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Native
Plant Restoration
More than 100 species of plants growing
in Zion National Park did not arrive here
until the mid 1800s when permanent European
settlements were established. However,
sometimes these introduced species wreck
havoc on the native ecosystem, and resource
managers work hard to remove or control
the most aggressive non-native species.
Additionally, park rangers are preparing
to use a greenhouse and nursery where
native plants will be grown for restoration
projects; the greenhouse and nursery were
made possible through a generous grant
from the National Park Foundation and
the Canon Corporation. Campers in Watchman
Campground loop D will notice colored
circles on the ground that indicate where
native plants has been carefully planted.
Park visitors are urged to help in the
restoration efforts by walking only on
pavement or designated trails.
Virgin River Habitat Restoration
Between the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and
Virgin River there are wire cages that
protect plants from wildlife who enjoy
devouring young plants. Once the new plants
reach a adequate size the cages are removed.
Natural riparian vegetation species -
such as willows and young cottonwoods
- are particularly protect since they
have sparse populations along the river.
To restore this habitat the park is planting
willow and cottonwood in conjunction with
the wire cages.
Fire in Zion and Managing Wildland
Fires
Fire is an important natural force that
has helped to sculpt the environment of
Zion National Park. Over the millennia
it has helped determine what plants currently
thrive in the park and aided in the erosion
processes that transformed this landscape
into its stunning appearance today.
Fires also have burned on the plateaus
above Zion Canyon for millions of years,
and are crucial in maintaining ponderosa
pine forests are sustained. These fires
usually naturally start when lightning
strikes. Since human settlement here all
fires were considered destructive until
recently and were put out, creating unnatural
changes in the forest ecosystem. To reestablish
a more natural state, managers now use
fire as a tool. Since 1991 almost 10,000
acres have been burned in the park. All
fires are closely monitored to learn more
about their ecological importance and
to ensure visitor safety.
•Humans use and impact nature and
the land in many different ways, hopefully
keeping the needs of the ecosystem in
mind. This has become apparent in Zion
National Park as permanent modern settlers
have lived here for more than 150 years,
and people used the land for logging,
grazing, farming, and living while suppressing
the fire threat. All of these activities
affect the land differently, and these
effects can last for centuries. However,
once Zion National Park was established,
there has been a renewed focus on protecting
the environment, and efforts are shaped
by lessons learned from humans' dealing
with the Zion landscape. Despite what
seems logical, fire is actually an effective
tool in this effort to balance the needs
of humans and nature.
•Although fire has played a key role
in nature's self-management efforts, humans
feared and suppressed it. Fire helps nature
purify itself from clutter and dead material.
Hindering fire's ability to fulfill its
role can lead to an accumulation of litter
on the forest floor which fuels fire to
higher intensities than if fires could
operate naturally. Higher intensity fires
are more dangerous to the plants, animals,
soils, and humans living here. They are
also more dangerous and costly to manage
or stymie, which affect both firefighters
and taxpayers.
•Fire naturally occurs since it
is nature's way of housekeeping. Fire
plays an integral part in determining
what plant species survive and in sculpting
the landscape by aiding erosive processes.
Without fire, Zion National Park would
have a much different appearance than
it has today.
•The Zion Fire Management Program
uses fire and other management techniques
to help reduce these hazards and restore
balance to our ecosystems.
Plants
Since Zion National Park is located on
the Colorado Plateau and borders the Basin
and Range Province, it is home to plants
from both ecosystem regions. Geologic
forces like sedimentation, uplift, and
erosion have created a landscape with
elevations ranging from 3,600 to 8,700
feet. The numerous forces that contributed
to the creation of the great cliff walls
have seen the formation of multiple climes
like: deserts, canyons, slickrock, hanging
gardens, riparian, and high plateaus.
Zion National Park is home to more than
900 plant species. Below is a list of
some of the more common species.
•To help you identify Zion‘s
plants, the naturalist staff recommends
beginning with the following books, available
at the Visitor Centers:
•Wildflowers of Zion National Park,
S. L. Welsh
•Plants of Zion National Park, R.
Nelson (reference copy only)
•Shrubs and Trees of the Southwest
Deserts, J. E. Bower
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Maps
