June 20, 2005
Major Weedpull Event at Picture Canyon End of June
As part of the on-going effort to preserve and restore Picture Canyon, a major weed pulling event will be held all day on weekdays Wednesday and Thursday, 29 and 30 June. The main target: Scotch Thistle rosettes now appearing at both the upper and lower ends of the canyon. Refreshments will be provided.
Please come and join the team if you can. If you are a Master Naturalist, this is a great opportunity to get some certification hours. Come for any portion, but we suggest you show up at 9 am. Bring a sod-cutter or spade, preferably; sturdy shoes, of course; and leather gloves, preferably with long cuffs. We will occasionally run into thistle that has budded or flowered, and these will have to be bagged for burning. But most is still (we hope) in the rosette stage, and we can eliminate it with a well aimed thrust below the root crown.
The main force of weed eaters will be Coconino Rural Environmental Corps workers, often referred to as "C-REC". These are paid weed assassins, and the cost is being shared by Coconino County funds identified by Supervisor Deb Hill, and Coconino Extension Service Weed Management funds identified by educator and Weed Specialist Wade Albrecht. Refreshments and electrolyte replacement to be furnished by the Natural Resources Conservation District with funds obtained by board member Jim Alam. It is possible that on the 30th, an addition team called "Teen Works" from the Coconino County Youth Center will join up, too.
It is great that we can accomplish this followup effort in such a timely fashion. We owe thanks to the local agencies and elected officials who were so responsive so quickly to this problem spot.
Recent (couple years ago?) herbicidal applications appear to have done a good job of knocking down the thistle. But without a long-term commitment to weed management, we see the seedbank emptying its account in this very wet year and reclaiming the canyon. We have this short window to reduce this pest population. If we do a good job this year, the job will should become easier each year hereafter.
Posted by The Naturalist at June 20, 2005 4:52 PM