Tamarisk Removal Project at John Martin Reservoir

More than five acres of tamarisk shrubs were removed from the Black Bridge area of John Martin Reservoir last weekend by 35 local volunteers assisting the Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado and the US Army Corps of Engineers over a two-day project.

Tamarisk, sometimes called Russian Thistle or salt cedar, was planted throughout the region back in the late 1800s.  It thrived at the expense of other plants as the invasive tree takes in tremendous amounts of water and nutrients from the soil, making it difficult for other plants to spread and robs wildlife of the food values of other growth.

At Black Bridge, tamarisk have taken over the grasslands and river banks, resulting in less habitat for wildlife and fewer river access points for recreationists. By helping remove tamarisk, the volunteers played a role in a multi-year effort to encourage native plant growth, improve recreational areas for visitors, and ultimately return the habitat to its natural state.

Five and a half acres were cleared of tamarisk which was stacked and prepared for removal.