Morton, Julia. “Cocopah Indian Tribe Secures $5.5 Million for Habitat Restoration in the Colorado River Delta | Audubon.” Www.audubon.org, 15 Nov. 2023, www.audubon.org/news/cocopah-indian-tribe-secures-5-5-million-habitat-restoration-colorado-river-delta.
The Cocopah Indian Tribe received over five million dollars in funding from federal grants and philanthropy to restore more than 400 acres of the Colorado River floodplain. They will accomplish this by removing invasive vegetation and planting native trees, shrubs, and grasses. The restoration site is in southwestern Arizona in the floodplain below the Colorado River’s Morelos Dam, which has suffered from no water flow and non-native salt cedar shrubs. The restored site will relink fragmented habitats for birds like the Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Tree Swallow. Additionally, this project will allow the Cocopah Indian Tribe to utilize their water rights in restoring their ancestral lands.
This article is very inspiring. I’m happy that there are lots of people who want to restore these degraded habitats. I didn’t think that people would be so willing to pay for these sorts of improvements, but I stand corrected. My hope in humanity has been restored, just a little. It also makes me happy knowing that the Cocopah Tribe is improving their land on their terms. They deserve the resources to improve their land, and I’m glad they’re receiving them. This relates to environmental science because this project is based on principles of environmental science. In restoring the wetlands of the Colorado River, the Cocopah Indian Tribe will be responsible for bringing back the wildlife in the area too. There used to be lots of unique interactions between species in this area, and this project will hopefully bring them back. They are using environmental principles to restore this land most effectively.
So glad your hope has been restored… even if just a bit. This is a hopeful story. We are hearing a lot about reparations for African Americans, but I think we can agree Native American communities are deserving too… this may be a win-win kind of way to do it. As we get smarter, we recognize those degrade wetlands habitats offer more than just pretty scenery and wildlife but a vast amount of ecosystem services as well. Hopefully there will be more project like this to follow.
Did it say if there are any other projects like this happening elsewhere with other tribal communities? Do you agree this is a step towards reparations for them?