This project was generously funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife. The land, riparian plant and wildlife species and water source remain protected for the next thirty years thanks to the Government and the landowners; Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, Elk and countless amphibians continue to congregate here happily and safely.

Post-construction restoration
Working with construction companies and developers, we find many of our greatest restoration challenges to be within city and county limits, where new homes are built daily. Our already fragile soils, with their low organic content and alkalinity are more susceptible to harm caused by construction: compaction, scraping away vegetative cover and tree root damage. Post-contruction restoration is a must.

Blue Flax - 2 years after seeding	After ensuring that the integrity of the grading and drainage is in place, we seed the disturbed areas with a diverse mix of native shrubs, grasses and wildflowers suited for the site, covering the seeded areas with native grass straw or straw mats. The site may be irrigated temporarily to encourage germination or may be allowed to germinate and grow along with the year's precipitation.
Revegetation Mats Before and after erosion control: swales, check dams, seeding and revegetation mats.
Before	After

Before	After

Slope stabilization
Houses built on or adjacent to slopes are especially vulnerable to soil erosion and sheet runoff. We employ a combination of techniques to hold the soil in place including: swales, check dams, erosion-control mats, terraces and revegetation seeding.

Before	After
This formidable combination of stone terraces, swales and revegetation was completed by the subcontractor, San Isidro Permaculture in the winter of 2005. The Tesuque home precariously positioned at the base of this slope is now more secure against the possibility of sheet runoff and mudslides.
	Check Dams Residents at this community had been experiencing the effects of erosion from the adjacent steep slope. Denuded soils with low organic content could not absorb precipitation, therefore allowing sheet flows of water to scour the soil, depositing it onto their patios and, in some cases, into their homes. Under the direction of a local engineer, we constructed RR tie check dams situated strategically at the tops of and along the slopes. These help slow the flow of water to encourage infiltration and deposition of silt in the gulleys, allowing for seeds and roots to take hold. We also spread compost and sowed a diverse mix of warm- and cool-season native grasses and wildflowers and, finally, topped the most vulnerable areas with straw revegetation mats. These hold the seed, compost and soil in place and, eventually, break down providing valuable carbon and organic matter to the soil.
Revegetation Mats Before and after erosion control: swales, check dams, seeding and revegetation mats.
Before	After