About 100 years ago this area did not have a lot of Junipers it was all grassland, because of over grazing by ranchers with cattle and then lack of restoration from the Buffalo (who were in this area originally properly grazing) it changed the landscape, along with loss of the beaver, who would damn up seasonal washes. He's actually restoring it to what it once was. Though it may seem strange I would say introduce some cattle at some point, obviously control grazing, but they'll help bring back native grasses and feed the soil. Those native grasses will help retain the water in the ground. Grazing if done correctly can make a huge difference.
Hi Jeremiah, you are spot on brother! The historic ranching in this area unintentionally depleted the soil and scrub juniper started to take over the grasslands. There have been efforts over the past 5 years to start clearing out large swaths of scrub juniper from National Forest and State Land in an attempt to allow the grasslands to take hold again. So far it seems to be working, I look forward to turning my place into a similar oasis. I'm fortunate that we have free range cows out here, they love hanging out in the lower meadow on my property so I've got lots of cow patties hitting that spot on a regular basis. I'm excited to see what this place looks like in 5-10 years time! Great comment, I really appreciate your accurate history of the ecosystem & description of what I'm trying to accomplish here. All the best ~ Brian
@@rosehavenfarm2969 a blow drier dries your head even if you got hair - the wind sucks moisture from the grass wich in turn sucks moisture from the soil
Nice work! Can I suggest one thing? If you girdle the junipers by cutting a ring in their bark through their sapwood and leave them standing in place rather than removing them, you can gain the benefit of the shade that the dead snag tree will produce. This shade and the body of the tree will reduce solar and wind exposure, which will both reduce evaporation and desication of your land while reducing the erosive force of monsoon rains by buffering the impact. In addition, the shade can allow you to nurse other less thirsty or more beneficial trees or shrubs that you prefer to transition in the place of the junipers, and it gives birds and insects a place to perch which provides free fertilizer. After another tree or shrub has gained a foothold in it's nursery, then remove the juniper snag. Just a thought. Great to see your project.
Soil biologists have proven that adult trees share food and water with younger, less established trees through their roots and mycorhizal fungi. Leave the junipers until your saplings become established. You will have greater success and faster results.
The birds perching on the dead tree when dropping the seeds and the trees grow it will spawn a forest around it, local birds have benefit of dropping native plant seeds :D!
You’re catching valuable topsoil with the rock berm method. It won’t be long before you notice a big difference. I use to have a homemade wooden sled that I used behind my 4 wheeler. Kept me from having to lift the larger rocks so high .
I admire what you are doing more than I can say. I think about the times before the beavers were wiped out on so much of the land where you live. Grasslands and wetlands were abundant. Today, it is you doing the beavers' work. That makes you the new keystone species in charge. I wish you tremendous success. I suggest that you incorporate those cut-down trees into your rock dams to help provide structure and to filter silt from the flow. I am soooo impressed!
That is a thought I have long loved: humans are a keystone species. It is so good to watch us get back to our Creator's original intention! Caretakers of the Gaden. Every bit counts.
Might I make a suggestion ? You can see that any "leak" in your walls tends to funnel your sediment out. You want the water to spread and run over the top or around the edges of the dam. Try layering your cut juniper branches among your rocks to create a "net". The needles will plug up holes in the rock wall and catch more silt. Will also create mulch, compost over time and improve your soil. In fact, the branches can be used to create dams if rocks are used to hold them in place, saving amount of heavy rocks you have to move. The height of the walls is not as important as the thickness. Small rocks, gravel can be used to plug holes and hold more water. Love what you are doing there ! Also research "sand dams" where water is held underground in sand that accumulates.
I was thinking about all the various ways to build “beaver dams” with the cut juniper. A few large rocks to layer the branches against will slow any small water flow and spread it out good. For sure use the branches to fill the gaps in the existing rock dams where the sediment is flowing through to help catch the sediment and seal the dam up.
This comment for the win. He should look up "beaver dam analogues" and model some dams after those concepts. These juniper trees would be perfect for that.
Great job Brian! I'm a few years away from retirement and starting to look for land to begin a homestead. I have lurked for years, but this video made me have to comment. You and Sierra should be proud!!
Right on, thank you for tuning in! Best wishes for your land search, I was really lucky to stumble across my property as it was a FSBO and not listed on Realtor.com.. Hope you are able to secure your slice of heaven for a homestead. Living this way is such a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of big cities. I absolutely love it!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures Can you tell me the general area of AZ your property is located in? I'd love to find something like that for my retirement. Thanks.
Good progress from day 1, NICE. You should also put rocks on those areas where you see water incising the land. It will stop it eroding further (13:50 in your video). And another way to slow the flow is to just leave the sawed of junipers in the water channel (think like a beaver).
Mike Dickson has a video on Joel Salatin's place. He shows his check dams. Where he uses a scrap piece of plastic so he control the water etc.. with poly tubing and he is able to have multiple uses for water ie; livestock etc... I don't know if you plan to a few heads of livestock but it certainly wouldn't hurt. I'm glad I found your channel! Thank you for sharing, it's not easy work but it sure is meaningful work. Brooks
Well the juniper provides shade over the soil thus keeping the temperature lower and preventing evaporation. They do suck up water but it's good to have them as well. Love the idea to create a wetland tho. It gonna benefit wildlife so much and can be a great opportunity to grow food as cattails are edible and so is wapato and pond lilly if you can get some. Willow is also great as a medical plant and is excellent for deer as well. So many opportunities for you and the land I love it.
Perfect permaculture beginnings you can do so much with the swales and water catchment on contour. I’m looking forward to following this content. Always enjoy your videos thanks.
I'm interested to see if you'd get a mix of Arizona wildflowers, the bugs will really like that. Some trees to make shade for small plants too, hopefully you can find something that doesn't suck up too much water.
I get suggested these kinds of desert property improvements and find them interesting, wondering how much improvement can you really make in 40 years? This property looks a lot more doable than most. Anyhow I've made this same comment many times and it is clearly not obvious to most people. Think about how a brick layer makes a door span, it is an arch because the weigh being supported above puts the brick or stone in compression where it has tremendous strength, in tension, not so much. So when you make a water retetion/ slow down structure, especially if not using cement, you really must build it as an arch so that when the water and sediment stack up against it, your loose stone goes into compression so the rocks stay put. Otherwise it will wash out, likely the first time you get an inch of rain. That shape also helps to spread the flow out and slow it down so it drops sediment instead of digging a gulley. Always build that curve in and as it fills behind, place the next layer a little uphill so your resultant rock wall is leaning toward the uphill side. Have a look at a dam like Hoover for geometry clues.
