Presentation for Pima County Environmental Quality Advisory Committee Travis Bean University of Arizona.

Presentation for Pima County Environmental Quality Advisory Committee

Travis BeanUniversity of Arizona

Sonoran Desert vegetation poorly adapted to fireSonoran Desert vegetation poorly adapted to fire

Mapped Distribution in Arizona & Sonora

Pima CountyPima County

Seaof

Cortez

SantaCatalina

Mts

“Frio”Cananea

Buffelgrass patches on South slope of Catalina Mts. & in subdivisions will coalesce in 5-10 yrs

Soldier Canyon,Santa CatalinaMountains

Buffelgrass connects pricey developments in the foothills with woody fuels higher up the Catalina Mountains

AZ Upland

• Irreversible transformation of Sonoran Desert to monospecific grassland

• Impacts on prominent national parks and conservation initiatives, including land acquisition for preservation

• Increasing demands & mitigation requirements to protect threatened and endangered species

• Escalating fire risks & suppression costs in previously fireproof landscape

• Reduced tourism & property values

Impacts of Buffelgrass InvasionImpacts of Buffelgrass Invasion

Buffelgrass Invasion & Fire risk in Catalina FoothillsBuffelgrass Invasion & Fire risk in Catalina Foothills

19961996

Sabino Mountain Estates Buffelgrass ExpansionSabino Mountain Estates Buffelgrass Expansion

buffelgrass

buffelgrass


19981998


2002


2005

YEAR

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

ACRES

IN

FES

TED

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

633

48

145

What is being done to address the buffelgrass crisis?

http://wwwpaztcn.wr.usgs.gov/buffelgrass

Outreach

Courtesy of my old next door neighbor, AZ Daily Star cartoonist David Fitzimmons

Sonoran Desert Weedwackers

BuffelgrassBuffelgrassEradicationEradication

Day, March 1Day, March 1

Pima Assoc. of Governments

Buffelgrass crisis will eventually require aerial spraying of herbicides to slow down spread on remote, steep terrain. This will require community buy-in.

Buffelgrass Summit, Feb. 9, 2007, Starr Pass Marriott ResortBuffelgrass Summit, Feb. 9, 2007, Starr Pass Marriott Resort

• Minimize spread in areas where buffelgrass not yet established

• Implement control priorities based on actual & potential impacts

• Restore treated areas in ways that increase resilience against future invasion

• In areas where control is no longer feasible, mitigate fire risks to life & property

• Motivate legislation aimed at sustaining the control effort

• Create a template for invasive sp mgmt in AZ

Tucson Metropolitan Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Chamber of CommerceCommerce

MetropolitaMetropolitan Tucson n Tucson

Convention Convention & Visitors & Visitors BureauBureau

Schismus arabicusSchismus barbatusMediterranean grass

Bromus tectorumcheatgrass

Pennisetumciliare buffelgrass

Principal Invasive Principal Invasive Grasses Fueling Grasses Fueling Wildfires in the Wildfires in the American DesertsAmerican Deserts

Bromus rubensred brome

Inva

der

ab

un

dan

ce

Time

QuarantinePriorityStage

EradicationPriorityStage

ControlPriorityStage

Effective ControlUnlikely withoutMassive resourceInputs

ExpansionPhase

ColonizationPhase

SaturationPhase

Fire

Co

ntr

ol

cost

s

At which threshold is this unmanageable/irreversible?At which threshold is this unmanageable/irreversible?

Carrying Capacity

Invader abundance, Fuel Connectivity & Wildfire SizeInvader abundance, Fuel Connectivity & Wildfire SizeA

vera

ge

fire

siz

e

Invader Abundance(Time)

Nonlinear due to

increasingconnectivity

FireFire DesertDesert YearYear StateState SizeSize

Murphy Complex Great Basin 2007 Nevada/Idaho

653,000 acres

Milford Flat Complex

Great Basin 2007 Utah 363,000 acres

Winters Fire Great Basin 2006 Nevada 238,000 acres

Southern Nevada Complex

Mojave 2005 Nevada 509,000 acres

Cave Creek Complex

Sonoran 2005 Arizona 248,000 acres

Recent Invasives-Driven Wildfires in the Western U.S.Recent Invasives-Driven Wildfires in the Western U.S.

July 2002 Mustang Fire, Dutch John Mountain 16,000 acres

July 2006 Sawtooth Complex Fire 61,700 acres

June 2005 Cave Creek Complex Fire 243,950 acres

• Perennial C4 bunchgrass from Africa/S. Asia

• Individuals can live 20 yrs

• Swollen stem bases allow it to store carbs & survive grazing, drought & fire

• Apomictic, seeds viable for up to 4 yrs

• Susceptible to cold

• Introduced throughout subtropics; escapes readily

• Fire temperatures >1000°F, >12’ flames

Buffelgrass AttributesBuffelgrass Attributes

Inva

der

ab

un

dan

ce

Time

Fire

Co

ntr

ol

cost

s

Phoenix

Tucson

Hermosillo

Southern Baja

Where are we on the logistic growth curve for buffelgrass?Where are we on the logistic growth curve for buffelgrass?

