Mark's Cycling & Hiking Blog
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups

An Invasive Species in the Desert

3/24/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Typical Sonoran landscape.  Note the open spaces between the plant.  This is normal.  What is not normal is a scene where the open space is occupied by Buffelgrass (BG).  This species was brought from Africa to be planted as a forage for live stock.  It is highly flammable and feeds a fire once it starts, thus killing the other plants.  Without the BG, a fire would not survive.  In time, this could all become a grassland.
Picture
With two Saguaro Park employees to guide us, we head toward the steep slope on the right side of the above image.  We have what are essentially pick axes to use to dislodge the grass clump, hopefully with an intact root ball.  It ain't easy work, let me tell ya.
Picture
The park has tried aerial spraying but note the pock marks on the side of that center right Saguaro.  That is caused by spraying so the park is studying the impact before using the technique again.  Spot spraying using people carrying canisters works but is very slow. Or....
Picture
...you can bring out volunteers and manually remove the plant.  We are given instructions about the proper technique, part of which is to use the tool and probe the grass clump for rattlers!  This could be my lucky day.
Picture
More instructions and the yellow grass clumps at our feet is the BG in a dormant stage.  
Picture
We begin to work at 9:00am.  Not only do you dig out the BG from a rocky surface, all the clumps have to be carried and placed in piles.  Someone tells me there is a cave at the base of that rock formation, above.  Hmmm.....
Picture
.....I steadily work my way higher and now my co-workers are far below.  What could cause me to go so far away?  Why of course.....
Picture
....the cave.  OK, not really a cave, more like an alcove but still kind of neat.  Saw 4 deer nearby which is not common, asin Ohio.  I work my way back down the slope and a break is taken.  In the absence of friends with bikes at a gas station, my usual break routine, I do not linger long and continue the back breaking work.
Picture
Later, an active BG is pulled and examined.  At  11:30am, we call it a day.  My vast experience of pulling weeds from my Ohio garden came in handy, hah!  Still, it is hard work, swing the tool, pry out rocks and pull an intact plant, repeat over and over.  
Picture
On our walk out, we check out an Ocotillo plant.  We enter a wash and.....
Picture
....find a giant, likely Ironwood, tree.  Thing is huge.  Well, with my one good deed done for the visit, it is back to cycling, group ride, Sunday.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Mark is a long-time cyclist, hiker, golfer and plays some table tennis...ok, it's ping pong.

    Categories

    All
    April
    California Riding
    Grand Canyon Backpacking
    March
    The Characters

    Archives

    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.