I appreciate what you're doing with the Earthworks and awesome to see you start transforming your property. Just a consideration, if the juniper trees were sucking water from everything, there wouldn't be grass growing or the various shrubs and bushes. Notice your rock check dam slowed water and the grass started growing. You still have juniper trees around, so why is the grass still growing? I understand people's thinking and it's roots go back to the big ranching days, "traditional thinking" no pun intended... but i dont think it is considered the lack of discipline back then in water management and everyone sucking water out of wells for irrigation, livestock, etc... not apposed taking trees out, so you can plant deciduous and fruit trees, but it's just considering that if what we think is true then there wouldn't be anything else growing. It's all about proper management, planting the water and the biology. It's the same with "invasive species" if what we thought about "invasive species" was completely true, all that would be around everywhere would be the "invasive species" that no one wants. 🤔 just some things to consider from my experience.
Juniper trees not only support a diverse array of wildlife, including birds, mammals, and insects by providing essential food, shelter, and nesting sites but they also play a vital role in stabilizing soil and creating beneficial microclimates. These trees help prevent soil erosion and moderate temperature extremes, which are particularly valuable in desert conditions. However, their significant water use and allelopathic properties present challenges. Manage juniper populations strategically-opting for selective thinning rather than complete removal to balance water conservation with ecological benefits. Utilizing removed juniper wood as mulch or for building materials can further enhance resource efficiency.
Man you ROCK. 😂 You know I have to say something corny. However you are a very smart man. I love your creations. Your property has come along way. I enjoy every thing you do. It is so interesting and the videos are absolutely beautiful. Much love to you and Sierra. Hey, looks like you smashed your thumb pretty good too. Ouch! Be careful 😂
If you are planning on growing trees, plant them by the juniper you want to get rid of. Then wait until the tree becomes established before chopping the juniper. Trees have an extensive requirement for different types of bacteria and fungi that will already be present in the root zone of those juniper trees. It has also been proven that adult trees share food and water with saplings to help them grow. This will jump start your saplings tremendously.
These used to be called spreader dams. Those swales are a great idea. Take all those juniper branches, cut them smaller and put them on the uphill side of the dams to help trap sediment in the dam. I know I’m late with the ideas. I’m sure you’ve researched this stuff well.
Read the book, “Wanted: Mountain cedar dead and alive”, thinning cedar and lifting up may be a better approach as it is a progenitor species whose roots keep soil intact.
Great work! Better take the junipers out bit by bit. They at least give shade. you could get some seeds of local species and sow them below the junipers, until they are hardy eneough to success them. you cam put the offcuts of the juniper into the ditches as well, they will be washed into the leaky weirs and deteriorate to good topsoil. Alternatively you could also use them to build beaver dam analouges. Those slow water down, trap sediments, and are free, when you have wood to be cut on your land.
You should use the debris from the junipers. Maybe it could support the wall, drive them into the ground maybe. Weave some branches between them. Kinda do a BDA, Beaver Dam Analog.
At 14.00 your talking about holding the soil, but cutting the small Junipers that are in that drainage line and further away. The tree roots are holding the soil. You could use the cut branches from other Junipers elsewhere to slow the water and hold some soil. The drainage at 14.00 can be helped by adding the branches in a criss cross pattern in the lowest parts. All those green tops you prune are perfect for that job. Earlier you were lifting out rocks on the surface then moving them "upstream" to build a wall. You made the soil (where you removed the rocks from) more prone to wash/erosion. Obviously you know about swales and slowing the effect of the water. You could be harvesting a lot of small Juniper branches to use in these eroding drainage areas. And you can harvest from the same trees each year without removing them. It's such a dry environment. The soil needs more organic matter. If you remove large areas of Juniper you make it hotter and will not get the grass cover you want. No need for fertilizers, simply make the most of the green Juniper material. Work with the Juniper to improve the soil so it can hold more water. to act as a mulch
You misunderstand the unique ecosystem in Northern Arizona. Tree roots are FAR inferior to holding in soil compared to the native tallgrass. The areas where I've removed junipers has a resurgence of tallgrass growing helping to trap more groundwater, stabilize the soil, and prevent further desertification caused by the junipers. I'm stabilizing the wash walls where I rearranged the rocks with vetiver grass. If you didn't notice, I am using small juniper branches in my washes. The take over of juniper trees is causing the environment to be drier, the return of tallgrass is what helps to restore this land to what it once was. Here is a video showing the conservation efforts I'm mirroring, the footage was shot literally down the road from what I live - th-cam.com/video/qEbBiO7Z7D8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vAg5hYyAkM1y_8TZ.
Taking the long term approach is great. Making changes, then observing. Monitor your land, take notes and keep recording your progress. Would highly recommend seek professional help. A consultant or even your local USDA for guidance. This work is deceptively hard and so easy to create problems. Getting professional input can really accelerate the learning process.
You should let super small juniper saplings grow into small trees so they're root systems get larger. They're extensive root systems will bust up the hard soil out there
Have you looked into what trees you might want to plant to replace the juniper? We're starting our own homestead and while we originally wanted to leave the juniper mostly undisturbed we've learned how water thirsty they are and recognize we'll need to at least thin the area, but we really want to replace the ones we take out with another tree.
Good Morning, yes I plan to replace them with Asian Pear Trees and Cherry Trees...both of which do extremely well in this area! My neighbor has the BEST cherries from his trees.
I've been fortunate to only see one in the 3 years I've had this property. Friends at lower elevations get quite a few coming through their land in the warmer months, I'm lucky up here.
The moonsoonal rains and floods reveal where the challenges are. Look at the volume flow, forces, erosion to help determine a plan to progressively stem water flow and build water retention. Pictures, drone footage, indigenous plants, trees, grasses that flourish. Before and after images. Maps with elevation contours for terracing, swales, berms, streams, ponds, dams, etc. Water flow barriers: local trees/plants/grass roots, the deeper the better. Cut or choped up wood and branches like what beavers do. Circula or curved water pathways vs straight water courses. Start at the top to begin reducing water flow. Work your way downwards to the bottom areas. Factoring in curved swales, berms, reinforced terraces, following the natural land contours. As the flow begins to slow or spread out or get captured, their will be less erision, sogginess or bogging. Greater absorption and watertable build-up. Small terraces or big depending on grade, soil, bedrock, land contours or obstacles. Smaller multiple curved berms or swails or larger ones, again depending on circumstances. Once installed, plant local trees and grasses for soil bonding. Think seasonally. Selectively removing trees at the bottom of the homestead, after or towards the end of the moonsoon will encourage foilage development as less under ground water is consumed. Place stone entrapment areas around desirable trees. Choped up branches and twigs can also be used for shading, water retention, tree protected area identification. Cut up or dead shrubbery can be used to initially create water barriers, terraced id areas or pathway. In cooler or favorable periods, scour for rocks, branches, cut tree trunks to create dams in the worse areas. Secure embankments with trees, grasses, support structures (stumps, rocks, caged blankets/pads/mats). Or reinforced concrete with stones. Or relocated soil. Backfill damaged areas. Where possible, divert water from main channels or streams across the land to swales or terraced locations. Follow land contour patterns. May have to rent equipment or pay someone with a bulldozer/digger to help. Seasonally review progress. Identify action areas and lessons learned. Continue to modify your plan based on skill, experience, success, resources.
