Kokoro Communications – At the Heart of Things

Julia Nave worked in collaboration with the Gunnison Climate Working Group for her Master of Environmental Management project at Western State Colorado University. The Working Group is a localized climate adaptation movement implementing planned strategic treatments on the land in order to benefit the Gunnison Sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) and other wildlife under multiple climate scenarios. The group has worked collaboratively to install one-rock dams and other hand-built treatments that help reduce erosion and retain water in ephemeral streams in the sagebrush steppe environment while providing brood-rearing habitat for Gunnison Sage-grouse.  The success of these treatments has yet to be evaluated so Julia’s work on the project includes performing descriptive analysis utilizing a robust camera trapping dataset. As a result of the initial analysis, recommendations for future treatments and other monitoring efforts can be determined.