The Long and the Short of It

Mission: Cut and bundle willows from an area with a willow abundance, and replant them in areas with a willow shortage where wildlife must be sustained.

Current Project: We're cutting the willows (about as wide as a thumb in diameter) around the Cedar City Airport area. We prune off branches and bundle the willows into groups of 25, and soak the bottom ends of them in a body of water.

Progress: With seven crew members, we've harvested 46 bundles of willows in two days. 46 bundles adds up to approximately 1,150 willow stems. We'll be replanting them in groups of three, which will yield 384 separate plantings. In about 100 years, if successful, each willow planting will help to sustain wildlife within a 50 foot diameter. In two days, then, we've harvested enough willows to provide nourishment to over 19,000 feet of wildlife.

That's just from two days, and we'll be harvesting these willows for at least a couple of weeks. I'll give you some more stats/updates as they come. Looking a the numbers gets me excited.