CCA funds Western Colorado Conservation Corps (WCCC) restoration crews

Tamarisk Removal at Horsethief Bench

This month, the WCCC saw-crew finished up tamarisk removal at Horsethief Bench. The bench, located near the popular Kokopelli Loops trail system, has undergone many restoration treatments in the past two years. In 2016, many tamarisk trees were ripped up with heavy machinery and then burned that winter by the BLM. The BLM has also treated the herbaceous weeds that live in the understory of the tamarisk trees. Working together, the BLM, WCCC, and CCA have drastically improved the health of the beautiful riverside ecosystem. Now boaters on the river can see the beautiful sandstone benches up above and the hikers and bikers can see the river unobstructed from the bench.

Tamarisk Removal at Beavertail

Thanks to grant funds received from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), CCA hired WCCC crews for three weeks at the Beavertail Camp in Ruby-Horsethief Canyons this month. Before work began, CCA volunteers monitored the pre-treatment vegetation to provide a background for future treatment decisions. The WCCC crew cut down 3.7 acres of tamarisk and retreated 2.4 acres of tamarisk resprouts. We would like to extend a huge thank you to the BLM rangers for transporting and working with the WCCC crews, as well as CWCB for funding this project.

Click here to learn more about the CWCB grant that CCA received.

Interested in volunteering? CCA would love your help monitoring this site. Contact our NCA Stewardship Coordinator, Ryan McConnell, via ryan@canyonsassociation.org to sign up for upcoming stewardship trips.