Russian invasion
Russian olive, salt cedar being cleared out in Ganado

Clayton Canuho, left, and Tulley Lincoln move a Russian olive branch in Ganado wash on Thursday. The chapter is working on removing invasive species, including salt cedar, which have overtaken native plants. — © 2009 Gallup Independent / Brian Leddy

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

GANADO — They are invasive species that take up much of the water on the Navajo Nation, and now workers at the Ganado chapter are doing something about it.About 30 workers started last week clearing out Russian olive and salt cedar plants from the Ganado wash.

“These are heavy users of water,” Aaron Kauffman of the Southwest Conservation Corps said. “They’re not indigenous to this area.”

Salt cedar, for example, was often brought into communities for erosion control, he said. Some plants were also brought in for decorative or other purposes, he added.

“The idea is to create an ecosystem that is more similar to what would exist here prior to these species being introduced,” Kauffman said.

The laborers on the project include nine student-workers, many of whom attend Ganado High School. Kauffman is working with them on the project.

The youth group will also work on revegetation in the area, such as planting cottonwood trees and inducing meandering to get the wash to bend more, Kauffman said.

“Been out here for a week,” said Levon Kinlecheenie, 16, Thursday at the worksite.

“It’s going good. We’re clearing these trees,” said Preston Gorman, 16.

Gorman said that the students are learning how to work together. It’s a good experience for both of the students because both are interested in doing similar work in the future.

The job removing the two types of plants should take about three months, said David H. Lincoln Sr., who is supervising the crews that are doing the clearing.

Though workers don’t know if they’ll clear it all out in that time, they have started a significant portion. They have begun work on the part of the wash that is in the southern portion of the community. Next week the workers plan to head north and start on the portion of the wash by Hubbell Trading Post. From there, they will alternate the locations.

The employees are using 15 cutters and chainsaws to take down the plants. The student laborers then put those into piles.

After the plants are cleared, separate workers from the Bureau of Indian Affairs come out and spray the roots, Lincoln said.

“Safety is our priority,” he added.

Before the laborers even started, they had a session on safety.

“They take care of the chainsaws good. They cut it good,” Lincoln said about the workers. “We got a lot of work.”

He said that the project is a joint venture with the coordination of several entities, including the Ganado Chapter House, Hubbell Trading Post and Bureau of Indian Affairs.