I was introduced to the "weedwackers', a voluteer group involved in an intense effort to eradicate buffelgrass fronm the Sonrana Desert while visiting Tucson. On saturday, as will as during the week groups can be seen with digging bars pulling up not only the grass stemms, but also the root ball of the buffelgrass. The grass clumps are then put in bags and disposed in landfill.
Buffelgrass, a native to Africa was introduced into the United States in the 1930's for live forage and erosion control. A mature plant is about 1.5 ft. and about 3. ft. wide.
It is a warm-season grass, and below 3000 ft. will grow and flower after a rain.
Since buffelgrass grows densely, it's roots and ground shade has been known to prevent germination of the native plants, as well as competing with larger plants for water.
Being highly flammable it is a serious risk. It causes flash burning; burns quickly, the intense heat suffocation desert plants in it's path, then burns back in the direction from which it started destroying all life in its path. Buffelgrass will sprout from roots after a fire, when native plantswill not..
This is well-composed and sequenced set of photographic documentation of this group and what they do. Very nice job.
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