RiversEdge West Receives Foundation for America’s Public Lands Funding to Strengthen Drought Resilience Across Western Colorado Rivers
GRAND JUNCTION, CO — The Foundation for America's Public Lands has awarded RiversEdge West $324,000, marking new support for the organization's ongoing riparian restoration efforts in Western Colorado.
The Restoring Riverscapes in Western Colorado project will improve the health and drought resilience of river corridors that are increasingly impacted by prolonged drought and invasive plant species along the Dolores, White, Colorado, and Gunnison Rivers in Western Colorado. RiversEdge West will work in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management to remove invasive woody vegetation and herbaceous weeds, restore native riverside vegetation, reconnect floodplains, and create opportunities for young adults to gain hands-on conservation experience through conservation corps crews.
Funding from the Foundation for America’s Public Lands will support the treatment of invasive vegetation, revegetation with native plants, reconnection of the floodplain, and functional improvements to the river corridor. The project will also engage young adults in conservation and workforce development activities.
“Healthy rivers are the lifeblood of communities throughout the West,” said Rusty Lloyd, Executive Director for RiversEdge West. “Support from the Foundation for America’s Public Lands allows us to accelerate restoration in some of Colorado’s most important river corridors. By removing invasive species and reestablishing native vegetation, we are improving wildlife habitat, reducing wildfire risk, and helping these ecosystems better withstand the impacts of prolonged drought.”
Riparian areas provide critical habitat for wildlife, improve water quality, support recreation and agriculture, and help maintain the ecological function of river systems. Decades of invasion by tamarisk, Russian olive, and other invasive plant species have reduced habitat quality and increased vulnerability to drought, wildfire, and floodplain disconnection.
Restoration efforts will improve habitat for a wide range of wildlife by restoring native vegetation and healthier river processes. Native cottonwood and willow forests provide nesting, breeding, and foraging habitat for species such as the yellow-billed cuckoo, bald eagle, and migratory songbirds. Healthier river channels, shaded backwaters, and more productive aquatic food webs benefit native fish, including the Colorado pikeminnow, roundtail chub, and desert sucker, as well as northern leopard frogs. Deer, elk, and desert bighorn sheep also rely on these river corridors for migration, high-quality forage, and dependable water
sources.
Project activities will occur over three years and include invasive plant species removal, native revegetation, monitoring, and workforce development. A key component of the project is engaging conservation corps crews in hands-on restoration work, providing practical training while helping address some of the most pressing natural resource challenges facing the region.
“Working on projects like this gives young adults the opportunity to see the direct impact of conservation work,” said Jeff Roberts, Director of Western Colorado Conservation. “Participants gain valuable professional experience while helping restore habitats that support wildlife, recreation, and communities throughout Western Colorado.”
RiversEdge West, The Foundation for America’s Public Lands, and the Bureau of Land Management will continue to monitor project outcomes and coordinate long-term stewardship efforts to ensure restored sites remain resilient and productive for years to come.
About RiversEdge West
RiversEdge West restores riparian lands through education, collaboration, and technical assistance. By protecting the quality and ecological integrity of riverside ecosystems, RiversEdge West promotes the economic, social, and cultural well-being of communities throughout the Colorado River Basin and beyond.
About the Foundation for America’s Public Lands
The Foundation for America’s Public Lands is the official charitable partner of the Bureau of Land Management, supporting conservation, restoration, recreation, and community-based stewardship projects that benefit America’s public lands and the people who depend on them.