Beat Back Buffelgrass in Tucson

Water scarcity and climate change are issues that might jump immediately to mind when thinking of environmental issues impacting the Tucson region, but one of the next most pressing issues for our region is maybe less top of mind. That issue is the invasive spread of buffelgrass. Many residents aren’t even aware of this foreign grass species that’s been brought over here from other parts of the world and is changing our desert landscape into more of a grassland. Buffelgrass not only competes with our native plants for sun, water, and space but it creates a devastating fire hazard to our desert. Fires in areas of dense buffelgrass move faster and burn hotter than a typical desert fire which destroys native plants and further increases the density of buffelgrass.

The Save Our Saguaros movement has identified February 1 through March 8 as a timeframe to “Beat Back Buffelgrass.” You can lend a hand by pulling buffelgrass at various location around town including San Xavier Mission, Saguaro National Park, Sabino Canyon, Catalina State Park, and others. For further information on this invasive hazard and to join the movement visit this Save Our Saguaros information page.

Angela Greynolds, M.Ed.

REALTOR, GRI, GREEN @ Long Realty Company

Angela is a native Tucsonan and has lived, worked, and played in Tanque Verde, central Tucson, the University of Arizona area, Catalina Foothills, the East side, and currently Oro Valley. She is the former Technology Director at St. Michael's School, a runner, musician, teacher, outdoor enthusiast, vegetarian foodie, Spanish-speaker, world traveler, and lover of all things Tucson.