Enjoying the channel and subscribed. There might be a little bit of a myth surrounding the the juniper trees and the amount of water they use in comparison to others..In my experience I've seen an abundance of life thriving beneath the juniper. Giving other trees and shrubs a chance to grow. Certainly management of juniper and replacing them with different varieties of trees will help build the soil.
So Junipers basically, by being so drought tolerant and water demanding, dry up the landscape so they have no competition (not on purpose, but it coinsidentaly happens?
If you are going to act like a beaver go fill beaver. Use those small rock walls you built as the base and all the trees as the beaver dam. you can make a few of them using what you wanted to cut down. when it starts holding more you can did "branches" that lead away to spread it even farther.
Love it man, can only imagine 5 yrs from now what your progress will be.. what area northwest of Prescott are u in and are u offering overland camping for a fee?
Years ago back in the 60s my dad An me had some land that had been flat but nature wanted a big ditch But we wanted it more flat so we cut down trees an placed them in ditch wind row Then built dams out of rocks on sjde of hill which i thought dad lost his mind why did we need dams On side of hill no water But by the next yr dams over flow So much soil behind it the big ditch was full of soil so we did it all Agian after about 4 yrs the ditch was gone so were the small dams An we hada nice yard Plus a small branch of water where the big ditch was the water Was good enough to drink An birds rabbits a few deer came to by to vist So we always had fresh game an few fruit trees they ate some of the apples an peachs An left behind natural supply of fertility That way everybody benefited When i went bye to see it the people Had dug small pond with fish They said worse part was every few feet run into rocks ha ha So they built a barbecue pit Now they won having rocks to do That at very little cost
Hello. You mention gallons of water for trees per 1 year. Do you mean to say US gallon = 3.8 liters or British gallon = 4.54 litres? Please detail and explain. Andrew
What part of Arizona are you in? I have 40 acres in heber it’s heavy juniper country I only have 3-4 on my entire property is there a natural more water friendly species of tree you know of that could work as a substitute?
Have you by chance read This Land by Ketcham? It is a super fascinating read about the American West and our view of it. It is pretty anti-cow... So to the crowd who believes that the solution to cows is more cows, probably not the book for you.
Hey DazCK9s, I think you might have a slight misunderstanding of the term monsoon. It's different from heavy rains the UK is accustomed to getting. I'm from Kansas and we have insane storms there, but they are not monsoons. Same with your area, you have heavy rains but they aren't monsoons. Monsoons apply to desert regions where the weather patterns shift pulling moisture up from oceanic areas bringing much needed moisture to a parched landscape. The American Southwest, India, parts of China, and areas of South America have this weather phenomenon. If you'd like to learn more, here is some reading that explains why these are unique... The Arizona Monsoon is a well-defined meteorological event (technically called a meteorological 'singularity') that occurs during the summer throughout the southwest portion of North America. During the winter time, the primary wind flow in Arizona is from the west or northwest-from California and Nevada. As we move into the summer, the winds shift to a southerly or southeasterly direction. Moisture streams northward from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. This shift produces a radical change in moisture conditions statewide. Such a change, together with daytime heating, is the key to the Arizona monsoon. This wind shift is the result of two meteorological changes: The movement northward from winter to summer of the huge upper air subtropical high pressure cells, specifically the so-called Bermuda High (H). In addition, the intense heating of the desert creates rising air and surface low pressure (called a thermal low) in the Mohave (L). These two features combine to create strong southerly flow over Arizona. The southerly winds push moisture north-ward from Mexico. The exact source region for the moisture of the Arizona monsoon is unknown. Researchers have proposed the Gulf of Mexico and/or the Gulf of California as the source regions but conclusive evidence has so far been elusive.
@@davidmesser5813 Yeah, I always wondered why folks in the American Southwest called them monsoons. I grew up in Kansas where we had tornadoes all the time with crazy rain but we always just called it thunderstorm season. Now I get it why people call these monsoons, being out here it's a completely different experience compared to the rest of the country. I love it!
@@Dazck9s it's all good brother, for the first 40 years of my life I honestly didn't understand why these storms were labeled monsoons. Growing up in Kansas, we have insane storms so I didn't think they were any different than what the Southwest receives. I learned more about monsoons once I moved here, sure do love the cool temps they bring to the high desert during summer months. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Hello me to your channel, ai would love to do the same as you are. Whereabouts in AZ are you? If you ever need a hand I am more than willing to come learn by working hands on.
One thing to think about, too, is that your one-rock dams should be two times wider at the base than they are tall. This creates a pyramidal structure that's strong and will resist being pushed through by the heavy flows. On the downhill side, you want to create an 'apron' of smaller rocks so that water cascading over the top of the dam doesn't tumble and scour away the soil, undermining your structure. You can see the benefits of this in your second dam where the water flow was able to push through the underside of the dam, creating that deep channel. If you'd used the smaller rocks all around that area to create a ramp-like construction fore and aft of the main ridge, the water would have been broken up and lost energy rather than being able to focus and push its way through. A good rake or grub hoe used to scrape up the small pebbles around the dam site will make piling them up on the faces of the dam a lot easier. In the end, it's about experimenting and learning from others. There are a ton of videos on TH-cam about making "leaky weirs", "One Rock Dams", "Beaver Dam Analogs" and the like. You have all the resources you could want on your site, so check out a few videos and see how others have successfully built theirs. No need to reinvent the wheel.
Some ranchers in Central and Eastern Oregon removed the juniper trees around springs that had dried up, and eventually found their way back to the surface and running again. They really do such up a lot of water i think your going to be very surprised how your land reacts with the absence of junipers
Check out Bamberger Ranch Preserve in Texas... David Bamberger bought one of the worst pieces of ground in the hill country of Texas, waged war on the juniper (that would have historically been kept in check with the frequent natural fire cycle). After just 2.5 years, the first spring began running on the ranch. They now have 11 springs where none existed. If we won't allow fires to naturally control the junipers, we must do the management ourselves.
