Accomplishments

Education and Outreach:

Demonstrations

Equipment Demos: Currently in development. Through a partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Colorado Water Conservation Board, we are coordinating equipment demonstrations showcasing options for the removal and replanting of tamarisk and Russian olive infested lands. The first demo was December 2nd, 2010 in Fruita, CO. Future demos are currently being scheduled and will be announced as soon as dates are set. Web material such as reports and videos will be added to our site when available if you aren't able to be there in person. Stay tuned!!

Riparian Restoration Planting Training: November 30th-December 1st, 2010, future events to come- Experts from NRCS plant materials center in Meeker, CO and Los Lunas, NM joined the TC and interested parties to learn about new ways of planting native species into the groundwater negating the need for supplemental irrigation and increasing the cost efficiency of riparian replanting efforts. See the December 2010 newsletter for more information!

Conferences

Co-sponsored tamarisk research conferences and symposiums with Colorado State University in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011.

2004:  Co-sponsored with USDA and Department of the Interior the 2004 Team Tamarisk Conference in Albuquerque, NM.

Volunteer Events

2002 to Present: Working with local partners to engage the Western Colorado community in volunteer restoration projects along the Colorado River.

Bureaucratic

2004 to 2009: Research and Policy Director, Tim Carlson, appointed to the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) of the National Invasive Species Council (NISC).

Watershed and State Strategic Plans:

2009 to present: Assisting the Escalante River Watershed Partnership in identifying and implementing restoration plans for the Escalante river watershed.

2010 to present: Providing education and technical support for the implementation of restoration efforts for the Northwest Colorado Watershed Partnership. This work will affect the Little Snake, White, Yampa, and Green rivers plus their tributaries.

2009 to present:  Worked with The Nature Conservancy and other partners to complete a tamarisk removal and restoration plan for the Dolores River in Utah and Colorado (the Dolores River Riparian Action Plan- DR-RAP for short).  Currently, the TC is providing technical assistance to aid in the successful implementation of this plan through its involvement in the Dolores River Restoration Partnership.

Developed statewide strategic plans for tamarisk and Russian olive control and riparian restoration in Colorado (2004), New Mexico (2006), and Kansas (2006).

2006: Developed economic impact estimates of tamarisk infestations within the Colorado River and Rio Grande River watersheds for the National Invasive Species Council (NISC).

2007:  Developed a management and budget structure for New Mexico Department of Agriculture program for non-native phreatophyte control and restoration.

2007: Provided technical assistance for the San Juan River watershed strategic plan in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

2008: Provided technical assistance in the development of a tamarisk and Russian olive strategy for the Missouri River watershed in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.

2006 to 2008:  Developed tamarisk management plans for the Colorado, Arkansas, and Purgatoire River watersheds in Colorado, and the Upper Colorado River watershed in Utah.

Restoration, Mapping, Monitoring and Other Projects

2007:  Completed the inventory and mapping of tamarisk infestations in Colorado and eastern Utah.

2007 to Present:  Designed and developed the Army Corps of Engineers Colorado River 206 Aquatic Restoration Project in the Grand Junction area.

2009:  Completed the Colorado River Basin Tamarisk and Russian Olive Assessment for the seven states in the basin including Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, and Wyoming.

2007 to Present:  Collaborating with Colorado Department of Agriculture and others to monitor the tamarisk biological control agent and impacts throughout the Upper Colorado River Basin including Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.  Collaborating with Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory for bird monitoring in these same areas.

State and Federal Legislation:

2006: Helped develop and gain passage of the AB 984 (California Tamarisk Control Act)

2006:  Helped develop and supported federal legislation PL 109-320 – Salt Cedar and Russian Olive Control Act, which was signed by the President on October 11, 2006.

2007:  Worked with Western Governors Association to develop rationale for using Farm Bill funding through under-utilized Continuous CRP practices (CP22, CP29, and CP-30) for woody invasive control and riparian restoration.

2008:  Worked with the Colorado Legislature to initiate a $1 million matching grant program for riparian restoration through the Colorado Water Conservation Board which was passed in May 2008.