You are here

Aerial Reseeding Operations to Temporarily Close Some Zion National Park Trails

Share

Some backcountry areas in Zion National Park will be temporarily closed to allow aerial reseeding of burned areas. NPS photo.

Work to reseed areas of Zion National Park that were burned in June 2006 will lead to the temporary closure of some backcountry trails in the park.

Superintendent Jock Whitworth says crews plan to begin aerial application of herbicide and seeding and on approximately 4,600 acres of the 2006 Kolob Fire burned area starting this coming Monday, the 14th. These areas include the Kolob Terrace Road, Coal Pits Wash and Dalton Wash. This aerial spraying of herbicide (3,100 acres) and seeding (1,500 acres) will cause the temporary closure of some of the area trails including Grapevine, Right Fork of North Creek and Coal Pits trails and cross-country hiking in the Dalton Wash area.

There may also be some short-term road delays along the Kolob Terrace Road as the spraying and seeding is done in this area. Because of the remote and rough terrain in the burn area, application of the herbicide and seed will be done by a contracted helicopter. The project is expected to last for approximately two weeks, but could be longer if weather conditions are unfavorable.

In June 2006, the Kolob Fire burned 10,516 acres in the southeastern portion of Zion, making it the largest wildfire in the park’s history. Most of the affected area was along the Kolob Terrace Road and the Crater Hill area at the end of the Dalton Wash Road. A "Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation" (BAER) team was brought in to assess the fire and found a significant threat of invasion by non-native cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). This was of particular concern due to cheatgrass’s ability to establish and maintain dominance over native vegetation and create an annual fire hazard. In response to this, the park conducted an Environmental Assessment after the fire to address issues relating to a proposal to aerially apply herbicide to the affected area to reduce the cheatgrass. Herbicide spraying and re-seeding began in the fall of 2006 after a Finding of No Significant Impact related to the EA.

The previous herbicide treatment has been very successful in reducing the amount of cheatgrass that invaded most of the burned area. However, due to uncontrollable environmental conditions at the time of the original aerial spraying, the natives have not yet established consistent cover in many areas. Many open areas remain where cheatgrass could gain a foothold and compete with native vegetation for available water, nutrients and light. Because the herbicide applied in 2006 is at the end of its effective timeframe, it will not prevent future establishment of cheatgrass. Along with the herbicide spraying, the park will also be re-seeding some of the burned areas with locally collected native seeds in hopes that they will establish themselves before the cheatgrass can. Park managers have determined that re-application of herbicide and re-seeding of native material would be the most effective treatment for the burned area.

For more information on this project and associated area closures call 435-772-3256 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/zion.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.