Hiking the Italian Springs Trail (April, 2012) — Image by kenne
bushed
a trail cursed and charmed taking a breather in solitude and shade alligator junipers mountain pines overlooking a big sky pass scrambling time and seasons whence we came where we went Redington road to the plateau beneath Mica mountain summit till you get there yourself it remains our paradise sharing our wanderlust in this virtual world
— kenne
(This hike was one of many I did with my old hiking buddy, Tom Markey, who passed awayAugust 17, 2022.)
As the first returners, ferns, and mosses are some of the greenery we see after a fire. They have rhizomes, horizontal stems tucked away underground that stay protected and often survive moderate fires.
The Telegraph Fire is a wildfire in the Tonto National Forest that started west of Globe, Arizona on June 4, 2021. The fire burned 180,757 acres and was fully contained on July 4, 2021. It is the largest wildfire in the United States of the 2021 wildfire season so far. State Highway 77 was closed several times during the life of the Telegraph Fire. These images were taken July 2nd as we drove back to Tucson after spending a few days in Pinetop, Arizona.
Giant Reed In The Tanque Verde Wash — Image by kenne
Giant reed is an invasive grass common to riparian areas, streams, and rivers throughout the Southwest. It thrives in moist soils (moderately saline or freshwater), sand dunes, and wetland areas.
Giant reed forms dense, monocultural stands and often crowds out native vegetation for soil moisture, nutrients, and space. When dry, it is highly flammable and becomes a fire danger in riparian habitats unaccustomed to sustaining fire. It uses far more water than native vegetation, thus disturbing the natural flood regime.
Shoots and stems grow rapidly (as much as 4 inches per day during spring), outpacing native plant growth. Shallow parts of the root system along stream edges are susceptible to undercutting, which contributes to bank collapse and spreading of reproductive parts downstream. Giant reed grows back quickly following a fire, thereby increasing its dominance over native riparian species.
I spotted this growth out in the Tanque Verde wash while walking the trail near the wash the other morning.
SCVN Friday Hikes In The Santa Catalina Mountains To Resume This Summer — Image from 2017
The last Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalist (SCVN) hike was March 2020. The National Forest Service has authorized the SCVN to begin Friday Hikes this June on Mt. Lemmon. The Forest Service will require all volunteers to wear masks at all times while volunteering. The groups will be smaller and maintain social distancing.
Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) In Sabino Canyon Recreation Area — Image by kenne
Fountain Grass is a perennial bunchgrass with attractive purple or green flowers. It is an ornamental plant that is still sold in nurseries. Although some nursery varieties are considered “sterile,” no varieties are recommended for planting and landscaping. Fountain grass is a close relative of buffelgrass, the most problematic invasive species in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. Fountain grass is present in much of the western United States and is a big problem invasive species in Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and California.
Fountain grass is a native of Africa. Fountain grass seed was first available in the US around 1880and has been cultivated as an ornamental plant in Tucson since 1940. Records document that fountain grass began establishing itself in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson as early as 1946.
Fountain grass can form dense stands with several undesirable effects. It provides a large amount of fuel for hot fires that can destroy native plants and animals. It displaces native grasses, blocks the natural flow of water in washes, and alters animals’ habitat, particularly frogs and toads that are sensitive to such changes. Source: National Park Service
Clearing The Forest Floor (Santa Catalina Mountains) — Images by kenne
The Forest Service tries to mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfire by actively managing the landscape and its fuels. By increasing the spacing between trees and bushes and removing dead and fallen vegetation, we can create a better chance for healthy trees and plants to withstand a wildfire. The above photos show work done by stacking dead and small vegetation that become part of controlled burns in the Santa Catalina Mountains.
On Friday, September 18, 2020, District Ranger conducted a guided tour for Partner members ahead of the Scheduled Reopening of Sabino Canyon Recreational Area on September 21, 2020. Fifteen Partner members, five each from:
Friends of Sabino Canyon Sabino Canyon Volunteer Nationalists Santa Catalina Volunteer Patrol
In addition to the following video, images of the Drive-thru are in this Flickr Album.
Sabino Canyon Recreational Area in the Coronado National Forest has been impacted by the government shutdown
yet remains open to the public with the help of volunteer organizations, Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) and the Santa Catalina Volunteer Patrol (SCVP) continuing to provide their services to the public.
One of the programs provided by the SCVN is daily
environmental education programs for k-6 students. Each August teachers reserved a date to bring their class
to the Canyon starting in October.
Because of the shutdown, the Forest Service agreed
to make sure all trash is removed and the restrooms are clean
in the areas where the environmental education programs are taking place.
Teachers select from six programs designed to meet “core curriculum” goals. Images by kenne
This past Thursday’s program was “Back To the Past.”
Students learned about the nature Americans
who lived in Sabino Canyon hundreds of years ago.
— kenne
“Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth
who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience,
and just plain loving one another.”
Sunrise in Sabino Canyon Recreational Area — Image by kenne
This morning the canyon is closed. The government has shut down again. Still, the sun comes up unaware as Shadows move among the coyote or deer — Watch me rise and go.
Scenic HWY 83 (Southeast of Tucson, AZ) — Image by kenne
This is the general area where the Rosemont Mine will be developed in the beautiful Santa Rita Mountains southeast of Tucson. Is there copper in these mountains — Yes. Should it be mined — Yes, only if the mining company reclaims the area but, their past track record says otherwise. But in the end, copper is king in Arizona.
Park Ranger and Kid at Mesa Verde National Park — Image by kenne
During our recent visit to Mesa Verde National Park, I watched a Park Ranger at a demo table doing something we as naturalists do at Sabino Canyon to education visitors to the canyon — couldn’t pass up taking a photo and watching the child’s reaction.
Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalist at Sabino Canyon — Image by kenne
Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) programs and nature demonstrations start in October.
— kenne
“Children the world over have a right to a childhood filled with beauty, joy, adventure, and companionship. They will grow toward ecological literacy if the soil they are nurtured in is rich with experience, love, and good examples.”
Images by kenne
Sunrise in Sabino Canyon Recreational Area — Image by kenne
Scenic HWY 83 (Southeast of Tucson, AZ) — Image by kenne
Park Ranger and Kid at Mesa Verde National Park — Image by kenne
Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalist at Sabino Canyon — Image by kenne
Bee on Thistle Grunge Art by kenne
Becoming is Superior to Being 