Plateau Restoration, a Moab non-profit organization recently completed phase one of their Porcupine Ranch Fire rehabilitation project in Castle Valley, with the support of the National Forest Foundation.

The project was designed to supplement revegetation and weed removal efforts by the U.S. Forest Service and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in the area, which was charred during a massive wildfire in August, 2008.

Over the past year, Plateau Restoration staff and student volunteers planted hundreds of native shrubs and grass plugs and dispersed seedballs containing seed of 10 different species in several different locations, in addition to manually removing diffuse knapweed within the burned area, according to a news release from Plateau Restoration.

The organization was recently awarded an additional year of support for the project from National Forest Foundation. That funding will enable Plateau Restoration to extend the rehabilitation efforts in the area, according to the news release.

For more information about this project, contact Plateau Restoration at 259-7733.