State-wide Seed Mix Development for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CO) 2017-2020
OVERVIEW: Colorado’s 42 state parks provide significant conservation and recreation benefits across a range of habitats, including prairie, foothills, montane, and alpine life zones. To improve the diversity and effectiveness of revegetation efforts on CO state parks, Colorado Parks and Wildlife hired AloTerra to develop park-specific seed mixes and specifications for upland and riparian habitats. Seed mixes were tailored to park-specific abiotic conditions (salinity, soil texture, pH, soil moisture gradients, elevation, etc.) as well as plant community reference data, commercial availability and cost, county occurrence, and post-restoration land use (i.e., high use areas or conservation). In total, 190 seed mixes were designed, and seeding specifications were developed in collaboration with Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff to address seeding rates, weed contamination, seedbed preparation, soil amendments, soil surface protection/erosion control, monitoring, maintenance, and warranty. Park-specific pollinator garden mixes were also developed, as well as seed mixes and best management practices for high saline soils.
