Friends of McInnis Canyons plan fundraiser for cottonwood comeback

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ^ | August 30, 2009 | AMY HAMILTON

[george76]

A small group of local residents has a vision for a portion of the Colorado River that includes shaded places to rest and a return to the native ecosystem. It’s a dream the 80-some members of the Friends of McInnis Canyons hope others will share.

For too long, invasive tamarisk trees have dominated the riverbanks along the 25-mile stretch between the Loma boat ramp and Utah’s Westwater section in Ruby Canyon and Horsethief Canyon.

As tamarisk beetles work to kill the water-guzzling species, an effort is under way to replant Freemont cottonwood trees to help return the area to its natural splendor.

The nonprofit Friends of McInnis Canyons, a group that works to increase education and awareness for the more than 123,000 protected acres in the National Conservation Area...

“It would be phenomenal to go down the river and see all those old Freemont cottonwoods,” ...of the impact of the tree’s reintroduction.

“If we can keep the (tamarisk) down, if they’re not competing for every drop of water, the cottonwoods will compete.”

[Bigg Red]

As tamarisk beetles work to kill the water-guzzling species....

&&&
If they brought in alien insects as a control on the trees, they are idiots, IMO.

[freekitty]

Yeah, they should read a book called “Trees”. They would see that living under a bunch of trees is depressing.

[wastoute]

Actually, this is a good thing. I grew up "out West". The tamarisk (salt cedar) was introduced from Russia over 100 years ago to "stabilize soil in the river banks". It took over and spread like fire. Each salt cedar give of some 75 gallons of water a day. When we were out there two years ago these litle beetles were everywhere. Folks said they were brought in to kill the salt cedar and once the salt cedar is dead the beetles will be, too.

Personally, I would love to see the salt cedars go because they give of some volatile oil that really triggers my asthma like nothing else.

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[george76]

Wildlife does not do well with Tamarisk.

Birds, deer...generally avoid it.

Tamarisk kills the soil thru salt introduction into the soil; then the habitat for native grasses to trees is destroyed.

Each bush sucks up tons of water that is needed in the west.

Re-introducing the native Cottowood trees provides better shade and more.

[TigersEye]

It sounds good. I hope they are successful.

[george76]

Thanks.

Driving I-70 to Utah should be a little better.

[TigersEye]

Cotton wood groves are wonderful. I grew up playing in them in eastern CO. They are the only semblance of a deciduous forest in the west other than aspen groves.