You can use the wood and branches from those junipers you're planning to cut down to make leaky weirs as well, something similar to the way beavers make their dams. It's useful material for that silt catching, and if you have pieces long enough to anchor into the sides of a stream bed all the better.
In 1957 my father bought 5 acres of land that was bare, with 6 ft deep gulches from the water running into a stock pond. It got fenced so the cattle could not get get in. Cut junipers were placed in the gulches to slow the water and catch the sediment. More junipers were added as the julches filled up. Today 65 years later that land is all grass, no gulches and the stock pond is gone replaced by a gentle slope into a depression. Northern AZ..
When we build these water slowing walls, one thing we do that helps a lot is that we add a layer of straw right against the rocks, and then cover that straw in a thick layer of sand (clay if you have it). It mixes together and fills in all the cracks in the wall and retains water a bit better.
I love a rainy day. Way to go Brian . Rocks everywhere ya look out there. Sierra is looking fine. Take care of yourself and Sierra. I’ve been watching since you had that big tent in the snow. Fun seeing your RC truck.
Hey William! Hope your holiday weekend is going well. I'm having a blast out here turning my property into an oasis. I love the solitude and having Sierra by my side makes life that much sweeter. Enjoy the rest of your day, thank you for tuning in! ~ Brian & Sierra
That is pretty cool. Here in northern Colorado if we did something like that someone would have a meltdown about water rights. In my town we can have rain barrels. Their combined capacity can NOT exceed 110 gallons. Ridiculous.
Yeah, I was very disheartened when I looked into the various codes in the mountain counties so that's why I purchased land out here. There's more freedom to work your land without any neighbors getting upset or the county telling you what to do. I love the solitude out here but I do miss the Rocky Mountains. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!
This really shouldn't a problem as a spreader dam, old term, does not stop water flow. It slows it. It also stops erosian and the buildup of sediment in streams. There should be research out there that backs it up. Erosian control and sediment catcher is better for people who don't understand that not all dams are for building lakes.
If you put rock salt on the stumps when you cut them down that should kill the rest of the roots. You need to drill holes first then use the rock salt cover.
@kittimcconnell2633 yep you are right. It works but it can kill off other plants in area. Spectracide Stump Remover is safe and according to This Old House it works to remove the stump.
You can see grass, scrubs etc all greener & taller behind and beside your rock walls. Nice to see immediate results of all your hard work. Interesting video & job well done so far.
If I could make a suggestion on your rock dams - do more little ones rather than a few big ones. Sure, bigger ones would individually hold back more water but more little ones would (in my opinion) prove better at slowing a greater volume overall. Even a wall of one rock high would work. The greater the amount held by larger individual dams, the more likely it is that the water would break through and erode or go round the sides of the dam and erode.
Tremendous success, Brian! I was amazed at how effective that first 'test' area turned out. How exciting to have that kind of result immediately. I watched the reference video you posted and learned a lot from it. Great idea and good plan for your land. I'm a huge fan of stewardship but not a don't go off the trail ever crazy person. You have to walk your land to care for your land. It's looking really amazing. Good for you and Sierra, I'm glad she's still with you to enjoy it. Your friend in Vegas!
Thanks Chris! Yeah, I was VERY surprised at the amount of sediment deposited after just one storm. I can only imagine how much will accumulated over time, I'm thinking this will really help spread out water running through the lower meadow. I'd love it if I could have a wetland/riparian area year around down there. Currently it stays green for about 10 months out of the year so I don't think I have far to go for it to stay lush year around. Hope your Sept is staring off awesome in Vegas, cooler temps are on the horizon!! I'm ready for fall/winter. ~ Brian
Looks like a great plan. I think it’s good that you’re doing it over a couple years so you can modify the plan as needed. You actually may get the results you want sooner than you think.🤔
About 100 years ago this area did not have a lot of Junipers it was all grassland, because of over grazing by ranchers with cattle and then lack of restoration from the Buffalo (who were in this area originally properly grazing) it changed the landscape, along with loss of the beaver, who would damn up seasonal washes. He's actually restoring it to what it once was. Though it may seem strange I would say introduce some cattle at some point, obviously control grazing, but they'll help bring back native grasses and feed the soil. Those native grasses will help retain the water in the ground. Grazing if done correctly can make a huge difference.
Hi Jeremiah, you are spot on brother! The historic ranching in this area unintentionally depleted the soil and scrub juniper started to take over the grasslands. There have been efforts over the past 5 years to start clearing out large swaths of scrub juniper from National Forest and State Land in an attempt to allow the grasslands to take hold again. So far it seems to be working, I look forward to turning my place into a similar oasis. I'm fortunate that we have free range cows out here, they love hanging out in the lower meadow on my property so I've got lots of cow patties hitting that spot on a regular basis. I'm excited to see what this place looks like in 5-10 years time! Great comment, I really appreciate your accurate history of the ecosystem & description of what I'm trying to accomplish here. All the best ~ Brian
Came to the comments to say the same thing. AGREED !! 🙂
trees slow the wind to reduce the hair drier effects - blowing wind sucks moisture from the land
@@replica1052Not if the soil is covered with grasses.
@@rosehavenfarm2969 a blow drier dries your head even if you got hair - the wind sucks moisture from the grass wich in turn sucks moisture from the soil
Nice work! Can I suggest one thing? If you girdle the junipers by cutting a ring in their bark through their sapwood and leave them standing in place rather than removing them, you can gain the benefit of the shade that the dead snag tree will produce. This shade and the body of the tree will reduce solar and wind exposure, which will both reduce evaporation and desication of your land while reducing the erosive force of monsoon rains by buffering the impact. In addition, the shade can allow you to nurse other less thirsty or more beneficial trees or shrubs that you prefer to transition in the place of the junipers, and it gives birds and insects a place to perch which provides free fertilizer. After another tree or shrub has gained a foothold in it's nursery, then remove the juniper snag. Just a thought. Great to see your project.
Great idea!
a property without old trees is boring and has no sould. I think that advise is golden and the reasoning correct.
yes. Use the junipers, don't kill them.
That's such a big mistake.
Soil biologists have proven that adult trees share food and water with younger, less established trees through their roots and mycorhizal fungi. Leave the junipers until your saplings become established. You will have greater success and faster results.
The birds perching on the dead tree when dropping the seeds and the trees grow it will spawn a forest around it, local birds have benefit of dropping native plant seeds :D!
