Butler: Help combat invasive plants in Superstition Mountains

Friends of the Tonto National Forest recently received a $65,000 grant from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management Invasive Plant Program to combat invasive plants that contribute to extreme wildfire behavior.

The grant will support the Friends’ Superstition Mountains Project. The project is an ongoing effort to monitor and control four invasive plants on the Tonto just east of Apache Junction. When dry, these four plants — buffelgrass, fountain grass, stinknet and Sahara mustard — are highly flammable. Invasive plants spread in, under and around native plants and outcompete the native plants for water and nutrients. The growth patterns of invasive plants eliminate natural desert openings which would normally slow or stop wildfires. Dense patches of buffelgrass can burn at temperatures upwards of 1,400 F. Unnaturally hot fires kill saguaros and other signature plants of the Sonoran Desert.

Friends of the Tonto National Forest is a non-profit organization of volunteers who assist the forest in its critical mission of natural and cultural resource management. As stipulated in the grant, Friends will provide $39,000 of matching volunteer labor and funds.

History of the Superstition Mountains Project

Local resident Don Pike became concerned about invasive plants in the Superstitions after learning how they contribute to wildfires. He was motivated to do something by the devastating impact of the fires on saguaros and other native plants. In 2017 Pike, a retired executive and avid hiker, took up the challenge to keep buffelgrass and fountain grass out of a 355-acre parcel of the Tonto National Forest. Pike explained, “This was in reaction to the overwhelming magnitude of the problem in the three-million-acre Tonto National Forest. I wanted to break it down to something where a small group of volunteers could actually make a difference.”

The parcel Pike chose was just southeast of Lost Dutchman State Park. First, Pike surveyed the parcel for the two grasses. Next, Friends recruited volunteers to assist in manual grass removal. Park staff was eager to cooperate by allowing volunteers complementary park access. Twice every month from October through April, Pike has led volunteers with digging bars and picks to remove and dispose of buffelgrass and fountain grass.

Many of the volunteers, including Gold Canyon resident Leslie Crabtree, are regular removal event participants. When asked about her long term involvement, Crabtree, an active outdoors person with a strong interest in the Tonto National Forest, said “I got involved with the Friends’ Superstition Mountains Project in 2017 and have received great satisfaction watching the progress made with each visit. I have learned about the desert habitat and some of the threats, and am able to pass that knowledge along to others. It’s challenging work, but the rewards of success, new acquaintances, and iconic views are what keep me coming back.”

Enthusiastic volunteers and success in keeping the invasive grasses out of the initial area let Pike expand the project each year since 2017. By 2021 the project area had grown to 3,000 acres and had involved more than 100 individual volunteers.

In 2021 Friends added two additional invasive plants to the list — stinknet and Sahara mustard. Once established, these plants require herbicide treatment to control. The DFFM grant provides for Arizona Conservation Corps crews to apply herbicide in February and March of 2022 and again as needed in 2023.

The DFFM grant also provided funding to create and mail a brochure to Pinal County residents living next to the Superstition Mountains Project area. Eradication of the buffelgrass, fountain grass, stinknet and Sahara mustard in nearby neighborhoods will help keep those invasive plants out of the Tonto Forest National Forest and vice versa. If you would like an electronic copy of the brochure, email don@friendsofthetonto.org with the subject line “brochure.”

How you can help

There are several easy ways to help Friends of the Tonto National Forest combat the wildfire threat posed by these four invasive plants.

Friends holds removal events every second and fourth Saturday from October through April. Go to friendsofthetonto.org to sign up.

Mapping and monitoring is a great way to get outside on your own schedule. After a short training you’ll be ready to go. Mapping is done through ArcGIS Field Maps, a free app for your smart device. Depending on the time of year, the four species of non-native plants are quite easy to recognize. Since the plants are seasonal there will be an opportunity and need to cover the same territory multiple times. For more information or to sign up for training, email don@friendsofthetonto.org

Without leaving home you can lower the threat caused by these four species by removing them from your property. Use attractive and easy to maintain native grasses such as Bear grass and Grama grasses to replace fountain grass. After that, encourage your neighbors to do the same.

To learn more about the Friends of the Tonto National Forest, visit friendsofthetonto.org or the Friends’ Facebook page @friendsofthetonto. You’ll find information on this project, other projects that Friends leads and ways to support these efforts.

Editor’s note: Elizabeth Butler is a volunteer with Friends of the Tonto National Forest.