Invasive Plant Volunteer Events

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Thursday, March 28, 2024
Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm

Organization: UA Pima County Cooperative Extension
Description: A large stinknet population has been spotted on Alamo Avenue in Central Tucson (near intersection of Pima/Wilmot). The time is now to get rid of this pesky invasive before it spreads further in the neighborhood.
Meeting Location: Parking lot on northeast corner of Alamo Avenue and Lee Street. South of Grace to the Nations.
Event location: Lat: 32.241845 Long: -110.862066
Volunteers: 9 registered out of a total capacity of 20
Tools Provided: Yes
Bring: Water
Wear: Long sleeves, long pants, hat

Friday, March 29, 2024
Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm

Organization: UA Pima County Cooperative Extension
Description: A large stinknet population has been spotted on Alamo Avenue in Central Tucson (near intersection of Pima/Wilmot). The time is now to get rid of this pesky invasive before it spreads further in the neighborhood.
Meeting Location: Parking lot on northeast corner of Alamo Avenue and Lee Street. South of Grace to the Nations.
Event location: Lat: 32.241845 Long: -110.862066
Volunteers: 15 registered out of a total capacity of 20
Tools Provided: Yes
Bring: Water
Wear: Long sleeves, long pants, hat

Saturday, March 30, 2024
Time: 8 am - 12 pm

Organization: Catalina State Park Buffel Slayers
Description: Come out to Catalina State Park and see the amazing wildflowers that the winter rains have likely nurtured for us. Get into the park for free! This buffelgrass dig replaces our regular March 2nd and April 6th events and will be the last of our spring season. We have one more baby saguaro to raffle off and we still have plenty of stickers. If you have been stalwart and have joined us for 5 digs, we have a colorful Buffel Slayer shirt waiting for you.
Meeting Location: Meet at the Equestrian Center within Catalina State Park. Turn left after the big wash crossing and head to the end of the road, past the camping loops. Park on the left and meet us at the picnic tables at the trailhead for the 50 Year Trail.
Event location: 11570 N. Oracle Rd., Oro Valley, AZ, 85737
Volunteers: 28 registered out of a total capacity of 30
Tools Provided: Pick-mattocks, hand picks, digging bars, work gloves, kneeling matts
Bring: 2 liters of water, snacks, sunscreen, sun hat, your own work gloves, if preferred
Wear: Long pants, long-sleeved sun shirt, sturdy hiking boots or shoes, hat
Additional Information: We will walk 20 minutes up the 50 year Trail and dig along a small wash and a nearby slope. This is a re-dig of the area, so many of the plants are smaller. Digging should be relatively easy. For photos of our past events go to https://www.facebook.com/buffelslayers If you are a minor, email me for a youth waiver.

Saturday, March 30, 2024
Time: 8:00am - 11:00am

Organization: Pima County Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation
Description: Join us for a beautiful morning of removing buffelgrass and African lovegrass (also known as "tickgrass") from Colossal Cave Mountain Park! Come prepared to hike off trail to reach our work area. We will provide snacks and drinks when we're finished.
Meeting Location: We'll meet in the main parking lot by the visitor center at Colossal Cave Mountain Park.
Event location: 16721 E Old Spanish Trail, Vail, AZ 85641
Volunteers: 5 registered out of a total capacity of 40
Tools Provided: lightweight digging bars, rock picks, work gloves
Bring: water (2+ liters), snacks, backpack, sunscreen
Wear: hiking boots or sturdy shoes, long pants, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, long sleeves)

Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Time: 8:30am-11:30am

Organization: Saguaro National Park
Description: Stinknet is a recently introduced, invasive plant that has taken over Phoenix in a very short time, crowing out other plants and fueling wildfires. A very large infestation was discovered last year in Amphi neighborhood and has spread into parts of the surrounding residential area. Join us in Amphi neighborhood to learn how to recognize and remove the problem plant. Let's join forces to protect our community and its biodiversity!
Meeting Location: Pima Federal Credit Union customer parking lot (west side of credit union building)
Event location: 3730 N Stone Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705, Tucson, AZ 85705
Volunteers: 2 registered out of a total capacity of 12
Tools Provided: Gloves, trash bags, some hand tools
Bring: Some drinking water, a 5 gal bucket (if you have one already), a face mask
Wear: Comfortable gardening clothes, sturdy covered shoes and a hat
Additional Information: We do not require use of a face mask but many people find that a surgical or cloth mask is useful as close contact with a dense patch of stinknet can make your eyes water (and it smells bad!).