You’re catching valuable topsoil with the rock berm method. It won’t be long before you notice a big difference. I use to have a homemade wooden sled that I used behind my 4 wheeler. Kept me from having to lift the larger rocks so high .
I'm excited to see how this place will look in a few years!
I admire what you are doing more than I can say. I think about the times before the beavers were wiped out on so much of the land where you live. Grasslands and wetlands were abundant. Today, it is you doing the beavers' work. That makes you the new keystone species in charge. I wish you tremendous success. I suggest that you incorporate those cut-down trees into your rock dams to help provide structure and to filter silt from the flow. I am soooo impressed!
That is a thought I have long loved: humans are a keystone species. It is so good to watch us get back to our Creator's original intention! Caretakers of the Gaden. Every bit counts.
Might I make a suggestion ? You can see that any "leak" in your walls tends to funnel your sediment out. You want the water to spread and run over the top or around the edges of the dam. Try layering your cut juniper branches among your rocks to create a "net". The needles will plug up holes in the rock wall and catch more silt. Will also create mulch, compost over time and improve your soil. In fact, the branches can be used to create dams if rocks are used to hold them in place, saving amount of heavy rocks you have to move. The height of the walls is not as important as the thickness. Small rocks, gravel can be used to plug holes and hold more water. Love what you are doing there ! Also research "sand dams" where water is held underground in sand that accumulates.
100% agree. Nice post.
I was thinking about all the various ways to build “beaver dams” with the cut juniper.
A few large rocks to layer the branches against will slow any small water flow and spread it out good.
For sure use the branches to fill the gaps in the existing rock dams where the sediment is flowing through to help catch the sediment and seal the dam up.
This comment for the win. He should look up "beaver dam analogues" and model some dams after those concepts. These juniper trees would be perfect for that.
looks great! you mentioned swells, also remember to plant useful plants in the swells fruit trees and berry bushes are always a good choice
Pretty cool! Sierra is looking good. Enjoy the holiday week end.
The property is looking great and love the views. Your rock wall is already doing what you want.
I love this. it's beaver time! The landscapes and clouds are so beautiful, going through Arizona and NM was awesome when i went cross-country.
Looking good Brian!!
Thanks Brother! Hope you are having a good holiday weekend!
So interesting! You’re giving a master class on taking care of your land to conform to you needs! Thank you!
Great job Brian! I'm a few years away from retirement and starting to look for land to begin a homestead. I have lurked for years, but this video made me have to comment. You and Sierra should be proud!!
Right on, thank you for tuning in! Best wishes for your land search, I was really lucky to stumble across my property as it was a FSBO and not listed on Realtor.com.. Hope you are able to secure your slice of heaven for a homestead. Living this way is such a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of big cities. I absolutely love it!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures Can you tell me the general area of AZ your property is located in? I'd love to find something like that for my retirement. Thanks.
Good progress from day 1, NICE. You should also put rocks on those areas where you see water incising the land. It will stop it eroding further (13:50 in your video). And another way to slow the flow is to just leave the sawed of junipers in the water channel (think like a beaver).
You can also use some of the small trees you cut along with the rocks to hold more water.
Mike Dickson has a video on Joel Salatin's place. He shows his check dams. Where he uses a scrap piece of plastic so he control the water etc.. with poly tubing and he is able to have multiple uses for water ie; livestock etc... I don't know if you plan to a few heads of livestock but it certainly wouldn't hurt. I'm glad I found your channel! Thank you for sharing, it's not easy work but it sure is meaningful work.
Brooks
Well the juniper provides shade over the soil thus keeping the temperature lower and preventing evaporation. They do suck up water but it's good to have them as well. Love the idea to create a wetland tho. It gonna benefit wildlife so much and can be a great opportunity to grow food as cattails are edible and so is wapato and pond lilly if you can get some. Willow is also great as a medical plant and is excellent for deer as well. So many opportunities for you and the land I love it.
It might help to use juniper branches in your check dams to fill in gaps and hold more sediment back.
Another great vid Bryan...Im looking to leave calif. I would love to be able to buy land in an environment like that...beautiful!
Wow this was very informative. I learned so much today!
Thanks for tuning in! I'm really pleased with my progress so far.
Perfect permaculture beginnings you can do so much with the swales and water catchment on contour. I’m looking forward to following this content. Always enjoy your videos thanks.
Juniper wood when dried, is great for wood fired cooking.
Be like a beaver and use the juniper that your cutting down and the rocks in tandem to hold water.
Love the way things are going. Nice to see Sierra up and about. Best wishes to you both.
Wow 😅 sorta is so happy and you with so hard. You inspire me to learn about the land. Thank you
I'm interested to see if you'd get a mix of Arizona wildflowers, the bugs will really like that. Some trees to make shade for small plants too, hopefully you can find something that doesn't suck up too much water.
that is a great idea
I get suggested these kinds of desert property improvements and find them interesting, wondering how much improvement can you really make in 40 years? This property looks a lot more doable than most. Anyhow I've made this same comment many times and it is clearly not obvious to most people. Think about how a brick layer makes a door span, it is an arch because the weigh being supported above puts the brick or stone in compression where it has tremendous strength, in tension, not so much. So when you make a water retetion/ slow down structure, especially if not using cement, you really must build it as an arch so that when the water and sediment stack up against it, your loose stone goes into compression so the rocks stay put. Otherwise it will wash out, likely the first time you get an inch of rain. That shape also helps to spread the flow out and slow it down so it drops sediment instead of digging a gulley. Always build that curve in and as it fills behind, place the next layer a little uphill so your resultant rock wall is leaning toward the uphill side. Have a look at a dam like Hoover for geometry clues.
amazing! i dream of doing this in az one day too
It will be interesting if you see an increase of rabit activity with all the new grass that will grow around those rock dams. Great project!
I appreciate what you're doing with the Earthworks and awesome to see you start transforming your property.
Just a consideration, if the juniper trees were sucking water from everything, there wouldn't be grass growing or the various shrubs and bushes. Notice your rock check dam slowed water and the grass started growing. You still have juniper trees around, so why is the grass still growing? I understand people's thinking and it's roots go back to the big ranching days, "traditional thinking" no pun intended... but i dont think it is considered the lack of discipline back then in water management and everyone sucking water out of wells for irrigation, livestock, etc... not apposed taking trees out, so you can plant deciduous and fruit trees, but it's just considering that if what we think is true then there wouldn't be anything else growing. It's all about proper management, planting the water and the biology. It's the same with "invasive species" if what we thought about "invasive species" was completely true, all that would be around everywhere would be the "invasive species" that no one wants. 🤔 just some things to consider from my experience.
