Written by Ryan Banks, Senior Fisheries Technician, PSMFC/IDFG
A large percentage of the land in Nez Perce and Latah Counties is privately owned. Without conservation efforts on private lands, the fish inhabiting in or near these areas often would not have the ability to thrive. As a result, the Idaho Department Fish and Game (IDFG) has partnered with private landowners to provide the technical and financial support they may need to help manage their land for species conservation. Since 2007, IDFG has restored over 5 miles of rivers and streams and enhanced over 100 acres of wetlands and meadows in the Potlatch River watershed, and 90% of this was on private land.
The role a landowners plays in this process is relatively simple. Once a project is identified, IDFG handles the entire project from engineering designs to project construction. We apply for all project funding, obtain all necessary permits, and handle all project logistics. Our communication with the landowners during all phases of a project is critical. After all, who knows the land better than the landowner? We work with the landowner to gain ideas on historical conditions and land use, as well as identifying areas for construction access and desired locations for certain structures like log jams and fences.
We work hard to implement ideas and improvements that landowners may desire. We understand that we are guests of the landowners, and we work extremely hard to build a solid relationship and share the details of the project so that landowners have a full understanding of the process.
Some examples of fish habitat restoration projects that IDFG has completed on private lands include:
Adding large trees with rootwads to rivers for added fish habitat
Planting trees and shrubs for bank protection and riparian enhancement
Building fences with cattle crossings to minimize sediment delivery to river
Removing undersized culverts that create fish passage problems
Relocating river channels into historic channels for floodplain connection and increased water storage in meadows
IDFG maintains and builds new landowners relationships every day. We understand the importance of these relationships and how they directly affect our ability to help Idaho’s fish through habitat restoration. Without these relationships, our work simply would not happen, and Idaho’s native fish would be in jeopardy.