Rio Bosque Wetlands Park Tour Preview

1

Rio Bosque Wetlands Park - Introduction

Join Rio Bosque park manager John Sproul on a virtual tour of the park, filmed in September 2020.

2

Beavers

Beavers in El Paso?!? Yes, they have been seen at Rio Bosque for several years now. John shares about their impacts to the park, and the measures taken to protect the young trees from the beavers.

3

Riparian Restoration

The Rio Grande floodplain used to be a riparian habitat, with cottonwoods and willows providing food and shelter to many animals. Learn from John about how the restoration of riparian habitat at Rio Bosque is occurring.

4

Tornillo Restoration

One of the most noticeable changes at Rio Bosque is the development of tornillo forests. Tornillo, also known as screwbean mesquite, grew from seeds that were still in the soil from before the restoration efforts began.

5

Repeat Photography

How can we learn about the restoration progress at Rio Bosque? John has several fixed locations throughout the park where photos are taken a few times a year. He can then use those pictures to see how each location has changed over the years.

6

Water and Cottonwoods

John describes how cottonwoods were reestablished at Rio Bosque, and the critical role of providing water to the plants.

7

Burrowing Owls

Several locations in Rio Bosque have burrowing owl nests. Lois Balin, El Paso's Texas Parks and Wildlife Urban Biologist, has been installing artificial tunnels and nest boxes for several years, and monitors the birds. Burrowing owls are actually relatively easy to see because they often sit near the entrance to their burrows during the day. Learn more about these fascinating birds with John.

8

Wolfberry Shrubs

Wolfberries are important food sources for many animals. In the spring when they flower, bees and butterflies drink the nectar. In the late spring and early summer, migrating and resident birds eat the small red fruits. Several of the stands of wolfberries were planted by local high school students, who collected the seeds, grew the plants at their school, and then transplanted them into the park once they were large enough.

9

Water Pipeline

Securing access to water for Rio Bosque for most months of the year is perhaps the most important part of the restoration effort. John shares about the pipelines that allow for reclaimed water from the nearby water treatment plant to be delivered directly to the park. Partnerships with El Paso Water have allowed Rio Bosque to flourish.

10

Border Fence

The border fence separates Rio Bosque from the Rio Grande corridor. John shares about some of the potential consequences of this to the wildlife in the park.

11

Tornillo vs Honey Mesquite

Rio Bosque has both screwbean and honey mesquites. Learn from John how to tell them apart.

12

Tornillo Bosque

The Tornillo trail demonstrates what a mature screwbean mesquite forest looks like. This part of the park sometimes hosts roosting owls, and 1000s of American crows and Chihuahuan Ravens in the winter.

13

Irrigation Canal

Another source of water for the park is from the Riverside Canal, which sends water for irrigation in the Lower Valley. This turnout allows for some water to be diverted from the canal into the park.