Native American tribe leads bold restoration of treasured ancestral land: 'Seeing the impact right away … it's really special'

A Native American tribe is using native plants to help their Southern Arizona cultural lands flourish. It's also removing invasive plants and replacing them with species that hold significance in the tribe's history. The methods the Cocopah Tribe is using to restore land considered sacred can be adapted by homeowners to help make their property eco-friendly.

Despite dwelling in what is now largely a desert, the tribe is known as "the river people" because of its reliance on the Colorado River. Over the years, the Cocopah's cultural lands have dried up as a result of river diversions and overuse of the water supply. Recently, the tribe has taken the matter of restoring the land into its own hands, securing $5.5 million in federal grants for the project in 2023.

Restoration work began in 2024 with 390 acres of Cocopah land. The tribe began removing invasive plant species, planning to replace them with 45,000 native trees over a four-year period. Since progress has been made, some have noticed animal species returning to the area, a change believed to be due to enhanced water management.

Native plants are known to have dozens of eco-friendly benefits and can be used by homeowners to upgrade their property for a greener future. Native plants are just one yard cover alternative that attracts pollinators, which helps protect human food supplies. They also help reduce energy use and conserve water, allowing homeowners to save money.

Meanwhile, invasive plant species can threaten biodiversity, degrade water quality, and increase erosion. This can cost homeowners thousands in yard maintenance.

The Cocopah Tribe plans to continue its restoration project, with the next leg of construction starting in the fall. Tribal members are incredibly proud of the progress they've made.

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"I think it's one of the most interesting areas probably in the world," said Jennifer Alspach, director of the tribe's environmental protection office. "First, seeing what little access the tribal community had to the river, the changes and loss they have experienced over a relatively short amount of time, and then, seeing the impact right away of these projects — the animals coming back, the people walking along the site — it's really special."

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