A total of nearly $133,000 in grants have been awarded to fund four conservation projects in Mesa County.

The Great Outdoors Colorado board of directors approved the grants as part of a partnership with the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA). The program funds the employment of conservation corps for natural resource and outdoor recreation projects.

A grant of $53,670 was awarded to the Colorado West Land Trust for watershed restoration and habitat enhancement projects at Pinyon Mesa. A Western Colorado Conservation Corps (WCCC) crew will work for six weeks to install structures in meadows and dream corridors, remove invasive vegetation and fencing and stimulate aspen growth.

A grant of $31,920 to Mesa County Public Health will employ a WCCC crew to build 4 miles of trail at the North Fruita Desert Special Recreation Management Area.

A grant of $28,350 to Mesa County Noxious Weed and Pest Management will employ a WCCC crew for three weeks for tamarisk removal and treatments along the Dolores River. 

A grant of $18,900 to the Town of Palisade and its partners from the Desert Rivers Collaborative and RiversEdge West will employ a WCCC crew for two weeks for tamarisk and Russian olive removal at Riverbend Park. 

“These resources will result in communities safer from wildland fire, waterways flowing free from invasive species and enhanced recreational infrastructure to support our outdoor economy,” said Scott Segerstrom, executive director of the CYCA. “Most importantly, this partnership will create hundreds of jobs that will be filled by youth and young adults recruited from communities across the state. The professional development and leadership growth they experience will be the amazing legacy of this investment.”

Great Outdoors Colorado allocates a portion of proceeds from the Colorado Lottery to preserve and enhance parks, wildlife areas and open spaces. Since 1992, GOCO has funded a total of more than 5,500 projects in all 64 counties of Colorado.