to hillcountryalliance.org to register. Courtesy photo
EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON
The riparian areas, those slices of land alongside creeks and rivers, make up a very small percentage of the total land mass, yet they play a crucial role in the environment and land health. The problem is many landowners with creeks, or even lakes, on or bordering their properties don’t quite know the best way to manage these areas.
“Even though it’s a small percentage of the land, when managed properly, these areas do a lot of good for us,” said Daniel Oppenheimer of the Hill Country Alliance, a group that advocates for good land management and stewardship.
On Saturday, Nov. 3, from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., the alliance along with Plateau Land and Wildlife Management and Llano River Watershed Alliance are hosting the Healthy Creeks and Riparian Areas workshop at the Sunrise Beach Civic Center, 124 Sunrise Drive in Sunrise Beach Village. A reminder on getting to Sunrise Beach Village: The RR 2900 bridge across the Llano River in Kingsland is out, and you’ll need to access the community from Texas 71.
There is a $10 fee for the workshop. Go to hillcountryalliance.org to register.
“During the workshop, we’re going to discuss what these areas are, why they’re important, and how each of us as landowners can manage them better,” Oppenheimer said. “When riparian areas function well, they will provide you with a lot of value. They can help you stabilize your banks, provide beautiful aesthetic places for you and your family to enjoy, and, if you like fish and wildlife, they provide important habitat.”
Managing the areas, along with trying to reach other land use goals, can leave a person scratching their head, wondering how or even where to start. The Nov. 2 workshop brings in three extremely knowledgeable people on the topic: Steve Nelle and Kenneth Mayben, who both spent decades helping property owners through the Natural Resources Conservation Services, and David Riley of Plateau Land and Wildlife Management.
“I think we bring, like, more than 100 years of land management experience to the workshop with those three,” Oppenheimer said.
The workshop is broken down into five basic topics: Introduction to Riparian Function; Hydrology and Sediment; Riparian Vegetation; Riparian Stewardship and Best Practices; and Sandy Creek Case Study-Tying it all Together.
There will also be a light lunch and discussion time.
“We’ll also talk about the resources available to landowners, and there are a whole bunch out there,” Oppenheimer added.
Go to hillcountryalliance.org for more information or to register.