Research at Coldharbour

A Study Toward Improving Land Health Through Vegetation Diversity

Assessing What's Here

Research by: Ashley Kumburis, MEM, 2017-2018 

What's this about? What is the state of our plant diversity today on land that was once used for haying operations? Are there invasive species on Coldharbour Ranch, and if so, how can the spread be mitigated? Past fellow, Ashley Kumburis, studied 20 random locations on the Coldharbour Ranch to get a sense of these very questions.

Ashley outlined the goals of her research project which guided the rest of her process: 

“The project goal is to hone in on specific ecological goals like reducing invasive Canadian thistle and improving areas with limited vegetation diversity such as pastures previously used for hay operations, and areas populated solely with brome and cheatgrass. Over-grazing and over-rest have resulted in poor land health. Balancing between the two extremes, the grazing plan implementation is seen as a ‘treatment’ to recovery from both.” 

What did we find? Throughout the 20 locations monitored on the ranch, 27 species of vegetation were found, along with 5 unknowns.

The most commonly found species were: Timothy Grass (Phleum pratense) True Grass Family Poaceae (Bromus inermus)​ Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis)​ Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) Unknown Sedge ​Arctic Rush (Juncus arcticus)​ Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Ashley also authored a workbook for youth to explore the plants and pollinators of the Coldharbour Institute Ranch.

Want to know the full list of species available on our property? Email our research team to learn more! Research@Coldharbourinstitute.org

Keywords: vegetation diversity, soil health, wildlife habitat, irrigation, grazing, monitoring 

Developing the Highway 50 Ungulate Crossing

Assessing What's Here

Research by: Anna Markey, 2021-2022 

What’s this about? Building off of Merkel’s project, Anna Markey partnered with Coldharbour to build a Master’s in Environmental Management project which would create signage along this section of highway. She worked with the Colorado Department of Transportation and advocated for new policy that would help reduce collisions between wildlife and vehicles, preventing loss of human and animal life along the Hwy 50 migration corridor.   

What did we find? Markey utilized more game cameras – 24 in total – and recorded roadkill incidents adjacent to the property to confirm the presence of mule deer and elk. Her findings supported call for increased signage adjacent to the Coldharbour Ranch.  

The stretch of Highway parallel to the Coldharbour Ranch is considered a hotspot for these wildlife-vehicle collisions. In 2018, 4,000 vehicle collisions involving wildlife were reported in Colorado, which Markey was able to confirm (Sanchez, 2019; Markey, 2022).  

Keywords: wildlife, trail cameras, ungulates, wildlife-vehicle collisions, migration corridor

Beavers and Waterways

Assessing What's Here

Western Undergrad Ecology Research, Fall 2018

What's this about? Several irrigation dams were removed from Coldharbour Ranch, and Western students set out camera traps near two beaver dams to assess changes in Beaver activity after the removal of the irrigation dams. Time restrictions only allowed for 30 days of monitoring (15 prior and 15 post-dam removal). Water flow and temperature were also sampled. 

What did we find? The study was able to capture 2 pictures of beavers but found no difference in beaver activity after dam removal. The water data from this study support the concept that beaver dams significantly reduce water flow.

Further Research Opportunity! Researchers recommend a follow-up study with more cameras (potentially underwater), a longer study period, and more frequent collection of data.

If you are interested in doing more research on this topic with Coldharbour, please reach out to our research team: research(at)coldharbourinstitute(dot)org

Keywords: beavers, beaver dams, irrigated waterways, water, agriculture, wildlife 

All About Aquatic Macroinvertebrates

Assessing What's Here

Research By: Brigid Heckel, 1997-1998

Brigid Heckel’s study is the oldest known research in Coldharbour's archives; the study was conducted before the Coldharbour Ranch was established as a regenerative learning laboratory. The study, titled “Chemical characteristics and aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity, density, and biomass in thermal backwaters and hyporheic zones of Tomichi Creek'' accurately inventoried the macroinvertebrate species as well as water characteristics such as pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature at the Coldharbour Ranch. The project was intended to inform the Colorado Wetland Partnership and was supported by the Thornton Research Foundation and the Colorado Mountain Club.

What did we find? This study created an inventory of aquatic macroinvertebrates grouped by order in Tomichi Creek and its thermal backwaters, finding species in multiple taxa. The species taxa found were: Corixidae Ephemerillidae Perlodidae Hydropsychidae Sphaeriidae Carabidae Corydalidae Gastropoda & Chironomidae. This biology final project also described water chemistry by temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and water level, from July through October of 1997. More details are available in the final report generated for this project, performed under the oversight of Drs. Pat Magee and Ann Ryter of Western Colorado University.

Keywords: waterways, biology, macroinvertebrates, science, research, publications

Beavers at Coldharbour

Assessing What's Here

Western Undergrad Ecology Research, Fall 2018

What's this about? Researchers analyzed beaver activity on Coldharbour property by hiking the bank of Tomichi Creek and noting the locations and number of vegetation cuts from beavers.  

What did we find? The study estimated that 2-3 beaver families established territories within the Coldharbour property. 