Juniper trees not only support a diverse array of wildlife, including birds, mammals, and insects by providing essential food, shelter, and nesting sites but they also play a vital role in stabilizing soil and creating beneficial microclimates. These trees help prevent soil erosion and moderate temperature extremes, which are particularly valuable in desert conditions. However, their significant water use and allelopathic properties present challenges. Manage juniper populations strategically-opting for selective thinning rather than complete removal to balance water conservation with ecological benefits. Utilizing removed juniper wood as mulch or for building materials can further enhance resource efficiency.
That whole area needs the junipers thinned out majorly.
Love your place! Best wishes from Richmond Va.
Man you ROCK. 😂 You know I have to say something corny. However you are a very smart man. I love your creations. Your property has come along way. I enjoy every thing you do. It is so interesting and the videos are absolutely beautiful. Much love to you and Sierra. Hey, looks like you smashed your thumb pretty good too. Ouch! Be careful 😂
I cant wait till the Tesla bot comes out. Imagine how much work you can get done with a few of them!
you could put that dead branch in that wash to help slow the water(over time)
If you are planning on growing trees, plant them by the juniper you want to get rid of. Then wait until the tree becomes established before chopping the juniper. Trees have an extensive requirement for different types of bacteria and fungi that will already be present in the root zone of those juniper trees. It has also been proven that adult trees share food and water with saplings to help them grow. This will jump start your saplings tremendously.
These used to be called spreader dams. Those swales are a great idea. Take all those juniper branches, cut them smaller and put them on the uphill side of the dams to help trap sediment in the dam. I know I’m late with the ideas. I’m sure you’ve researched this stuff well.
Prune the junapers to a stick so they grow tall and the shade will get bigger
Read the book, “Wanted: Mountain cedar dead and alive”, thinning cedar and lifting up may be a better approach as it is a progenitor species whose roots keep soil intact.
Great work! Better take the junipers out bit by bit. They at least give shade. you could get some seeds of local species and sow them below the junipers, until they are hardy eneough to success them. you cam put the offcuts of the juniper into the ditches as well, they will be washed into the leaky weirs and deteriorate to good topsoil. Alternatively you could also use them to build beaver dam analouges. Those slow water down, trap sediments, and are free, when you have wood to be cut on your land.
You should use the debris from the junipers. Maybe it could support the wall, drive them into the ground maybe. Weave some branches between them. Kinda do a BDA, Beaver Dam Analog.
At 14.00 your talking about holding the soil, but cutting the small Junipers that are in that drainage line and further away.
The tree roots are holding the soil. You could use the cut branches from other Junipers elsewhere to slow the water and hold some soil.
The drainage at 14.00 can be helped by adding the branches in a criss cross pattern in the lowest parts. All those green tops you prune are perfect for that job.
Earlier you were lifting out rocks on the surface then moving them "upstream" to build a wall.
You made the soil (where you removed the rocks from) more prone to wash/erosion.
Obviously you know about swales and slowing the effect of the water.
You could be harvesting a lot of small Juniper branches to use in these eroding drainage areas. And you can harvest from the same trees each year without removing them.
It's such a dry environment. The soil needs more organic matter. If you remove large areas of Juniper you make it hotter and will not get the grass cover you want. No need for fertilizers, simply make the most of the green Juniper material. Work with the Juniper to improve the soil so it can hold more water. to act as a mulch
You misunderstand the unique ecosystem in Northern Arizona. Tree roots are FAR inferior to holding in soil compared to the native tallgrass. The areas where I've removed junipers has a resurgence of tallgrass growing helping to trap more groundwater, stabilize the soil, and prevent further desertification caused by the junipers. I'm stabilizing the wash walls where I rearranged the rocks with vetiver grass. If you didn't notice, I am using small juniper branches in my washes. The take over of juniper trees is causing the environment to be drier, the return of tallgrass is what helps to restore this land to what it once was. Here is a video showing the conservation efforts I'm mirroring, the footage was shot literally down the road from what I live - th-cam.com/video/qEbBiO7Z7D8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vAg5hYyAkM1y_8TZ.
You are also slowing soil erosion. Well done!
Fantastic! This is the way to keep your property working for you, growing food for you and providing more for wildlife.
Taking the long term approach is great. Making changes, then observing. Monitor your land, take notes and keep recording your progress. Would highly recommend seek professional help. A consultant or even your local USDA for guidance. This work is deceptively hard and so easy to create problems. Getting professional input can really accelerate the learning process.
Lets swale the whole planet!
You should let super small juniper saplings grow into small trees so they're root systems get larger. They're extensive root systems will bust up the hard soil out there
Have you looked into what trees you might want to plant to replace the juniper? We're starting our own homestead and while we originally wanted to leave the juniper mostly undisturbed we've learned how water thirsty they are and recognize we'll need to at least thin the area, but we really want to replace the ones we take out with another tree.
Good Morning, yes I plan to replace them with Asian Pear Trees and Cherry Trees...both of which do extremely well in this area! My neighbor has the BEST cherries from his trees.
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures Thank you for the reply! I was just looking at both of those along with apple and mulberry this morning.
Have you had any encounters with rattlesnakes?
I've been fortunate to only see one in the 3 years I've had this property. Friends at lower elevations get quite a few coming through their land in the warmer months, I'm lucky up here.
The moonsoonal rains and floods reveal where the challenges are. Look at the volume flow, forces, erosion to help determine a plan to progressively stem water flow and build water retention. Pictures, drone footage, indigenous plants, trees, grasses that flourish. Before and after images. Maps with elevation contours for terracing, swales, berms, streams, ponds, dams, etc. Water flow barriers: local trees/plants/grass roots, the deeper the better. Cut or choped up wood and branches like what beavers do. Circula or curved water pathways vs straight water courses.
Start at the top to begin reducing water flow. Work your way downwards to the bottom areas. Factoring in curved swales, berms, reinforced terraces, following the natural land contours. As the flow begins to slow or spread out or get captured, their will be less erision, sogginess or bogging. Greater absorption and watertable build-up. Small terraces or big depending on grade, soil, bedrock, land contours or obstacles. Smaller multiple curved berms or swails or larger ones, again depending on circumstances. Once installed, plant local trees and grasses for soil bonding.
Think seasonally. Selectively removing trees at the bottom of the homestead, after or towards the end of the moonsoon will encourage foilage development as less under ground water is consumed. Place stone entrapment areas around desirable trees. Choped up branches and twigs can also be used for shading, water retention, tree protected area identification. Cut up or dead shrubbery can be used to initially create water barriers, terraced id areas or pathway.
