Mesa County’s newest environmental initiative kicks off with a focus on something small but vital: seeds. And not just any seeds—native ones. The county has started restoring parts of the Clifton Nature Park using local vegetation, aiming to revive the area’s original ecology after years of invasive plant overgrowth.

With a $35,000 grant secured back in 2023, the long-awaited Riverfront Restoration Project is finally taking visible shape. And while the seed’s already in the ground, the bigger picture? That’ll take years to unfold.

A Battle Against Invaders, One Sprout at a Time

The Colorado River corridor might look lush, but not everything green is good. Invasive species like Russian Olive and Russian Knotweed have quietly overrun parts of the area, edging out native plants and throwing off the balance.

“They’re terrible for forage,” said Ryan Surad, who leads the Noxious Weed and Pest Program for the county. “Some of these plants even pose health risks—like chewing disease in horses.”

Yeah. That’s a thing.

Russian Olive, for instance, not only chokes out native plants but offers little nutrition to local wildlife. It’s also tough, fast-growing, and has a nasty habit of monopolizing water. Removing it is step one. Step two is replacing it with native grasses that can restore the area’s health without the downsides.

Why Native Seed Actually Matters

You hear a lot about “native” plants, but it’s not just about being local. It’s about survival—of animals, insects, and the land itself.

One-sentence paragraph? Here it is.

Native plants evolved here. That means they can handle the local climate, support local pollinators, and feed the animals that’ve been living along the river for generations. When you rip them out—or let them get outcompeted by foreign species—everything that depends on them starts to fall apart.

And for Mesa County, there’s more than just grass at stake. Mammals, birds, and even endangered species rely on this thin corridor of habitat along the Colorado River.

The Timeline’s Not Fast—and That’s the Point

This isn’t a weekend project. Native seeding was completed on March 25, but we won’t see big results for a while.

According to Surad, “It takes about 2–3 years for a restoration project to see the benefits.”

That slow growth might be frustrating to some. But it’s normal. Restoration’s like investing—it builds over time. Right now, seeds are buried. What comes next is weather, germination, growth, and years of monitoring.

And it’s not just “wait and hope.” There’s a lot of ongoing work:

• Monitoring plant growth to track native seed success

• Continually removing new outbreaks of invasive species

• Adjusting soil and water patterns if needed

• Encouraging wildlife back into restored areas

It’s not glamorous. But it works.

Animals Will Thank Them (Eventually)

The restoration isn’t just about scenery. It’s about survival. Wildlife here depends on a delicate web of plants, water, and cover—and that’s been under stress for decades.

Many of these animals are elusive. You might never see them. But they’re there.

“Mammals and endangered species use this corridor,” Surad explained. “It’s crucial habitat.”

Some of those species include:

• The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher

• River Otters

• Colorado Pikeminnow

• Desert Voles

None of them thrive in a mess of Russian Olive. But reintroduce the right grasses and trees, and you give them a fighting chance.

Native vs. Invasive: What’s the Real Difference?

Here’s a quick comparison that helps explain why this work matters.

One sentence to reset the pace.

Invasives win in the short term. But they lose in the long game.

A Grant That Made It Possible

The entire restoration was made possible by a $35,000 grant awarded in 2023. That money covers not just seeds but also labor, invasive removal, tools, and monitoring. It’s not a massive sum by environmental standards, but it’s a critical jumpstart.

“Without the grant, we wouldn’t be doing this right now,” said Surad.

Mesa County isn’t alone, either. Across Colorado and the western U.S., dozens of similar restoration projects are underway, often fueled by federal and state conservation funds aimed at repairing riverside zones that have been heavily altered by development, agriculture, and non-native plant introductions.

A Small Patch With Big Ambitions

This particular project focuses on Clifton Nature Park, a slice of land that hugs the Colorado River. It’s not a giant area, but that’s okay. Surad says it’s more about starting somewhere than trying to fix everything all at once.

“You fix one part, and it becomes a seed for the rest,” he said, not entirely joking.

Long term, the county hopes to expand this work to more parts of the river corridor. That depends on how successful this first phase turns out—and whether additional funding comes through.

So for now, the seeds are in. The weeds are (mostly) out. And over the next few seasons, we’ll see if nature can take it from here.