Further research opportunity! Grazing cattle is the largest threat facing beaver habitat, so the authors recommend doing a similar study on public land that is impacted by grazing and comparing beaver activity among the two locations. 

If you are interested in doing more research on this topic with Coldharbour, please reach out to our research team: Research(at)coldharbourinstitute(dot)org

Keywords: beavers, beaver dam, grazing, wildlife 

Colorado River Watch

Working with Wetlands & Waterways

Research by: Jesse Bryan, Annie Beall, Malcolm Macleod, Savannah Adkins, Joslynn Carochi, 2020-current 

What’s this about? Tomichi Creek is a 71-mile-long river that flows from the east into the Coldharbour Ranch and continues west as it flows into the Gunnison River.

Coldharbour Institute is utilizing a citizen science program, River Watch, to monitor the health of Tomichi Creek by collect samples as it flows through the Coldharbour Ranch. Currently, Coldharbour Institute is the only River Watch location in Gunnison.  

The Coldharbour Chapter of River Watch was initiated in 2020 by then-Western Master in Environmental Management student, Jesse Bryan. Water sampling has been conducted monthly and sent to River Watch for analysis. Our community partner, The Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability at Western Colorado University hosts the research materials, data-collecting documents, and guidebook.   

Water quality factors are measured through a mobile testing station and include: pH, alkalinity, hardness, dissolved oxygen, metals, and nutrients.

What did we find? Riverwatch is an ongoing citizen science project with dynamic data shifting through the seasons and years.

To learn more about the data specific to the Tomichi River in Gunnison, visit coloradoriverwatch.org  

Keywords: citizen science, Tomichi River, monitoring 

How to Increase Your Wetland's Sustainability

Working with Wetland & Waterways

Research by: Savannah Adkins, 2022-2023

“I believe this protocol could be adopted by multiple landowners in the Gunnison Basin to help them in living sustainably.” — Savannah Adkins 

What’s this about? Savannah Adkins completed her Master in Environmental Management in 2023 at Western as a research fellow with Coldharbour Institute.  

Savannah explored wetlan monitoring protocols from restoration projects conducted in the Gunnison Basin and by the Savory Institute. Her research worked in tandem with the dynamic landscape on the Coldharbour Ranch to monitor changing elements of wetland restoration. She produced a report outlining low-tech process-based restoration techniques (LTPBR) for landowners.

What did we find? Savannah's protocol has been adopted and updated by current Western graduate students.

Keywords: wetland monitoring, wetland habitat, low-tech process-based restoration (LTBPR), The Savory Institute 

Adaptive Management and Restoration Techniques for Wetland Areas

Working with Wetlands & Waterways

Research by: Brenan Bloyd, 2022-2023

What’s this about? Brenan Bloyd completed his Master in Environmental Management from Western in 2023 and served as a research fellow with Coldharbour Institute.  

His work aimed to improve the wetland and riparian ecosystems on the Coldharbour Ranch to address bank erosion, vegetation composition, stream complexity, and water quality.   

Brenan worked with local agencies and regional restoration experts to balance wetland restoration with regenerative ranch management.

Brenan is working with local agencies and regional restoration experts to balance wetland restoration with regenerative ranch management. 

What did we find? Brenan’s contributed to improved water resources, increase vegetation production, and enhance wetland habitat for the benefit of both livestock and wildlife.  

By restoring these ecosystems, there is potential to develop a regenerative wetland restoration model scalable to other high-altitude, cold-weather regions to create resiliency at a local scale. The protocols and restoration are being carried on by current MEM students.

Keywords: wetland habitat, regenerative ranch management, water resources, vegetation production, high-altitude, cold-weather, resiliency 

Habitat Restoration at Tomichi Creek

Regeneration in Practice

Research by: Jesse Bryan, November 2019 

What’s this about? Researchers, partnering with NRCS, looked into the hydrology, geomorphology, physicochemical, and biology when considering the health of Tomichi Creek through the use of rapid watershed assessments.  

What did we find? This research sets a precedent to help landowners and local leaders to establish conservation priorities.  

Keywords: rapid assessment, strategic planning, geology, vegetation, precipitation, soil, land capability, wind erodibility, insect and disease, social data, grazing, irrigation, wetland and wildlife management, Functioning-at-risk (FAR), restoration

The Promise of Compost

Regeneration in Practice

Research by: Alexia Cooper, Shaun McGrath, & Dr. Jennie DeMarco, April 2020

What’s this about? Does compost actually make a difference? Researchers set up 20 control plots and 20 plots with added compost at a 5 cm depth to ask this exact question.  

What did we find? Just one application of compost over an 8-week period saw an increase in biomass production, soil organic matter, and carbon stock storage relative to control plots.  

Further research opportunity! Because there is low species diversity due to hay production, additional research could identify species diversity for increased resilience of an agroecological system.

If you are interested in doing more research on this topic with Coldharbour, please reach out to our research team: research(at)coldharbourinstitute(dot)org

Keywords: compost, ranching communities, strategic planning, regenerative practices.