Sometimes public outcries have happy endings. That is apparently what’s happening with the Friends of the River Uncompahgre, or FORU, a group formed following public outrage at the clearing of more than 300 willow and cottonwood trees for a shopping center on the south end of Montrose a couple of years ago. According to a city news release, preserving the river corridor was the most highly ranked public objective of the 2008 Comprehensive Plan. The plan recommends a 100-foot buffer between the river and any pavement or structures and is the basis for the new ordinance.

To view the full article, visit the Telluride Watch. For a copy of the original article contact the WIP at (970) 247-1302 or stop by the office at 841 East Second Avenue in Durango.