Edgefield, South Carolina– November 2024— As part of the NWTF’s Waterways for Wildlife Initiative, volunteers in Sheridan County, Wyoming aided in a collaborative wet meadow restoration project, installing nine Zeedyk structures — low-technology structures made of rocks, wood, and mud to protect vegetation against erosion and slow and spread water across wet meadow soils.
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In wet meadow habitats, soils remain saturated for most of the year and are a key player in helping regulate water flow for wildlife and all downstream users.
The installation of these structures is a part of the Six Mile Creek Wet Meadow Enhancement project spearheaded by the Sheridan Community Land Trust. The project will restore a series of wet meadows near Six Mile Creek in Sheridan County, Wyoming, which lies within NWTF’s America’s Great Open Spaces focal landscape and has been identified as a crucial aquatic habitat priority by Wyoming Game and Fish.
These wet, mesic (moisture-rich) habitats provide year-round shelter for a variety of wildlife, including wild turkeys, other upland birds, pronghorn, mule deer, elk, and rabbits. They are also critical for young wildlife, offering essential foraging opportunities. However, erosion in the Sixmile Creek area has caused significant headcutting (erosion that disrupts water connectivity), which disrupts the natural flow of the floodplain and lowers the water table. This drop in water levels has led to reduced forage production, degraded wildlife habitat, and increased vulnerability to wildfires.
To address these issues, the project will focus on constructing 50 Zeedyk structures to stabilize soil erosion and slow flow to restore natural water processes. By improving water connectivity, these efforts will help restore wet meadows, benefiting wildlife and boosting the land’s resilience.
The NWTF has contributed $7,000 toward this effort through its Waterways for Wildlife Initiative, which will help fund the construction of 50 Zeedyk structures. With nine structures already in place, contractor crews are set to build the remaining structures this fall.
The Sheridan Community Land Trust will monitor the project annually and, as it progresses, may implement further interventions to restore the channels and elevate the floodplain. The long-term goals of the project include improving both water quality and quantity by promoting shallow water table storage and filtering water through the wetland’s vegetation and soils.
Photo courtesy of David Nikonow
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 23 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $10 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners, and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide Healthy Habitats. and Healthy Harvests. for future generations.
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