The cottonwood trees that live along the river from about where Santa Fe, NM is to Truth or Consequences, NM (about 160 miles) are known as the largest cottonwood forest in the world.
Most of the trees along the Rio Grande River are mature and aged trees. Most are 40 to 100 years old and the tallest are about 80 feet tall. The trees are not naturally reproducing as they used to due to non-native trees like salt cedar and Russian olive trees taking over. The non-native spices are being removed from this area. Plus the river is damned at a few places and drained off into irrigation ditches for farmland (including the hay I buy for my horses) which means there isn't the flooding along the banks of the river anymore to help seedlings and young trees grow. Much is being done to help the cottonwoods reproduce and not die off.
Most of the trees along the Rio Grande River are mature and aged trees. Most are 40 to 100 years old and the tallest are about 80 feet tall. The trees are not naturally reproducing as they used to due to non-native trees like salt cedar and Russian olive trees taking over. The non-native spices are being removed from this area. Plus the river is damned at a few places and drained off into irrigation ditches for farmland (including the hay I buy for my horses) which means there isn't the flooding along the banks of the river anymore to help seedlings and young trees grow. Much is being done to help the cottonwoods reproduce and not die off.
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It is so sad to think of the demise of our beloved Cotton Woods. I know that science says that they have "run their course" and what used to be their natural course has been disrupted by the salt cedars and Russian olive trees.
ReplyDeleteI am ashamed, however that the City of Albuquerque hired a new arborist that wants to rid the city of our cottonwoods in order to save clean up costs after our wind storms. I say, "NO!" to his excuse for trying to justify his new salary. Save the cottonwoods!