Travels with Charlie: Exploring the first spring at No Fence Wetlands 330 miles away

By Gordon Snyder

We’ve been in Idaho (east of Moscow) for the last several days monitoring the status of the No Fence Wetlands' first spring after restoration.

The project is to restore cattle corrals / hayfields from the 1910s to the ancient wetlands conditions from before civilization…

8/5/2011 after haying. Photo from Google Earth

You can see historic water flow and wetlands remnants even after all the agricultural years.

Earth moving work on pond restoration was completed on 9/1/2023. After that, last fall we planted over 170,000 nursery grown wetlands plants. Plus, broadcast seeding of grasses and sedges.

9/7/2023 after haying and reconstruction. Photo from Google Earth

We lucked out when Google Earth satellite photographed the wetlands project just a week after reconstruction. The nursery plantings and seeding had begun when they were flying.

This spring we are seeing the ponds filling and wetlands plants sprouting and beginning to grow… Fantastic changes taking place.

Photo by Gordon Snyder

I am here photo and video documenting the progress and status of this first spring for the No Fence Wetlands.

Charlie is having a wonderful time
Photo by Gordon Snyder

Of course, my Buddy Charlie is with me out here. He is delightedly romping and sniffing while I’m doing my wetlands things. (Charlie changes from a “Dude” urban dog to a “Scout” country dog when we’re here.)

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Charlie helps by checking out the newly planted area.

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Charlie is mesmerized by honking from our new resident Canadian Geese on the shoreline of Bigfoot Pond….

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Meanwhile… I’m looking at water levels and success of bank plants and seed germination.

Photo by Gordon Snyder

We had less than 70% normal precipitation, but enough to get wetlands started.

Photo by Gordon Snyder

The plants need daily rain from those clouds to compete with existing hayfield grasses.

For more on this wetland project, check out No Fence Wetlands

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder