FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
- Montana Cohn, Restoration Coordinator, RiversEdge West
- mcohn@riversedgewest.org
- 970.256.7400
Improving Riverside Habitat along the Uncompahgre River
RiversEdge West receives funds to kick off restoration efforts
Last month, RiversEdge West received funds totaling $56,468 to improve riverside habitat along the Uncompahgre River; $22,035 was awarded from the Colorado River District’s Community Funding Partnership and $34,433 from the Colorado Water Conservation Board. These funds will allow RiversEdge West to provide restoration plans, technical assistance, manage a monitoring geodatabase, as well as coordinate restoration work among partners, contractors, and conservation corps along a section of the Uncompahgre River in the City of Montrose.
This river corridor provides important habitat for fish and wildlife and provides tremendous recreational value to local residents. Agricultural and recreational uses of this river serve as the foundation of the local community’s socioeconomic well-being.
Restoration along the Uncompahgre River will include the removal of invasive tamarisk and Russian olive and replacing them with diverse native plant species. This project will help to restore and maintain a river that is socially and economically important to the City of Montrose, its surrounding community, and visitors for its recreational and aesthetic values. The Uncompahgre River is also ecologically important for its role in supporting fish habitat and providing wildlife habitat through this urban setting.
Invasive plants degrade rivers in countless ways and this project will engage youth corps, volunteers, private landowners, and local contractors in improving and maintaining the health of the Uncompahgre River that is so important to the surrounding community.
“We are very excited to collaborate with the Colorado River District and Colorado Water Conservation Board to help restore the Uncompahgre and build upon all the work that has been done,” said Montana Cohn, Restoration Coordinator with RiversEdge West. “The Uncompahgre is a special river, and we know that people and wildlife will both benefit from this project.”
RiversEdge West looks to build upon previous habitat restoration projects on the Uncompahgre River through Montrose and is pleased to begin collaborative work on this watershed, made possible by collaborative support from Colorado River District and Colorado Water Conservation Board.
About RiversEdge West:
RiversEdge West is a Grand Junction-based 501 (c) 3 nonprofit that restores riparian ecosystems through education, collaboration, and technical assistance accomplished by replacing invasive plants with native plant species; educating people to foster long-term river stewardship; training river restoration professionals; and developing new restoration techniques to effectively restore riparian ecosystems.