Bringing Life to the Tuolumne River

Credit: Holly Johnston, TRT River Restoration Program

For those of us who love the Tuolumne River, we know how hard she has struggled to mitigate the effects of the 2013 Rim fire. The loss of mature pines, oaks, maples, cottonwoods, and willows has not only affected the biodiversity in the canyon, but has impacted the river’s riparian zone by removing the canopy that once provided shade for humans, fish, and the many species that depend on this magnificent river’s ecosystem.

Friends of the River (“FOR”) and Tuolumne River Trust (“TRT”) worked together forty years ago to secure Wild and Scenic designation for the Tuolumne River. This July, the two non-profits collaborated again on behalf of the Tuolumne River. FOR River Program volunteer guides Lance Gunnerson, Tom Smith, Bill Kunesh, and Sean Fraser skillfully guided TRT staff, baby trees, and the tools to plant them down the mighty T to reach critical areas in need of restoration. TRT River Restoration Program staff used old pictures and recommendations from the rafting community to identify the sites most impacted by erosion, where sediment has washed away, resulting in less vegetation for a healthy riparian zone.

FOR’s Amy Stroud organized the trip, and with help from volunteer Alex Kunesh, prepared meals ahead of time so the crew could make many stops with enough time to plant the 185 trees. These trees will grow over the seasons, providing roots to catch sediment, allowing sandbars to thrive and attract other plants, and the trees’ dense foliage will provide shade and shelter for a myriad of species.

Smiling volunteers plant trees along the river's edge. Credit: Bryn Miller, TRT SNAP Intern

Private boaters have had difficulty accessing and rafting the Tuolumne since severe storms washed out the put-in and take-out roads. FOR’s Amy Stroud reached out to commercial rafting companies who have approval from the Forest Service to conduct trips on the Tuolumne and also have the equipment necessary to get on and off the river. The creative collaboration between TRT’s River Restoration Program and FOR’s River Program would not have been possible without the help from the commercial rafting companies ARTA and All Outdoors (AO). ARTA got us on the river and All Outdoors got us off the river. Without stewardship from all of us who love the beautiful and mighty T, the effects of the Rim Fire will continue to compound. Our generation will not see the trees we planted as towering pines and mature oaks, but with this spirit of renewed collaboration between FOR + TRT + ARTA + AO, we will ensure our beloved Tuolumne River stays connected to the riparian forest beside her.

If you would like to contribute or participate in the FOR River Program, please contact astround@friendsoftheriver.org.