Landscape Rehydration Field Day

Located at Wildcat Bluff, a landscape rehydration demonstration, research & education site (among other things). Includes upper W Amarillo Creek which is degraded, incised and ephemeral. We’ve built over 100 instances of natural infrastructure in dryland streams aka NIDS, many leaky weirs inspired by those built & popularized by Mulloon, in an effort to reverse rapid runoff & drainage, retain stormwater, sediments & nutrients and recharge to the High Plains Aquifer System.

Afternoon, optional field trip to Mission Ranch venue, about 15 minutes E of Wildcat Bluff. Mission Ranch is home to another of our landscape rehydration demonstrations, along upper E Amarillo Creek which is perennially wet - in part due to regulated stormwater discharge from the Thompson Park lakes. Gives us an opportunity to build and experiment in a wet watershed, which lets us document & adapt to results on an ongoing basis - not just during those rare wet rainy periods. Mission Ranch is also home to beavers.

Agenda:

9-9:15 Will welcomes attendees, gives context to Mission Ranch & shows work & map

of where we’re going

9:15 - 10:15 Erin presents on water flow & Mulloon's work and learnings

10:15 - 12:15 Carpool to enter N gate, drive to confluence. Walk Around 1.5 hours (its' sheltered and pretty). Carpool back to Gilvin

12:15-1pm Lunch at Gilvin, Chatter & Fellowship

1 - 1:30 Will gives context to Mission Ranch, shows work & map of where we’re going

1:30-4 Leave Gilvin, Drive to Mission Ranch. Park. Look at beaver dam, and beaver dam

analog. Optional guided hike. Leave Mission Ranch, return home

The Mulloon Institute & our Guest Speaker

Mulloon Institute is a celebrated global leader in landscape rehydration and restoration, at the property and catchment scales.

Their world-class scientific research, education and capacity building programs are creating the evidence-based knowledge required for farmers and First Nations peoples to design and create resilient, productive and profitable farming landscapes, and to heal country and build stronger and more cohesive communities.

Mulloon Institute unlocks a systems approach to landscape restoration. The focus is on the capacity of a landscape to retain and cycle its vital resources, recover from shocks (drought, bushfire and flood), restore biodiversity, soil health, water quality, agricultural productivity and maintain resilience.

The Institute’s work has been acknowledged by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and they actively work towards helping achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Mulloon Institute are committed to building resilient rural and regional communities by supporting the long term, sustainable growth of Australian agriculture.:

Erin Healy

B Env Eng (Hons), Grad Cert Regen Ag

Environmental Engineer + Program Manager

Erin is an environmental engineer and consultant specialising in nature-based solutions and natural infrastructure for landscape rehydration and restoration. As a Program Manager for the Sydney Drinking Water Catchments - Water Stewardship Program, Erin leads initiatives to support landholders and community through collaborative, innovative projects aimed at restoring local water cycles and improving water quality and catchment health.

Through Mulloon Consulting, Erin designs, prepares, and oversees the construction of landscape rehydration works. She is also an experienced educational facilitator with the Mulloon Institute, where she leads field days, workshops, and bootcamps across Australia. Erin regularly collaborates one-on-one with land managers through the remote mentoring program to deliver on-farm landscape rehydration projects.

Erin graduated with honours from the University of Newcastle and holds a Graduate Certificate in Regenerative Agriculture from Southern Cross University. She is passionate about working with and empowering land managers to implement landscape rehydration works for ecosystem health, agricultural productivity, landscape function and resilience.

Contact: [email protected]

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

2301 N Soncy Rd, 2301 North Soncy Road, Amarillo, United States