Professor of Wetland Ecology, Department of Watershed Sciences
Utah State University
Bio:
Dr. Karin Kettenring is head of the Wetland Ecology and Restoration Lab in the Department of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University. She has a B.A. in Biology from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in Applied Plant Sciences from the University of Minnesota. She has been a faculty member at Utah State University since 2008. Her research program focuses on increasing capacity for effective wetland management and restoration throughout the Intermountain West through research on the ecology and genetics of wetland plant invaders and native wetlands plants. Much of her research program involves meaningful collaborations with wetland managers, restoration practitioners, and native plant vendors.
Title: Strategic management, innovative research, and strong collaborations drive the success of Phragmites control and wetland restoration in a new water reality
Abstract: Great Salt Lake wetlands are a critical part of the world-renowned Great Salt Lake ecosystem. The valuable role these wetlands play, however, is under threat due to dewatering, hydrologic extremes, and invasive species. Yet, solutions developed to effectively manage and restore these wetlands can serve as a model for other wetlands around the world facing similar impacts. Here, we highlight recent successes and ongoing challenges for the management and restoration of Great Salt Lake wetlands. We emphasize the essential role that collaborations across management agencies and land owners have played in ongoing progress as well as unique partnerships between managers and researchers. We focus on the omnipresent impacts of the invasive, non-native grass phragmites; the innovative research program in collaboration with many agencies that helped refine today’s management strategies; and the massive, highly coordinated management program that is yielding greatly reduced phragmites cover throughout the watershed. However, water shortages will hinder further reductions in phragmites as will landowners who are unable or unwilling to manage their invasive species. We then turn our attention to the restoration of native plant communities, the essential next step in recovering these degraded wetlands and the habitat they provide. Active revegetation in wetlands has lagged behind progress made in invasive species management but opportunities abound to develop and refine best practices for seeding and planting, with researchers and managers again working in collaboration. Questions such as which species to introduce, at what density and time of year, and with what seed pre-treatments are being addressed in ongoing restoration experiments. Looking ahead, water availability will constrain how much wetland habitat can be restored through seeding and planting, as will access to diverse native wetland seeds that are affordable. We remain optimistic about the future of Great Salt Lake wetlands but underscore the vital importance of securing sufficient water, obtaining enough funding, and supporting strong collaborations for effective management and restoration.