[PCA] Fw: News from Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center - including job announcement

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

I wanted to share the newsletter below from the Southern Arizona 
Buffelgrass Coordination Center (SABCC) - to celebrate the good work they 
are doing to serve as a regional information center that emphasizes an 
integrated management approach to controlling buffelgrass (Pennisetum 
ciliare) in Southern Arizona.  NOTE: I've had to "strip" this message a 
little so the file size isn't too large. If any of the links don't work, 
please visit their website. 

Led by Dr. Lindy Brigham, Executive Director, SABCC is tackling a plant 
conservation issue in the American Southwest with all the resources that 
epitomize the six focal areas of the Plant Conservation Alliance strategy: 
collaboration, education, restoration, research, sustainability, and data 
linkages (http://www.nps.gov/plants/strategy.htm).   

The current newsletter heralds their receipt of a grant from FEMA to do 
proactive mitigation before disaster strikes and announces a position 
opening at SABCC for an Invasive Species Project Manager (in case the link 
doesn't work below, here it is: 
http://www.buffelgrass.org/content/careers).  Deadline: August 15, 2012! 

More information about the SABCC and buffelgrass (as taken from their 
website): 
Buffelgrass in a non-native species that was introduced in the United 
States  in the 1930s as livestock forage, erosion control, and soil 
stabilization. Today it is found from the East Coast to the southwestern 
deserts. The big problem with buffelgrass is that it is invasive and, over 
the years, it has taken over what were once fire-resistant desert areas 
and converted them to flammable grasslands.  "Buffelgrass has introduced a 
new wildfire risk into an ecosystem that is not fire adapted." 

Pima County declared buffelgrass a Regulated and Restricted Noxious Weed 
in 2005 and a buffelgrass summit in 2007 led to the inception of this 
Center. 

SABCC's connection to PCA: 
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, A PCA Cooperator, received a Native 
Plant Conservation Initiative (NPCI) grant in 2004 to look into the 
buffelgrass problem, which is summarized here:   
  
Conservation of Arizona and Sonoran Desert Habitat (AZ & Mexico)
Inventory the non-native buffelgrass throughout the Arizona upland 
subdivision of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and Mexico. Project will map 
distribution of buffelgrass populations and select 20 sites for in-depth 
data analysis. 
Grantee: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Inc. (
http://www.nps.gov/plants/nfwf/nfwf04.htm) 
Final Report: 
http://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/buffel_survey_report.pdf 

Lindy confirmed that this research has fed into SABCC's work, saying "the 
survey work they did served as a model for buffelgrass mapping and we use 
the information from the report in many of our presentations and to garner 
support from the transportation department."  A member of the Desert 
Museum also serves on the SABCC Board.  It is nice to know that the NPCI 
program funded research that met this important need. 

Learn more & get involved: 
Join the SABCC mailing list to receive the SABCC updates in the future, or 
visit their website (www.buffelgrass.org/) to learn more about buffelgrass 
research, mapping, and volunteering. Lindy Brigham is also a member of the 
APWG listserve, so I'm sure if you have any questions or comments you can 
post them to this list.  I've noticed that we do not have an Alien 
Inviasive Fact Sheet on Buffelgrass (www.nps.gov/plants/alien/factmain.htm
) - perhaps someone would like to volunteer to work on one with the 
Center...

Cheers and keep up the good work! 

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist, Division of Scientific Authority-US Fish & Wildlife 
Service-International Affairs
Chair, Medicinal Plant Working Group-Plant Conservation Alliance
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276

Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants. 

<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

Follow International Affairs
> on Twitter  http://twitter.com/USFWSInternatl
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----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 07/26/2012 08:53 
AM ----- 
Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center 
<lindy.brigham at buffelgrass.org> 
07/25/2012 01:15 AM 

Please respond to
lindy.brigham at buffelgrass.org




cc

Subject
News from Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center








You're receiving this email because of your relationship with Southern 
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You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails. 







Summer 2012
Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center 

Newsletter











In This Issue
FEMA Grant
SWFire SABCC Video
SUCCESS!
Volunteers RULE!
Primavera Works
Project Manager Position
Help Map!
Upcoming Events














Our Mission
is to provide a regional information center that emphasizes an integrated 
management approach to control buffelgrass in Southern Arizona.


