RiversEdge West Receives $17,193 Grant from Colorado Watershed Assembly Healthy Rivers Fund to Support Riverside Stewardship Initiatives
[Grand Junction, CO – July 31, 2024] – RiversEdge West (REW) is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $17,193 grant from the Colorado Watershed Assembly Healthy Rivers Fund to support its Grand Valley River Stewardship program. This generous grant will bolster REW's efforts to enhance riparian health, foster community stewardship, and expand environmental education initiatives within the Grand Valley.
"Receiving this grant from the Colorado Watershed Assembly is a significant milestone for us," said Cara Kukuraitis, Director of Development and Communications for RiversEdge West. "It will enable us to host numerous volunteer events, mobilize community members, and expand our educational outreach, ultimately contributing to healthier rivers and habitats."
The Grand Valley River Stewardship Program is a key component of the Desert Rivers Collaborative (DRC), which brings together federal and state agencies, local governments, and non-profit organizations to restore, preserve, and maintain native riparian habitats. The Grand Valley River Stewardship Program focuses on the long-term maintenance and health of riparian habitats, recognizing the importance of ongoing stewardship and community engagement.
The grant will support various programs and initiatives aimed at riparian restoration, community engagement, and environmental education:
1. River Stewardship and Youth Education: REW partners with land managers including the City of Grand Junction, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the Bureau of Reclamation to provide volunteer stewardship opportunities for community members in the Grand Valley. Focusing on riverside parks and habitat, volunteers work together to remove invasive plant species, maintain and clean up trails, and plant and protect native plant species. With these funds, REW will lead 8+ volunteer events to support and protect riparian habitat and increase recreation accessibility. REW will also lead educational seedball making events for students from D51 schools. Students will learn about native plants and contribute directly to riverside restoration and revegetation efforts.
2. Community Outreach and Engagement: REW will collaborate with Desert Rivers Collaborative partners to develop, prioritize, and coordinate restoration projects through partnership meetings, site visits, and monitoring. These ongoing partnership efforts will ensure that projects that span jurisdictional boundaries are planned and implemented in a collaborative manner that accounts for the specific needs of the respective land managers. REW will share restoration updates, information, and events on social media. REW will also expand its aquatic macroinvertebrate and water quality sampling efforts and begin development of a citizen science program.
"The Grand Valley River Stewardship Program is just the kind of local, collaborative process that the Healthy Rivers Fund was designed to promote. They say that collaboration grows at the speed of trust. This program is a great example of the individual effort it takes to build that trust. And…RiversEdge West knows how to make it fun!" said Casey Davenhill, Executive Director for Colorado Watershed Assembly.
RiversEdge West is a Grand Junction-based 501 (c) 3 nonprofit dedicated to the restoration of riparian ecosystems through education, collaboration, and technical assistance. By protecting the quality and ecological integrity of riparian lands, REW promotes the economic, social, and cultural well-being of the communities it serves.
Colorado Watershed Assembly is a trusted resource where individuals involved with local watershed organizations can go to find information and guidance to help build a constituency, including updates on policy changes and practical advice to help identify and implement projects. CWA supports watershed protection at the local level by emphasizing local control, local agenda-setting, and engaging local expertise. They grow the “water ethic” by engaging citizens in work to benefit their watershed as a way to grow local stewardship, understanding, and connection to the local resource.
The Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund, established in 2003, provides funding for on-the-ground projects that contribute to cleaner water, healthier wildlife habitat, and improved recreation throughout our State. The fund is administered by the Colorado Watershed Assembly in association with the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Water Quality Control Division. The fund accepts donations year-round at DONATE NOW.