Mapped Distribution in Arizona & Sonora

Pima CountyPima County

Seaof

Cortez

SantaCatalina

Mts

“Frio”Cananea

Catalina MtsCatalina Mts

Buffelgrass patches on South slope of Catalina Mts. & in subdivisions will coalesce in 5-10 yrs

Photo taken November 2007Photo taken November 2007

Buffelgrass connects pricey developments in the desert foothills with woody fuels higher up the Catalina Mountains

AZ Upland

Buffelgrass invasion rates must be taken into Buffelgrass invasion rates must be taken into accountaccount

19961996


buffelgras

buffelgras

ss


19981998


2002


2005

YEAR

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

ACRES

IN

FES

TED

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

633

48

145

Plan A- Mitigation:

What we must do to prevent desert from becoming more flammable

Plan B: Adaptation:Plan B: Adaptation:

What we should start What we should start doing to minimize doing to minimize impacts as desert impacts as desert become more flammablebecome more flammable

Southern Arizona Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Buffelgrass Coordination Center (SABCC) Nov 2008Center (SABCC) Nov 2008

Buffelgrass Summit Buffelgrass Summit 02/09/0702/09/07

Volunteer efforts since 2000

Completed 03/01/2008

What is being done?What is being done?

www.buffelgrass.org

Sara SmallhouseSara SmallhouseSoAZ LeadershipSoAZ Leadership

Jim KiserJim KiserSoAZ LeadershipSoAZ Leadership

ChuckChuckHuckelberryHuckelberryPima Co.Pima Co.AdministratorAdministrator

Rick Hodges, PresidentRick Hodges, PresidentTucson Assoc. of RealtorsTucson Assoc. of Realtors

Mike Hein, City Manager,Mike Hein, City Manager,City of TucsonCity of Tucson

Dennis DickersonPima Assoc of Gov

Lisa LovalloSo Az VP, Cox

Communications

Steve LynnSteve LynnVP, TEPVP, TEP

Tom Brandhuber, ChiefRural Metro

Alix RogstadAlix RogstadAZ-SonoraAZ-Sonora

Desert MuseumDesert Museum

Rick BrucsaAZ-SonoraDesert Museum

Lisa GraumlichUniversity of AZ

Sarah CraigheadSaguaro Natl Park

Marilyn HansonMarilyn HansonSonoran DesertSonoran DesertWeedwackersWeedwackers

JulioJulioBetancourtBetancourtUSGSUSGS

MikeMikeTaylorTaylorBLMBLM

JeanineJeanineDerbyDerbyForestForestServiceService

What’s needed:Regional Coordination

• Informational Clearinghouse– Mapping & Inventory

Data– Treatments– Research (Results &

Gaps)– Policy

• Resource and Learning Center– Volunteers– General Public– Media (Public

Campaigns)

• Demonstration & Rapid Response Teams– Provide expertise– Demonstration plots– Research treatment

options– Seasonal crews– Rapid mobilization

• Fiduciary Agent – Public & Private Funds– Donations– Grant Management

GIS Informatics

Analyst

Mapping Team

(4 FTE’s)

Webmaster

Education & Outreach

Specialist/ Volunteer

Coordinator

Weed/ Restoration Ecologist

Media Relations

Technician

DemonstrationRapid

Response Team(4 FTE’s;

4 PTE’s)

Executive Director

Executive Director

Administrative Assistant

Board of DirectorsBoard of DirectorsSABCC SABCC OrganizationalOrganizationalChartChart

REDRED – SABCC ‘bare – SABCC ‘bare bones’ modelbones’ modelBLACKBLACK– SABCC ‘fully – SABCC ‘fully developed’ modeldeveloped’ model

• Raise minimum of $2 million in cash

• Consistent policies (adopted and enforceable)

• Establish routine treatments by all jurisdictions

• Buffelgrass management on 1,000 acres (treated)

• 200 financial contributors

• Hot Spots identified in Strategic Plan fully mapped

• Total volunteer hours increased by 10,000 hours

• Annual updates to Strategic Plan

• 25% of HOA’s have complete buffelgrass removal

• 10% of businesses qualify for a ‘Certificate of Removal’

• Contingency plan approved by public, non-profit, and corporate

stakeholders

• Protocols developed and revised

• Host first biennial meeting (Year 2)

• Public awareness survey (baseline)

• Advise key stakeholders (SAHBA, utilities, conservation, insurance,

tourism, etc.)

• Fire Risk Assessment for all of Southern Arizona

Examples of Performance Metrics 0-2 yrs

• Endowment fund of $10M (minimum)

• Re-negotiate MOU/MOAs for staffing support of BCC

• Buffelgrass management on 5,000 acres (1,000 ac re-treated)

• 400 financial contributors

• Online interactive map functional and used by 80% of partners

• Entire region (as identified in Strategic Plan) fully mapped

• 1,000 acres effectively controlled


• 50% of HOAs have complete buffelgrass removal


• Report on effective treatments (based on monitoring products),

restoration, and contingency plans

• Public awareness survey (Year 3 or 4)


• Host biennial meeting (Year 4)

• Advise key stakeholders (SAHBA, utilities, conservation groups,

insurance, tourism, etc.)

• Reduce risk of fires in open spaces and protected areas to 100 acres



• Buffelgrass management on 10,000 acres (5,000 ac re-treated)

• Financial contributions of $1M/year

• 1,000 acres effectively controlled


• 100% of HOAs have complete buffelgrass removal


• Report on effective treatments (based on monitoring products),

restoration, and contingency plans

• Public awareness survey (Year 9)


• Host biennial meetings (Year 6, Year 8, Year 10)

• Advise key stakeholders (SAHBA, utilities, conservation groups,

insurance, tourism, etc.)

• Reduce risk of fires in open spaces and protected areas to 100 acres

Travis Bean520.621.8589

[email protected]

Presentation for Pima County Environmental Quality Advisory Committee Travis Bean University of Arizona.

Documents

az slide

connectivity slide

capacity slide

yrs slide

red brome slide

govbuffelgrass outreach

buffelgrass crisis

buffelgrass patches