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Lawmakers and trust board members press for action on Russian olive and invasive species
Summary
Committee members and trust speakers urged more funding and coordination to control Russian olive and other invasives on river corridors, citing lost water, habitat and recurring reinfestation.
Senator Landon and other committee members pressed the trust to prioritize invasive species control after members returned from a site tour. Trust director Bob Budd said invasive species removal is costly and needs sustained funding and retreatment; he described Russian olive and tamarisk as contributing to evaporative water loss and habitat change.
Pitt Fulton, a board member, described past Bighorn Basin removal efforts and urged renewed, collaborative action. “We had the opportunity to float it with my son... most of that river now is cleaned up,” Fulton said, but he warned reinvasion can occur and community buy‑in and funding are critical. The committee directed the chairman to work with the director on a memorandum for appropriations and the governor about invasives and fire restoration.