In cooler or favorable periods, scour for rocks, branches, cut tree trunks to create dams in the worse areas. Secure embankments with trees, grasses, support structures (stumps, rocks, caged blankets/pads/mats). Or reinforced concrete with stones. Or relocated soil. Backfill damaged areas. Where possible, divert water from main channels or streams across the land to swales or terraced locations. Follow land contour patterns. May have to rent equipment or pay someone with a bulldozer/digger to help.
Seasonally review progress. Identify action areas and lessons learned. Continue to modify your plan based on skill, experience, success, resources.
I don't know why but there's an urge to just cut the juniper and throw it on check dam to make it similar to beaver dam
Maybe you can use some of the juniper trees to build your dams out of put a log across the wash, and put a couple steaks to hold it in
looks like you have a great set up Brian
Thanks Dean, have a great week!
Enjoying the channel and subscribed. There might be a little bit of a myth surrounding the the juniper trees and the amount of water they use in comparison to others..In my experience I've seen an abundance of life thriving beneath the juniper. Giving other trees and shrubs a chance to grow. Certainly management of juniper and replacing them with different varieties of trees will help build the soil.
I think your doing an awesome job looks beautiful where you live .
Thank you Sheri, I sure do love it out here!
I think that the juniper trees can still be planted on the marsh lands.
Junipers do not like wet roots. In a natural cycle they will die off when there is too much moisture in the ground.
YO BRO
Hey man!
You have a great proberty with a lot of potential 👍 and doing great work 👍👍👍
Need help making swails?
So Junipers basically, by being so drought tolerant and water demanding, dry up the landscape so they have no competition (not on purpose, but it coinsidentaly happens?
I read Juniper trees are 250 years old larger ones.
Hope you can afford a small tractor/loader/3 pt hitch
Your life will change dramatically.
Worthy project.
good ideas
Could thinning the branches on the older juniper slow the trees' water consumption?
If you are going to act like a beaver go fill beaver. Use those small rock walls you built as the base and all the trees as the beaver dam. you can make a few of them using what you wanted to cut down. when it starts holding more you can did "branches" that lead away to spread it even farther.
Love it man, can only imagine 5 yrs from now what your progress will be.. what area northwest of Prescott are u in and are u offering overland camping for a fee?
Years ago back in the 60s my dad
An me had some land that had been flat but nature wanted a big ditch
But we wanted it more flat so we cut down trees an placed them in ditch wind row
Then built dams out of rocks on sjde of hill which i thought dad lost his mind why did we need dams
On side of hill no water
But by the next yr dams over flow
So much soil behind it the big ditch was full of soil so we did it all
Agian after about 4 yrs the ditch was gone so were the small dams
An we hada nice yard
Plus a small branch of water where the big ditch was the water
Was good enough to drink
An birds rabbits a few deer came to by to vist
So we always had fresh game an few fruit trees they ate some of the apples an peachs
An left behind natural supply of fertility
That way everybody benefited
When i went bye to see it the people
Had dug small pond with fish
They said worse part was every few feet run into rocks ha ha
So they built a barbecue pit
Now they won having rocks to do
That at very little cost
Hello. You mention gallons of water for trees per 1 year. Do you mean to say US gallon = 3.8 liters or British gallon = 4.54 litres? Please detail and explain. Andrew
nice video....what county are you in? Apache, Navajo, Coconino, Yavapai? Thanks
What part of Arizona are you in? I have 40 acres in heber it’s heavy juniper country I only have 3-4 on my entire property is there a natural more water friendly species of tree you know of that could work as a substitute?
What kind of game animals frequent your property?
Keep your trees, just slow the flow of water as much as possible, that will do much more than removing a few valuable trees
Better trees to plant, they’re not valuable because they used too much water.
Have you by chance read This Land by Ketcham? It is a super fascinating read about the American West and our view of it. It is pretty anti-cow... So to the crowd who believes that the solution to cows is more cows, probably not the book for you.
Cows would be beneficial to this area. The harm us not letting kand rest between grazing.
What area of Arizona is this? I am looking for land in north central AZ.
Have you looked into making fake beaver dam's
I laugh when you Americans all it monsoon season and we call it heavy rain in the uk
Hey DazCK9s, I think you might have a slight misunderstanding of the term monsoon. It's different from heavy rains the UK is accustomed to getting. I'm from Kansas and we have insane storms there, but they are not monsoons. Same with your area, you have heavy rains but they aren't monsoons. Monsoons apply to desert regions where the weather patterns shift pulling moisture up from oceanic areas bringing much needed moisture to a parched landscape. The American Southwest, India, parts of China, and areas of South America have this weather phenomenon. If you'd like to learn more, here is some reading that explains why these are unique...
The Arizona Monsoon is a well-defined meteorological event (technically called a meteorological 'singularity') that occurs during the summer throughout the southwest portion of North America. During the winter time, the primary wind flow in Arizona is from the west or northwest-from California and Nevada. As we move into the summer, the winds shift to a southerly or southeasterly direction. Moisture streams northward from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. This shift produces a radical change in moisture conditions statewide.
Such a change, together with daytime heating, is the key to the Arizona monsoon. This wind shift is the result of two meteorological changes:
The movement northward from winter to summer of the huge upper air subtropical high pressure cells, specifically the so-called Bermuda High (H).
In addition, the intense heating of the desert creates rising air and surface low pressure (called a thermal low) in the Mohave (L).
These two features combine to create strong southerly flow over Arizona. The southerly winds push moisture north-ward from Mexico. The exact source region for the moisture of the Arizona monsoon is unknown. Researchers have proposed the Gulf of Mexico and/or the Gulf of California as the source regions but conclusive evidence has so far been elusive.
Only those in the desert states call it monsoon. Vaughn
@@davidmesser5813 Yeah, I always wondered why folks in the American Southwest called them monsoons. I grew up in Kansas where we had tornadoes all the time with crazy rain but we always just called it thunderstorm season. Now I get it why people call these monsoons, being out here it's a completely different experience compared to the rest of the country. I love it!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures I'm sorry I wasn't been awkward, as you say I didn't understand it
@@Dazck9s it's all good brother, for the first 40 years of my life I honestly didn't understand why these storms were labeled monsoons. Growing up in Kansas, we have insane storms so I didn't think they were any different than what the Southwest receives. I learned more about monsoons once I moved here, sure do love the cool temps they bring to the high desert during summer months. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Are You familiar with the Paani Foundation and their water competition in India? Lode of information there!
How far is the nearest town
Try spread the water er before it gets inthe little gulley
Hello me to your channel, ai would love to do the same as you are. Whereabouts in AZ are you? If you ever need a hand I am more than willing to come learn by working hands on.
