Chinle Wash, once choked with tamarisk and Russian olive, has been restored to a widening ribbon of water following removal of those two aggressive, invasive species. The segment of the stream within the boundaries of the mouth of the canyon is widening as a result of complete removal of exotic biomass.
Over the past year, the park has treated about a thousand acres of the exotic species, including viewsheds, farmsteads and plants that threatened archeological ruins. The park will continue with its long-term aggressive campaign against these two species, continue research and monitoring of the impacts, and, as acres of plants are removed, evaluate the healing process.