  
  
  
Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center 
  
1955 E. 6th Street 
Tucson, AZ  85719 
(520) 626-8307 
  
info at buffelgrass.org 
  
www.buffelgrass.org




Dear SABCC Supporter, 

Summer is here and with it more reports on the buffelgrass front. 
  
The Pima County Board of Supervisors approved the FEMA grant on June 19th. 
 We are putting the finishing touches on the various contracts and will 
keep you updated on our progress.  This is a 3 year grant for $3.4 million 
to mitigate buffelgrass at the Tucson International Airport and Pima 
County Mission Complex. 
  
Please check out the great video that the Southwest Fire Consortium 
produced highlighting SABCCs collaborative efforts. A special thanks goes 
to Molly Hunter from NAU for spearheading this work. 
  
We have another superb SUCCESS story from Saguaro National Park, and a 
great summary of the incredible work volunteers are doing in the community 
by Marilyn Hanson. 
  
Please feel free to contribute articles and news items as well as sending 
us suggestions on things that you would like to see in the newsletter. 

Have a great Summer, 

Lindy A. Brigham, 
Executive Director 
Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center 
Email




FEMA Pre-disaster mitigation grant: Pima County Wildfire Mitigation 
Project.   
  
In recognition of the increasing threat to critical infrastructure, 
essential services and public safety, the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA) recently awarded the State Office 
of Emergency Management a pre-disaster mitigation grant for $3.4 million 
to mitigate the threat of buffelgrass on two critical facilities - Tucson 
International Airport and the Pima County Mission Road Complex, which 
houses the Pima County Jail. 
  
SABCC worked with the Office of Emergency Management, Pima County, Tucson 
Airport Authority, and Logan Simpson Design to identfy the key areas  and 
develop a mitigation strategy.  This is a three year grant with the 
objective of reducing buffelgrass within the two key areas to a level 
where only normal vegetation maintence is required going forward.  SABCC 
will develop education and mitigation programs in a 2 mile buffer area 
surrounding the sites to increase the efficacy of the site efforts and to 
protect the neighborhoods from buffelgrass fires. 




FEMA 2011 Sites

  

 In the news: 
A short piece on the project in the Arizona Daily Star 
A video piece on  KOLD July5th, 2012

  
 





Southwest Fire Consortium creates video of SABCC 
  




Buffelgrass: Southern Arizona Fights Back

  
SABCC has been honored with recognition by the Southwest Fire Science 
Consortium.  With Josh McDaniel, they produced an 11 minute video 
highlighting the work SABCC and it's partners have been doing in the 
Tucson Basin. 
    
"The ecological and economic threat that buffelgrass poses to the 
community of Tucson and the surrounding area has sparked an unprecedented 
level of cooperation among land managers, nonprofits, government at all 
levels, and representatives from the business community. The Southern 
Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center represents a model of 
cross-­-jurisdiction cooperation and community engagement in response to 
an environmental threat."   
  
Here is a link to the written story 
  
Molly Hunter from NAU, a long-time SABCC collaborator, initiated this 
project - Thank you Molly! 





Buffelgrass SUCCESS Stories - Saguaro National Park Volunteer Weedwackers 
Reach a Milestone   
  
Saguaro National Park is located in the scenic southwest Sonoran Desert, 
on the flanks of Tucson, AZ. Visitors from around the globe are drawn to 
the park's iconic southwestern landscape, characterized by the park's 
namesake, the saguaro cacti. Yet the park's landscape and the plants and 
animals that depend upon it for their existence are becoming increasingly 
threatened by buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare), an invasive grass from 
Africa. Buffelgrass was introduced in the 1930's, primarily as forage for 
livestock and erosion control. In recent years, buffelgrass has spread 
exponentially across southern Arizona. It has the potential, through 
intense competition and introduced wildfire, to dominate the natural 
landscape of the park and surrounding areas in less than a decade. Saguaro 
National Park takes its mission seriously and with the support of 
dedicated volunteers, is doing what it takes to preserve and protect its 
namesake and its unique habitat. 
  
