Hello Bruce and everyone else. For whatever their worth, here are a few of my thoughts.
Regeneration:
Plant a glut of acorns, germinating acorns, and/or sapling bur oaks (BOC seed source) in those canyon locations safe from cattle and likely to sustain bur oaks.
A few small parcels of land in the canyon would go a long way. For example, fencing off areas along the canyon walls. Fencing off areas ten feet from the canyon wall would be enough to make a huge difference regarding regeneration.
Preservation:
Fencing off (or protecting by whatever means) a larger parcel or parcels of the canyon: whatever the family is willing to allow. Restoring one section of the canyon might be enough to ensure a future restoration of the entire canyon ecosystem. My guess is that someday BOC will be a protected preserve.
Attention:
I don't know if anyone else noticed but prickly pear grow in the canyon. Bur oaks and cacti are growing within yards of each other! This struck me as incredible... maybe it's more common than I realize: I don't know. It is at least uncommon. My guess is that there's much about BOC that is either unique or uncommon that has yet to be discovered. I think BOC would be a bonanza for university professors, graduate students, and others: there may be species unique to the canyon, etc. One way or another, let the people who should care about the canyon, who are able to study the canyon, know about the canyon. Likewise, publish everything known about the canyon to the web and elsewhere. For example, publish the information presented at the symposium to
Wikipedia.
These are a few of my thoughts. I don't know how good they are but if nothing else, they may give rise to new or better ideas.
Jeff
Arbor Aesthetics