Saturday, April 6, 2024
Time: 7:30am - 11:30am

Organization: Watershed Management Group
Description: Join our community effort to restore Tanque Verde Creek! We invite people of all ages, diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, beliefs, and many other diverse communities to participate in restoring our heritage of seasonal and year-round water flows. Come work with WMG staff and other River Run Network volunteers in a beautiful riparian area to remove this invasive species and contribute to the restoration of surface flows and the riparian forest. We are working around an area that has recently seen a return of extended, seasonal flows! WMG’s River Run Network is excited to tackle the removal of an invasive species, Arundo donax (giant reed), from along Tanque Verde Creek in east Tucson. Arundo is harmful because it drinks up to 3-4 times as much water as native desert plants, crowds out native species and habitat, and increases the risk of flooding and wildfire. By helping to remove Arundo at this workshop, you’ll be helping to restore groundwater levels and surface flow in the Tanque Verde Creek.
Meeting Location: Please plan to arrive 15 minutes early to check in. We will be carpooling to the restoration work area shortly after a few introductions and we do not want anyone to get lost.
Event location: 12050 E Forty Niner Drive, Tucson, AZ 85749
Volunteers: 0 registered out of a total capacity of 20
Tools Provided: Yes, anything needed for removal will be provided.
Bring: snacks and water for yourself, if you'd like to bring your own gloves, you're welcome to do that as well.
Wear: Close-toed shoes, Long pants, Long sleeved shirt, Hat, sunscreen and sunglasses
Additional Information: This event will be outside including rough terrain. You will be walking and working in sandy, rocky, wet soils where you will get your feet wet, and navigating through riparian environments as well as using tools and moving heavy arundo stalks. Please be aware that bathroom facilities are not available as we are working in a remote location.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Time: 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Organization: Sonoran Desert Weedwackers - Pima County NRPR
Description: Join us for a beautiful morning in Tucson Mountain Park! Come prepared to hike off trail to reach our work area. We will provide snacks and drinks when we're finished.
Meeting Location: Details on specific meeting location within the park will be sent by email 2-3 days ahead of time. Text or call Ellie if you need meeting location details.
Event location: Tucson Mountain Park,
Volunteers: 3 registered out of a total capacity of 30
Tools Provided: lightweight digging bars, rock picks, work gloves
Bring: water (2 liters), snacks, backpack, sunscreen
Wear: hiking boots or sturdy shoes, long pants, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, long sleeves)

Saturday, April 20, 2024
Time: 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Organization: Sonoran Desert Weedwackers - Pima County NRPR
Description: Join us for a beautiful morning in Tucson Mountain Park! Come prepared to hike off trail to reach our work area. We will provide snacks and drinks when we're finished.
Meeting Location: Details on specific meeting location within the park will be sent by email 2-3 days ahead of time. Text or call Ellie if you need meeting location details.
Event location: Tucson Mountain Park,
Volunteers: 2 registered out of a total capacity of 35
Tools Provided: lightweight digging bars, rock picks, work gloves
Bring: water (2 liters), snacks, backpack, sunscreen
Wear: hiking boots or sturdy shoes, long pants, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, long sleeves)

Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Time: 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Organization: Sonoran Desert Weedwackers - Pima County NRPR
Description: Join us for a beautiful morning in Tucson Mountain Park! Come prepared to hike off trail to reach our work area. We will provide snacks and drinks when we're finished.
Meeting Location: Details on specific meeting location within the park will be sent by email 2-3 days ahead of time. Text or call Ellie if you need meeting location details.
Event location: Tucson Mountain Park,
Volunteers: 0 registered out of a total capacity of 30
Tools Provided: lightweight digging bars, rock picks, work gloves
Bring: water (2 liters), snacks, backpack, sunscreen
Wear: hiking boots or sturdy shoes, long pants, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, long sleeves)

Saturday, April 27, 2024
Time: 8:00 to 12:30

Organization:
Description: The hike will be short (no more than 3-4 miles round trip), but off-trail and across rough terrain. The last quarter mile is very steep. The worksite is on a steep slope. Take as many breaks as you like to sit and enjoy the grand view in a portion of the Tucson Mountains that's usually inaccessible to the public.
Meeting Location: Please contact the organizer for the exact location and more information: fjstaub@hotmail.com 520-260-1400. The meeting place is in Picture Rocks at the end of 2 miles of dirt road. Although the road is very rough, 4WD is not required.
Event location: Lat: 32.343421 Long: 111.163835
Volunteers: 0 registered out of a total capacity of 30
Tools Provided: National Park personnel will come with us and provide instructions, gloves, and tools
Bring: Two litters of liquid, protection from the sun (hat and sunscreen).
Wear: Sturdy footwear for hiking and working. Long sleeves and long pants are a good idea to protect from scratches.
Additional Information: Not only will you spend time in one of the prettiest desert landscapes on earth, you may win a saguaro cactus for your yard. Pima County has provided a saguaro in a one-gallon container to be raffled off. To see pictures of buffelgrass and where we will be working: https://www.frankstaub.com/Folders/Buffelgrass-A-Horrible-Invasive

Retrieved from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum web site on 03-28-2024
http://www.desertmuseum.org/buffelgrass/pullsitelist.php?range=2017-10-21