Mount Rose Re-Seeding 2025

The goal of the Mount Rose Reseeding 2025 project is to complement our invasive musk thistle removal projects from the spring of 2025. FNW staff will lead volunteers to existing work sites along the Hunter Creek trail. These are sites we have been working in for 10+ years and have seen a significant improvement in increasing native biodiversity. This spring, they saw an increase in native flowers and grasses that are part of their seed mix.

Over the course of their two seed spreading projects, they will explain the importance of biodiversity within the Truckee River watershed to the volunteers. They will cover 10+ acres of ground with our Forest Service biologist-approved seed mix right before an incoming storm. They will transfer the seeds into gallon ziplock bags and distribute them among the volunteers to carry in their backpacks. They will spread the mix in a grid pattern, making sure the volunteers understand the correct amount of seeds to disperse in an area.  The volunteers will leave the project with a sense of community and a better understanding of their connection to the watershed.

TMWA Benefit:

Grant Priorities: II Watershed Improvements, IV Re-Forestation and Re-Vegetation Projects, V Support to Rehabilitation of Local Tributary Creeks and Drainage Courses, and VI Stewardship and Environmental Awareness.

Noxious weeds, such as musk thistle, pose a significant threat to the long-term health and biodiversity of the Truckee River Watershed. Our proposed volunteer projects aim to directly enhance this area by reintroducing native grasses and flowers, thereby improving watershed resilience. All proposed actions align with recommendations from Forest Service botanists. By decreasing weeds and increasing native flowers and grasses in the Mount Rose Wilderness, we can decrease the spread of invasive seeds downstream, minimize soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance the overall visitor experience along the Hunter Creek and Steamboat Ditch Trails.

This program not only educates the community about the importance of noxious weed mitigation but also offers hands-on opportunities for individuals to actively participate in ‘rewilding’ an area.

Volunteers who complete a project with us will gain a deeper understanding of the link between maintaining a healthy watershed and managing invasive species. Engaging with the public fosters a sense of intentional stewardship and raises awareness about the needs of our local watershed and water supply.