On June 25, 2017, the Tamarisk Coalition (whose slogan is “Restore. Connect. Innovate.“), on behalf of the Purgatoire Watershed Weed Management Collaborative, announced support from Louis Bacon’s Tercio Foundation for collaborative land restoration efforts in the upper Purgatoire Watershed.
Purgatoire River Watershed.
Photo credit: PurgatoireWatershed.org
In 2016 the Tamarisk Coalition, the Spanish Peaks-Purgatoire River Conservation District, and the Purgatoire Watershed Partnership teamed up to form a collaborative to maintain, protect, and improve the ecological integrity, agricultural productivity and economy of the Purgatoire River Watershed through non-native noxious weed control and land restoration.
The newly-formed Purgatoire Watershed Weed Management Collaborative is working with private landowners in the upper Watershed to reclaim their land from non-native noxious weeds, restoring it back to native plants.
Stacy Beaugh, Tamarisk Coalition Executive Director, is proud to be a part of this effort. “The Tamarisk Coalition has been working with this partnership for many years. It is fulfilling to see it formally come together and witness all the progress made during the past year.”
Infestation of Scotch thistle.
Photo credit: Shelly L. Simmons
“Whether from agricultural, environmental or recreational communities, or government land management agencies, we can all agree that non-native noxious weeds are one of the most serious threats facing Western landscapes, both ecologically and economically. It is an issue where we find common ground and join forces to address the problem,” stated Shelly L. Simmons, coordinator for both the Purgatoire Watershed Weed Management Collaborative and Purgatoire Watershed Partnership.
“Many landowners are simply unaware noxious weeds exist on their property, or they do not possess the resources (either technically or financially) to address the problem,” continued Simmons. “It is my job to create opportunities for landowners to learn about noxious weeds, how to manage them, and how to restore their land. With support from The Tercio Foundation, we will be able to expand our land restoration efforts by assisting additional landowners.”
Support from The Tercio Foundation will be dedicated to implementing land restoration practices on private lands in the Weston area in the upper Purgatoire Watershed.
“We welcome the opportunity to support these efforts which will significantly improve weed management and land restoration in the Purgatoire Watershed,” said Ann Colley, Executive Vice President of The Tercio Foundation. “This collaborative will act as a model for landowners across the West.”
Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in upper Purgatoire Watershed near Weston, CO. Photo credit: Shelly L. Simmons
The Tamarisk Coalition has been working to help people manage invasive plant species and to restore native riparian vegetation since 1999. The Tamarisk Coalition was originally created to address invasive plant species, specifically tamarisk (also known as salt cedar), a non-native plant that can cause degradation to riparian habitats along rivers in western Colorado.
The Tercio Foundation, the local affiliate of Louis Bacon’s Moore Charitable Foundation, supports conservation nonprofits that focus on protecting threatened landscapes, habitats, wildlife and waterways. The Tercio Foundation also supports educational and community programs in the region.
See Tamarisk Coalition website & feature photo credit.