You are lucky you dont have a big red river gum growing there, they will suck up 20 tonne of water per day.
Do you have cell signal where you live
Good Morning, yes I have cell reception up where my camper is located but not down in the lower meadow area.
Try and get some beavers 🦫 to help.
We call the "rock dam wall things", Leaky weirs in Australia, Long history of them from our Indigenous population.
That’s a perfect description of what it is
One thing to think about, too, is that your one-rock dams should be two times wider at the base than they are tall. This creates a pyramidal structure that's strong and will resist being pushed through by the heavy flows. On the downhill side, you want to create an 'apron' of smaller rocks so that water cascading over the top of the dam doesn't tumble and scour away the soil, undermining your structure. You can see the benefits of this in your second dam where the water flow was able to push through the underside of the dam, creating that deep channel. If you'd used the smaller rocks all around that area to create a ramp-like construction fore and aft of the main ridge, the water would have been broken up and lost energy rather than being able to focus and push its way through.
A good rake or grub hoe used to scrape up the small pebbles around the dam site will make piling them up on the faces of the dam a lot easier. In the end, it's about experimenting and learning from others. There are a ton of videos on TH-cam about making "leaky weirs", "One Rock Dams", "Beaver Dam Analogs" and the like. You have all the resources you could want on your site, so check out a few videos and see how others have successfully built theirs. No need to reinvent the wheel.
Some ranchers in Central and Eastern Oregon removed the juniper trees around springs that had dried up, and eventually found their way back to the surface and running again. They really do such up a lot of water i think your going to be very surprised how your land reacts with the absence of junipers
Good job
Thanks Ken, I'm excited to see what becomes of my lower meadow!
Remove the juniper above natural rock piles.
Check out Bamberger Ranch Preserve in Texas... David Bamberger bought one of the worst pieces of ground in the hill country of Texas, waged war on the juniper (that would have historically been kept in check with the frequent natural fire cycle). After just 2.5 years, the first spring began running on the ranch. They now have 11 springs where none existed. If we won't allow fires to naturally control the junipers, we must do the management ourselves.
Nobody eats the juniper trees?
You can use the wood and branches from those junipers you're planning to cut down to make leaky weirs as well, something similar to the way beavers make their dams. It's useful material for that silt catching, and if you have pieces long enough to anchor into the sides of a stream bed all the better.
In 1957 my father bought 5 acres of land that was bare, with 6 ft deep gulches from the water running into a stock pond. It got fenced so the cattle could not get get in. Cut junipers were placed in the gulches to slow the water and catch the sediment. More junipers were added as the julches filled up. Today 65 years later that land is all grass, no gulches and the stock pond is gone replaced by a gentle slope into a depression. Northern AZ..
When we build these water slowing walls, one thing we do that helps a lot is that we add a layer of straw right against the rocks, and then cover that straw in a thick layer of sand (clay if you have it). It mixes together and fills in all the cracks in the wall and retains water a bit better.
I love a rainy day. Way to go Brian . Rocks everywhere ya look out there. Sierra is looking fine. Take care of yourself and Sierra. I’ve been watching since you had that big tent in the snow. Fun seeing your RC truck.
Hey William! Hope your holiday weekend is going well. I'm having a blast out here turning my property into an oasis. I love the solitude and having Sierra by my side makes life that much sweeter. Enjoy the rest of your day, thank you for tuning in! ~ Brian & Sierra
Very cool! Can't wait to see how it progresses!
This will be a great long term project!
That is pretty cool. Here in northern Colorado if we did something like that someone would have a meltdown about water rights. In my town we can have rain barrels. Their combined capacity can NOT exceed 110 gallons. Ridiculous.
Yeah, I was very disheartened when I looked into the various codes in the mountain counties so that's why I purchased land out here. There's more freedom to work your land without any neighbors getting upset or the county telling you what to do. I love the solitude out here but I do miss the Rocky Mountains. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventuresdemocrat policies ruin everything
This really shouldn't a problem as a spreader dam, old term, does not stop water flow. It slows it. It also stops erosian and the buildup of sediment in streams. There should be research out there that backs it up. Erosian control and sediment catcher is better for people who don't understand that not all dams are for building lakes.
If you put rock salt on the stumps when you cut them down that should kill the rest of the roots. You need to drill holes first then use the rock salt cover.
Thanks for the tip, Theresa!
Juniper won’t come back when you cut them off. Nothing else is required
Used cooking oil works as well; but in this case he's chopping junipers down and they won't sprout from roots.
NO do not salt your land!!!!
@kittimcconnell2633 yep you are right. It works but it can kill off other plants in area. Spectracide Stump Remover is safe and according to This Old House it works to remove the stump.
You can see grass, scrubs etc all greener & taller behind and beside your rock walls. Nice to see immediate results of all your hard work. Interesting video & job well done so far.
If I could make a suggestion on your rock dams - do more little ones rather than a few big ones. Sure, bigger ones would individually hold back more water but more little ones would (in my opinion) prove better at slowing a greater volume overall. Even a wall of one rock high would work. The greater the amount held by larger individual dams, the more likely it is that the water would break through and erode or go round the sides of the dam and erode.
@@traildude7538 sounds about right
Hello Brian and Sierra water 💦 yes 💧😉
Hi Zoi, I hope you are having a nice weekend!
Tremendous success, Brian! I was amazed at how effective that first 'test' area turned out. How exciting to have that kind of result immediately. I watched the reference video you posted and learned a lot from it. Great idea and good plan for your land. I'm a huge fan of stewardship but not a don't go off the trail ever crazy person. You have to walk your land to care for your land. It's looking really amazing. Good for you and Sierra, I'm glad she's still with you to enjoy it. Your friend in Vegas!
Thanks Chris! Yeah, I was VERY surprised at the amount of sediment deposited after just one storm. I can only imagine how much will accumulated over time, I'm thinking this will really help spread out water running through the lower meadow. I'd love it if I could have a wetland/riparian area year around down there. Currently it stays green for about 10 months out of the year so I don't think I have far to go for it to stay lush year around. Hope your Sept is staring off awesome in Vegas, cooler temps are on the horizon!! I'm ready for fall/winter. ~ Brian
Looks like a great plan. I think it’s good that you’re doing it over a couple years so you can modify the plan as needed. You actually may get the results you want sooner than you think.🤔
Nice Brian, looks awesome
My guess is that you’ve got 20 acres… nice place.
Pretty close guess! I've got just over 14 acres out here, love the terrain and solitude of Northern AZ.