West Wetlands Park

The West Wetlands Park is a public park at the northwest edge of Yuma, Arizona. It is located along the Colorado River within the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. The park opened in December 2002  on 110 acres of city-owned land. It was partially constructed by community volunteers and has been regularly voted Yuma's best park. The West Wetlands Park is currently managed by the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Corporation, a non-profit organization, and maintained by the City of Yuma Parks and Recreation Department.

History

From 1910 to 1970 the area that would become West Wetlands Park was used as the City of Yuma landfill.^[12] After the landfill was closed, the deserted unsightly area attracted vagrants and criminals. Periodically fires burned native vegetation along the river allowing invasive species to overtake the habitat. The area became a hazard to local residents, who were cut off from the resources of the river.

In early 1990, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that covering the whole site with 6 to 8 feet of clean fill was required for reuse.^[15] The Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area understood that $10 million would be needed and were tasked to design a master plan which would include securing the funds for the clean-up and construction. An implementation team was required to obtain grants and manage the construction of the project.

In September 1999 the master plan was complete when the Heritage Area sponsored a community planning effort to finalize the design of West Wetlands. A part of "Phase 1" occurred a month later when the Yuma Crossing hosted a volunteer day, where 700 volunteers planted 450 trees at the Millennium Tree Grove.

Plants

The Yuma West Wetlands park was inhabited by several types of invasive plant species such as the salt cedar tree (Tamarix ramosissima), giant reed (Arundo donax),^[51] Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris), and common mullein (Verbascum thapsus).