Our Approach

Restoration biologist directing restoration activity

Our
Approach:

Ecological Restoration

Ecological restoration; the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed.

Process-based ecological restoration is the key to helping rivers recover on their own.

We want to guide rivers and streams back onto a path of self-recovery. Over the last decade, we have learned that jumpstarting the restoration of stream processes leads to rivers and streams that repair themselves.

Stream processes are the chemical and biological processes that sustain river and floodplain ecosystems. These include but are not limited to, substrate movement, high-flow events, trees falling into streams, plant succession, and floodplain connectivity.

Our experienced restoration team uses a variety of strategies to achieve the goal of process restoration, ultimately enhancing Rogue River watersheds' ability to recover from disturbances and challenges.

Read on to learn how this resilience not only benefits the condition of natural ecosystems, but also human communities.

Restoring
from this

To this

See the Process

Explore RRWC Restoration Strategies

We use a variety of strategies to implement ecological restoration on varying scales.

Large Wood
Placement

Large wood is the biological legacy guiding stream processes and it creates the habitat fish and wildlife need. We strategically install large wood into streams for the benefit of the stream and its inhabitants.

Riparian
Rehabilitation

Riparian forests are the filters, lungs, and create crucial habitat surrounding rivers and streams. We work to release them from noxious weed, to support healthy native riparian plant communities.

Fish Passage Improvement

Native fish and other aquatic species need to move freely within a stream to forage for food, and find shelter. We remove fish passage barriers (dams, weirs, etc) to allow them to do just that.

Floodplain
Connectivity

Floodplains are hidden gems of rivers and streams. These streamside areas store and filter groundwater, and weather the impact of high flow events. Streams need to be connected to their floodplains.