We will be planting over 300 individual plants into the riparian area surrounding Dude Creek near Payson. Native plant species ranging from grasses, flowering shrubs, and willow trees will find a new home on the banks of Dude Creek. The work will entail hiking along the creek, using hand tools to plant the native species, and using provided materials to create enclosures to keep the plants safe until they can grow to a larger size.
Saturday, November 15
8:00am - 3:00pm
Dude Creek: 20-30 mins NE of downtown Payson and we will meet offsite in Payson to begin the day.
How this work supports native fish? We are doing this event as a second phase of a recent restoration project on Dude Creek. Last year we completed the repair of significant bank erosion along stretches of the creek, and this planting will serve multiple proposes to compliment that work. Some of the plants are designed to stabilize the bank, as well as create shade for the water. Other species are going to be vital for local wildlife species and pollinators. This work will also create a more aesthetically pleasing view of the construction areas, which now appear somewhat bare from the work being done prior. This creek is a Gila Trout recovery stream, where AZGFD is stocking and monitoring this trout species to encourage the resurgence of a native fish species. The construction work completed last year repaired and created new habitat for the resident Gila trout.