Saguaro National Park uses a variety of methods to control buffelgrass, 
including hand pulling and herbicides. The Saguaro National Park 
Weedwackers, a volunteer group created in 2007, are an important component 
of the park's overall treatment strategy. Local community members convene 
on a monthly basis with the sole intent of pulling buffelgrass. The 
Freeman patch, an 11 acre patch of buffelgrass located near the historic 
Freeman Homestead, has been the target of this volunteer labor force since 
July of 2008. Armed with rock hammers, digging bars and pick mattocks, the 
Weedwackers have braved hidden cacti, thorny shrubs, coiled rattlesnakes, 
and the ever looming desert heat month after month. 
 
While the dedication and perseverance of the Weedwackers was truly the 
engine driving the eradication of this patch forward, there were many 
other contributing interest groups that sustained the momentum between 
monthly meetings. Office workers from CitiGroup and Tucson Electric Power, 
numerous school groups, and youth organizations including the Eagle Scouts 
of America and the Cactus Rangers all dedicated time, sweat, and smiles to 
the effort. 
  
  
In March 10, 2012, a nearly 4 year quest to remove this massive 
infestation from the heart of the park came to an end. The Weedwackers met 
that morning, to remove a thin strip of buffelgrass lined the banks, 
spotted the surrounding landscape, and then blinked out. The volunteers 
lowered their wide brimmed hats, and their tool hardened hands made short 
work of those remaining offenders. As the bustle of work stilled, and the 
sound of feet wandering in search of that one last plant replaced the 
pounding of tools on the earth, the tranquility of the desert resumed. The 
steely eyes of the desert dwellers soaked in the scene; the balance of the 
landscape had at last been restored. Flowers had germinated where once 
there was no room for other life. Cacti, long buried by the dense tangles 
of grass, were revealed in the clear sunlight. Saguaros raised their arms 
in thanks and danced on the horizon. The job was finally done. 
  
In the end, 464 individuals contributed 2,843 hours of hard physical labor 
to this endeavor. Our thanks go out to all of those volunteers who made 
this success possible. The elimination of the Freeman patch has shown us 
what the strength, heart, and commitment of the community is capable of, 
and given us hope as we move forward in our fight to save the saguaro. 
 
Scott Stonum Chief of Science and Resource Management - Saguaro National 
Park 
  
Read more on Saguro National Park's Efforts HERE





The Will of the People

I recently overheard someone ask if the "will of the people" was enough to 
fight back the spread of buffelgrass. I thought it might be helpful to see 
what the "will of the people" looks like on a map. I know that we will 
never be rid of buffelgrass but we can maintain and manage its spread into 
all of the wild, natural areas around Tucson, including the washes in the 
city. Below is a summary of the Sonoran Desert Weedwacker's work in Tucson 
Mountain Park. 
  
Volunteer Efforts for the last three years: 
2011 - 660  volunteers / 2497 hours donated 
2010 - 873  volunteers / 3223 hours donated 
2009 - 1040 volunteers / 3770 hours donated 
  
Efforts by Saturday Weedwackers - 2011 
(work every third Saturday in the following areas): 
North of Caretaker's House 
CAP Canal 
Ironwood Picnic Area 
Prospector's Trail       
Sweetwater Preserve 
North of Calle Paso Robles 
Quarry west of Kennedy Park 
Water tank on Rock Wren Trail
Efforts by Wednesday Weedwackers - 2011 
(work every 2nd and 4th Wednesday) 
Finished clearing the steep slopes of Cat and Little Cat Mountain 
Cleared all of the hills NE of the Sarasota Trailhead 
Recleared the huge infestation in valley south of COTA and then cleared 
the next valley to the south 
Recleared Trail's End Wash for a third year. Found almost no fountain 
grass or buffelgrass within the wash. Native wildflowers emerging where 
solid fountain grass had been growing. 
Continued to reclear the slope of Bushmaster Peak N of Gate's Pass Road 
Individual Weedwackers cleared the hills around the Sarasota and 36th 
Street Trailhead 
Hills to the north of ASDM recleared 
Kinney Road recleared between ASDM and Gate's Pass Road 
 

Tucson Mountain Park. Accumulated data going back to 2000 

 
Yellow-BG Removed   Red-BG Present   Orange-BG Being Removed 
Aqua-Areas Recleared   Purple-Roadways Cleared  Blue-Sprayed 
  
Additional Photo Reports available. 
 
