For more info and videos: Southern AZ Bufflegrass Coordination Center, http://www.buffelgrass.org/

The Center’s mission is to provide a regional information center that emphasizes an integrated management approach to control buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) in Southern Arizona.

From Mac Hudson, aide to Councilmember Romero:

“We understand that you may have concerns that have come about via an
erroneous email about plans to close down “A” Mountain. This is not true.
Please feel free to call me (Mac) at 520-837-4262 and discuss the improvements
once you’ve had a chance to see them for yourself.

Councilor Romero is very excited about ongoing improvements to Sentinel
Peak Park and “A” Mountain. A community led and public process over the
past few years has created a phase 1 plan for Sentinel Peak Park to
increase safe access and promote nature, culture and history.

It is important to note that under phase 1 there will still be parking
on the east overlook near the “A”. The plans are to have both a pedestrian
area with benches and shade and parking spaces near the “A”.

Phase 1 Improvements include:

Wheelchair Accessible Pathway from top parking lot to East Overlook
(under the “A”)
● Path will be 8′ wide stabilized decomposed granite with
accessible grades
● Two overlook rest areas with seating are included

East Overlook
● Guardrail at existing retaining wall

● Post & Cable Pedestrian Safety Barrier
● Benches (3)
● (2) Crosswalks, painted
● Speed table
● Vehicular signage
● New pavement striping

Shade Structure
● Located near existing parking lot at beginning of new park
pathway

Landscape Improvements
● Passive water harvesting, seeding and buffelgrass removal plan

Interpretative Signage
● Quantity dependent on cost”

For further info or concerns, call the Ward 1 Council Office at 520-791-4040, Council administrative assistant Mac Hudson at 520-837-4262, or read the SENTINEL PEAK REGIONAL NATURAL RESOURCE PARK MASTER PLAN REPORT dated June 2009 here:

http://www.tucsonaz.gov/pdf/sppp09.pdf

See you on top of the mountain!

Steve Leal

Today I happened to listen to most of his radio show. Steve first interviewed District 5 Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias about the County’s attempts to eradicate bufflegrass.

Then he spoke with two guests from Pan Left Productions. Sal Baldenegro is making a documentary about Mexican American civil rights and the creation of El Rio Neighborhood Center here in Tucson. Both he and other guest Mary Charlotte Thurtle work at Pan Left.

Finally Steve discussed the importance of Access Tucson (public access cable TV) facing budget cuts by the City of Tucson. His guests were Sam Behrend (Executive Director) and Lisa Jones (Chair of the Board of Directors) from Access Tucson.

Listen to Steve every Thursday, talking with other interesting guests from the community.

For more political & business interviews, stay tuned to KJLL and listen for two hours to the John C. Scott show from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 3 to 4 p.m. on Fridays.

Bufflegrass Day poster

Buffelgrass in Southern Arizona is a wildfire waiting to happen. Do your part and come out with your friends and neighbors to the 3rd Annual Beat Back Buffelgrass Day on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 — from 8 to 11 a.m.

I got this information from the Bufflegrass Information Center (http://www.buffelgrass.org/), whose mission is to: “provide a regional information center that emphasizes an integrated management approach to address and control buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) in Southern Arizona”. Bufflegrass is a non-native, invasive plant, dense stands of which can burn at over 1,400 degrees, almost three times hotter than fires generated by flammable native vegetation. That’s why bufflegrass wildfires are so dangerous.

Here is a list of the places you can volunteer at:

-”A” Mountain/Sentinel Peak Park
-Sonoran Desert Weedwackers, Tucson Mountain Park, 36th Street Trailhead
-Town of Marana and Pima Count Cortaro Road
-Tanque Verde Valley Weedwackers/Tucson Clean & Beautiful, Camino Seco Road
-City of Tucson Parks & Recreation Dept., Julian Wash Park
-Town of Oro Valley, Naranja Town Site
-Saguaro National Park, West District, backcountry site
-Town of Sahuarita, Quail Creek Parkway near Old Stone House Trail
-Town of Sahuarita, S. Camino de las Quintas & West Quiet Glen Site
-Town of Sahuarita, West Duval Road site
-Pima County, Catalina Foothills, Campbell north of Skyline
-Friends of Ironwood Forest/Bureau of Land Management, Ironwood Forest National Monuments
- your own neighborhood (please identify)

Sign up online here.

For more information on volunteering, please contact Claire Zucker at czucker@pagnet.org or (520)792-1093.

If you can’t help in person, but want to donate money to help fight buffelgrass, please send your tax deductible check to the Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center, 1955 E. 6th Street, Tucson, AZ 85719, Attn: Jim Kiser, Treasurer.

And to schedule a buffelgrass presentation for your group or neighborhood:
Pima County Environmental Education Department
Phone: (520) 615-7855
Email: eeducation@pima.gov

Help beat back the bufflegrass!