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Tim Carlson, executive director of the Tamarisk Coalition, points out invasive plant species on both sides of the Colorado River to a group he led on a walk around Watson Island. Left of Carlson is Patty Gelatt of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Trina Romero of the Department of Wildlife, and Melissa Lind, publisher of Green Guides.
GRAND JUNCTION — Before Watson Island was an island, Ute Indians used the land along the Colorado River for hunting and farming.
In the 1920s, “Posey” Watson grew flowers commercially on the land. A channel was constructed to prevent flooding, which created Watson Island.
Watson sold his land in the 1950s, and the island was turned into a salvage yard. Uranium mill tailings were also buried in the area.
In the 1980s the Lions Club gave the city of Grand Junction money toward the purchase of Watson Island with the stipulation that the area be cleaned up and turned into a public park. The Riverfront Commission was formed in 1987, and for two years the community removed trash, debris, tires and uranium tailings from the island.
Now trails cross through the main island thick with tamarisk and Russian olive trees, and a few 100-year-old cottonwood trees.
The Tamarisk Coalition wants to restore the area further and is asking for ideas from various groups in devising a restoration and design plan for the island. The goal of the nonprofit Tamarisk Coalition is to provide education and technical assistance in restoring western rivers, said Executive Director Tim Carlson. The Coalition is comprised of four staff members and a core of about 70 volunteers.
The Watson Island complex is comprised of five Colorado River islands covering 69.4 acres. The West Main Island is 15.5 acres and is located near the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens.
The highest priorities are removing non-native plant species like tamarisk, Russian olive and Siberian elm trees, said Becky Carlson of the Tamarisk Coalition.
“The Tamarisk Coalition conducted interviews with people we thought needed to be involved,” said Becky Carlson. “We held open houses, met individually and in small groups. Some walked the site.”
The Colorado Division of Wildlife, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Palisade Insectary, Audubon Society, Mesa State College and Catholic Outreach are among the stakeholder groups interested in what happens to the area.
The Coalition met with some of those groups Monday at the Botanical Gardens to walk the trails of the main island and discuss various ideas about how to “improve, develop and maintain” the island complex. Tim and Becky Carlson will be at the Botanical Gardens library today from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. for an open house for people who’d like to view the plan thus far.
Suggested amenities include developing a north channel trail, adding Watson Island signage on Highway 50 and developing beach access. Other ideas include paving access from a bike trail to a proposed nearby brewery site, adding benches and picnic tables, and installing temporary art along the permanent trail.
“If the city is in agreement in moving forward with this, we will figure out how best to do these things,” Tim Carlson said. “Our role is to provide technical assistance to the city and help find funds. Once we get the ball rolling, other people will come on board.”
Tim Carlson said it will take two years and $240,000 to restore the nearly 70 acres to its native state by removing the invasive tamarisk and Russian olive from the riparian zone.
Chevron Piceance Basin Natural Gas Program gave the Tamarisk Coalition $30,000 last week to use toward the restoration project.
In addition to this year’s funding, Chevron is considering donating another $50,000 next year to the project, said Chevron spokeswoman Kristi Pollard.
“It really was an opportunity that Chevron has been looking for — a way to help the environment, to help restore native habitat for wildlife and fish,” Pollard said.
The coalition plans to rely heavily on volunteers to do the work, including MSC students as well as Mesa County Workenders — an alternative sentencing program for nonviolent offenders. Work is scheduled to begin in September.
Eddie Mort, city parks supervisor, said the city is “excited about the project” and will help to maintain the area.
One concern voiced by every stakeholder group that responded was the issue of long-term maintenance.
The city has added 40 acres of park, but no additional staff for the increased workload, Mort said.
The project will rely heavily on community volunteerism, Carlson said.
“We see it as a centerpiece for the entire river corridor,” Carlson said. It will be a place for “people to understand the river system as it goes through town.”
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
In the 1920s, “Posey” Watson grew flowers commercially on the land. A channel was constructed to prevent flooding, which created Watson Island.
Watson sold his land in the 1950s, and the island was turned into a salvage yard. Uranium mill tailings were also buried in the area.
In the 1980s the Lions Club gave the city of Grand Junction money toward the purchase of Watson Island with the stipulation that the area be cleaned up and turned into a public park. The Riverfront Commission was formed in 1987, and for two years the community removed trash, debris, tires and uranium tailings from the island.
Now trails cross through the main island thick with tamarisk and Russian olive trees, and a few 100-year-old cottonwood trees.
The Tamarisk Coalition wants to restore the area further and is asking for ideas from various groups in devising a restoration and design plan for the island. The goal of the nonprofit Tamarisk Coalition is to provide education and technical assistance in restoring western rivers, said Executive Director Tim Carlson. The Coalition is comprised of four staff members and a core of about 70 volunteers.
The Watson Island complex is comprised of five Colorado River islands covering 69.4 acres. The West Main Island is 15.5 acres and is located near the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens.
The highest priorities are removing non-native plant species like tamarisk, Russian olive and Siberian elm trees, said Becky Carlson of the Tamarisk Coalition.
“The Tamarisk Coalition conducted interviews with people we thought needed to be involved,” said Becky Carlson. “We held open houses, met individually and in small groups. Some walked the site.”
The Colorado Division of Wildlife, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Palisade Insectary, Audubon Society, Mesa State College and Catholic Outreach are among the stakeholder groups interested in what happens to the area.
The Coalition met with some of those groups Monday at the Botanical Gardens to walk the trails of the main island and discuss various ideas about how to “improve, develop and maintain” the island complex. Tim and Becky Carlson will be at the Botanical Gardens library today from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. for an open house for people who’d like to view the plan thus far.
Suggested amenities include developing a north channel trail, adding Watson Island signage on Highway 50 and developing beach access. Other ideas include paving access from a bike trail to a proposed nearby brewery site, adding benches and picnic tables, and installing temporary art along the permanent trail.
“If the city is in agreement in moving forward with this, we will figure out how best to do these things,” Tim Carlson said. “Our role is to provide technical assistance to the city and help find funds. Once we get the ball rolling, other people will come on board.”
Tim Carlson said it will take two years and $240,000 to restore the nearly 70 acres to its native state by removing the invasive tamarisk and Russian olive from the riparian zone.
Chevron Piceance Basin Natural Gas Program gave the Tamarisk Coalition $30,000 last week to use toward the restoration project.
In addition to this year’s funding, Chevron is considering donating another $50,000 next year to the project, said Chevron spokeswoman Kristi Pollard.
“It really was an opportunity that Chevron has been looking for — a way to help the environment, to help restore native habitat for wildlife and fish,” Pollard said.
The coalition plans to rely heavily on volunteers to do the work, including MSC students as well as Mesa County Workenders — an alternative sentencing program for nonviolent offenders. Work is scheduled to begin in September.
Eddie Mort, city parks supervisor, said the city is “excited about the project” and will help to maintain the area.
One concern voiced by every stakeholder group that responded was the issue of long-term maintenance.
The city has added 40 acres of park, but no additional staff for the increased workload, Mort said.
The project will rely heavily on community volunteerism, Carlson said.
“We see it as a centerpiece for the entire river corridor,” Carlson said. It will be a place for “people to understand the river system as it goes through town.”
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
