Conservationists are celebrating a first in the fight against the “scourge of the West.” Tamarisk has been completely eliminated on the San Miguel River – a nearby tributary of the Dolores.

Tamarisk, or salt cedar, is a native of Eurasia that was introduced to North America by nurseries. Originally sold as an attractive, quick-growing ornamental, the tree has spread all over the West, displacing more than 1.6 million acres of willows, cottonwoods and other native vegetation. It is also estimated that each year the thirsty trees consume 2 to 4.5 million acre-feet of water from Western rivers, water that could meet the needs of 20 million people or 1 million acres of irrigated farmland.

“The impact of these woody invasives is huge,” said Peter Mueller, of the Nature Conservancy. “They rob waterways of their health and make recreational access cumbersome.”

Tamarisk also pushes out native plants and harms wildlife by blocking entrance to the water. The impact of this tenacious competitor has become symptomatic of poor health in much of the Colorado River system, according to Mueller.

These problems have led the Nature Conservancy to work with its partners throughout Colorado and other states on a comprehensive strategy to restore the health of the Colorado River system as a whole. An eight-year effort to control tamarisk on the San Miguel – which originates in Telluride and joins the Dolores near Uravan – is a major outgrowth of the strategy. A 120-mile stretch of the river, which is one of Colorado’s most pristine, free-flowing waterways,  is now no longer choked off by the water-consuming plant.

 “We’re now seeing the return of the natives – willows, cottonwoods and grasses,” said Mueller. 

The Conservancy-led effort involved volunteers, agency staff and contractors using chainsaws, clippers, heavy equipment and herbicides to remove the thirsty weed. Agencies participating in the work include the Bureau of Land Management, county weed management programs, Marathon Oil Co., the Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Tamarisk Coalition, a group that coordinates tamarisk control efforts around the West.

Last Friday, volunteers, contractors and others gathered for a final “Save the Natives” work day to cut tamarisk on the last 1.5-mile stretch of infested riverbank near Uravan. The team also sowed seeds of native plants.

With health returning to the San Miguel, the Nature Conservancy is now turning its eye on the Dolores River, a much bigger challenge. Mueller said the Dolores will require a much more involved restoration effort as well as the involvement of many more agencies and groups. Because the Dolores is dam release and has been essentially dewatered in recent years, it presents an additional hurdle.

“On the Dolores we’re talking not just about tamarisk removal, but about restoration of the river way,” said Mueller.

Groups challenge ORVs in SE Utah

A Durango-based group is gaining ground in the fight against off-road vehicle abuse in Southeast Utah. Last week, a federal judge ruled that two environmental groups – Great Old Broads for Wilderness and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance – could sue the Bureau of Land Management. The litigation will challenge the agency’s decision to leave the archaeologically rich Arch Canyon open to ORV recreation. 

The groups joined with the Navajo Utah Commission and area outfitters in late 2006 and requested that the BLM close the fragile canyon to motorized users. They cited two scientific studies showing that ORVs damaged archaeological sites, crushed native plants, eroded the stream banks, polluted the water and devastated habitat for a rare native fish. The BLM summarily rejected the request in a one-page letter, and in response the two conservationist groups sued and asked the court to review the case.

“The BLM has for too long ignored ORV abuse, arguing that they have a ‘get out of jail free card,’” said Heidi McIntosh, of SUWA. “It has played that card for the last time, and now will be held accountable for the damage and abuse it has allowed on our public lands.”

Ronni Egan, of Great Old Broads, also applauded the court’s decision, saying, “We are very pleased that the court has recognized that the BLM must address the public’s concerns in these critical land management issues. The fragile desert stream and priceless archaeological resources in Arch Canyon must be protected from off-road vehicles.”

Egan noted that while Arch Canyon – located west of Comb Ridge – is only 8.5 miles in length, ORVs cross the stream 120 times during their round-trip rides. She added that there is a direct correlation between motorized recreation and vandalism of the canyon’s thousand-year-old archeological sites.

Until recently, Arch Canyon was also the site of the highly controversial Jeep Jamboree. In 2004, after the BLM denied the permit, San Juan County held an illegal version of the Jamboree, arguing that the primitive dirt route is a county road.

Local author hits Top 10 on Amazon  

A Durango author is enjoying a little time in the limelight. A book for teen-agers, co-authored by local David Bruzzese and Joshua Holmberg, of Littleton, hit the top 10 best-seller list in the finance category at Amazon.com on Monday.

The Teen’s Guide to Personal Financeis a financial primer for young adults that recently hit the virtual shelves of on-line booksellers Amazon and Barnes & Noble as well as the literal shelves at Maria’s Bookshop.

David Bruzzese, who is also the director of public relations at Mercy Regional Medical Center, explained the motivation for the book.“Our research indicated that teens and their parents had an interest in this topic,” he said. “The recent media interest and sales growth – especially breaking into the top 10 best-sellers on Amazon – shows that our findings were accurate.”

The book outlines basic financial concepts that few teens learn from their parents and even fewer are learning in school. The authors believe this lack of preparedness and other factors are contributing to record levels of consumer debt and bankruptcy.

Grandview Ridge to see disruption

A different type of traffic will be hitting some of Durango’s most popular trails in coming weeks. Trail users are advised to use caution and be aware of increased construction traffic in Grandview Ridge where a natural gas pipeline will be replaced on BLM lands. The work will be contained largely to existing roads and is expected to take a month.  

Chevron Midcontinent LP received approval from the BLM this week to expand the gas pipeline. The larger-diameter line will reduce area-wide pressure in the existing pipeline system that serves gas wells in the vicinity.

Construction will take place within an existing pipeline/ powerline corridor in the area south of Big Canyon. All trails in the area will remain open, but the project will intersect the Cowboy Trail in two places. At these points, signs and boardwalk crossovers will be put in place to help trail-users safely cross through the construction area. Upon completion of construction, the existing roadway and trail will be reconstructed.

–  Will Sands