Propagating native Salicaceae for riparian restoration on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona

Abstract

The USDA Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Hopi Tribe Office of Range Management have been working together on native plant restoration projects in northeastern Arizona. The aggressive exotic plants, Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L. [Elaeagnaceae]) and salt-cedar (Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. [Tamaicaceae]), have invaded many wetland and riparian areas on the Hopi Reservation, excluding willows (Salix L.), cottonwoods (Populus L.), and other native plants. The tribe has been mechanically removing the invasives and has asked for help in propagating native species to plant in these project areas. Although much information is available on how to collect willows and cottonwoods and propagate them, some unique challenges exist on Hopi lands. Some species are common, while others are very rare and in some cases only a few individual plants exist. The scattered locations of streams, wetlands, and seeps must be considered during plant material collections to ensure that both genetic and sexual diversity are adequately represented. Another challenge is the determination of target plant stock types that are appropriate on the diverse hydrologic conditions on the various project sites. Collected plant materials were taken to the NRCS Plant Materials Center in Los Lunas, New Mexico, for both seed and vegetative propagation.