>From my perspective, the "will of the people" is pretty strong and 
committed. 
  
Marilyn Hanson 
Volunteer Coordinator 
Sonoran Desert Weedwackers 
  
The Sonoran Desert Weedwackers have been removing invasive grasses from 
Tucson Mountain Park since 2000. They work every third Saturday of the 
month year-round for about three hours. A smaller group also works on the 
second and fourth Wednesdays of the month for about four hours.  To join 
the Weedwacker efforts around the Tucson Basin, contact Marilyn Hanson 
 





Buffelgrass Removal by Primavera Works 
  
Do you or someone you know need help with buffelgrass??? 
  
Primavera Works has several crews specially trained in buffelgrass 
removal. 
  

 5 GOOD REASONS TO HIRE PRIMAVERA WORKS
Our staff are trained on removal techniques that eradicate existing 
buffelgrass and reduces the spread of grass. 
Able to differentiate buffelgrass from desirable, native grass species. 
Primavera's Buffelgrass Brigade brings their own tools. 
Our Buffelgrass removal is part of a yard clean-up process, so you'll get 
rid of the ugly fire hazard of buffelgrass and get a clean, manicured 
yard.
Free estimates! 
GET RID OF YOUR BUFFELGRASS! CALL (520) 882-9668 
  
  
Download the Primavera Buffelgrass Flyer 
  
  

 


 


SABCC is looking for a project manager 
Please spread the word 
  

INVASIVE SPECIES PROJECT MANAGER

  
Part time with potential for full time position responsible for 
coordinating and managing buffelgrass mitigation efforts with multiple 
local, state, and federal partners in Southern Arizona. Requires extensive 
travel and working with diverse organizations, field conditions and 
requirements. 
  
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS 
Manages day-to-day operational aspects of projects and cooperative 
agreements. 
Convenes partner meetings to establish plans of action and stakeholder 
responsibilities. 
Assists in writing work plans and specifications for fieldwork and 
contractors; schedules work, and supervises contractors and volunteers. 
Help develop and manage a certification program for contractors working 
with buffelgrass. 
Manage Beat Back Buffelgrass Day, including convening partners on a 
regular basis, working with web technician to develop and maintain website 
registrations, order supplies. 
Manages budgets and assists in preparing reports to funding agencies. 
Assist the Executive Director in developing and writing grant proposals 
from federal, state, foundation and local funding agencies. 
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS 
College degree or equivalent in science-related field 
3 or more years of professional experience in project management and 
vegetation management 
Experience in developing and managing multiple projects, simultaneously 
  
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 
Fluency in Spanish 
Experience interacting with diverse citizen groups 
Experience preparing complex grant applications 
Direct experience with invasive species management 
Experience working with GIS data management systems and decision support 
systems. 
APPLICATION DEADLINE - August 15, 2012 
  
Download the full job description for distribution and instructions for 
applying (here) 
  
 


 


Be On The Lookout!!!! 
  
Know of any buffelgrass problem areas?  Click on the link below and use 
our new Citizen's Report form to let us know where they are!   

Citizen Buffelgrass Report Form 
  

 





Upcoming Events   
 
Get Involved!
Visit the SABCC Buffelgrass Event calendar to learn about buffelgrass pull 
events in your area!   
SABCC Buffelgrass Event Calendar








 COMING SOON in the Newsletters

Stay tuned for SABCC updates in our next Newsletter issues 
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum teams up with REI in the fight against 
buffelgrass. 
Updates on the FEMA grant project at the Tucson International Airport and 
the Pima County Mission Complex 
More details on the Decision Support and Data Management Systems 
More Buffelgrass SUCCESS stories 
And much, much more?xfeff;
Do YOU have a story you would like to contribute? 
Send them to info at buffelgrass.org 

THANKS! 





Sincerely, 



Lindy Brigham
Executive Director 
Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center 
1955 E. 6th Street 
Tucson, AZ  85719 
520-626-8307 
Email







Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center | PO Box 31166 | Tucson | 
AZ | 85751
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