Buffelgrass remains biggest threat to most iconic cactus in southwest
Tucson-area groups working together to battle invasive grass and ‘Save Our Saguaro’
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - February kicks off “Save Our Saguaro” month, an effort aimed at increasing public awareness and understanding of the invasive grasses harming saguaro cactuses.
Buffelgrass is the biggest threat to the cactus, one of the most iconic in the country.
“It has the power to really transform the ecosystem,” said Kim Franklin, conservation science manager at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. “To really take this beautiful biodiverse desert and turn it into a grassland, a buffelgrass grassland.”
Buffelgrass was first introduced to Arizona from South Africa in the 1920s to be used as cattle foliage. It has since exploded into a major threat to the saguaro by competing for space, nutrients, and water.
The invasive grass is also known to fuel fires.
“These invasive plants basically create a carpet of fuel. Our saguaros for the most part are not able to withstand the intense fires that are fueled by buffelgrass,” Franklin said.
Experts add that buffelgrass poses a threat to Tucson’s and the region’s economy. The city attracts millions of visitors each year, many of whom visit specifically to see the saguaros.
But experts wonder if it will still be an attractive destination if the cactuses are taken over by grasslands.
“Without those saguaros, we become like any other resort town. We don’t stand out,” Franklin said. “Our tourism industry largely depends on the saguaro cactus, and as a threat to our saguaro cactus, buffelgrass is a threat to our tourist industry.”
Despite the cooling temperatures over the last several months, buffelgrass will continue to thrive. The warming temperatures toward the end of February and the continual rainfall will cause the buffelgrass to prosper.
“It’s just going to sprout up and grow very aggressively in early March, and I’m afraid through most of the month,” said John Scheuring, conservation chairman at the Arizona Native Plant Society Tucson Chapter.
Experts said there are two ways in which buffelgrass can be controlled, by using pesticides or pulling them out of the ground.
However, these are only protective measures as buffelgrass is too prevalent to be eradicated.
“You can never just go in and dig up buffelgrass one time and expect for it to go away,” Scheuring said.
But with the help of the community, Franklin hopes to keep the buffelgrass in check and preserve the saguaro.
From Feb. 4 to March 5, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum will host several buffelgrass-pulling opportunities.
If you would like to volunteer, go to www.desertmuseum.org/buffelgrass.
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