1 / 15

Kearny River Fire Initiative

The Kearny River Fire Initiative aims to restore native vegetation, protect endangered species, and combat invasive salt cedar to reduce wildfire hazards in the high-risk areas of Kearny and Winkelman. Strategies include creating defensible spaces, removing salt cedar, and planning for the arrival of the Tamarisk Beetle to control the invasive species. Restoration projects focus on replanting cottonwoods and willows to restore habitats for wildlife such as the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and Yellow-Billed Cuckoo. Partners include Arizona State Forestry, San Carlos Reclamation, and other organizations. This initiative is crucial for preserving the biodiversity and ecological balance of the region.

lindseya
Download Presentation

Kearny River Fire Initiative

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Kearny River Fire Initiative Shipman Fire (2013) 500+ acres

  2. Shipman Fire

  3. Shipman Fire After 2 Years

  4. Shipman Fire After 2 Years

  5. Kearny River Fire 1,428 acres

  6. Kearny River Fire

  7. Kearny River Fire

  8. WINKELMAN NRCDKearny River Fire Initiative Strategies • Create a defensible space around Kearny (The Winkelman to Kelvin watershed is one of the state’s highest-risk fire areas) • Remove invasive salt cedar • Restore native vegetation / habitat • Protect endangered animal species

  9. Kearny River Fire InitiativeRemove Salt Cedar (Tamarisk) • Tamarisk has infested approximately 1.6 million acres in the western US • Consumes over 2- 4.5 million acre-feet of water per year, water for 20+ million people a year • Negative Environment Impacts: • Creates even saltier soils, ie, nothing else will grow • Displaces native vegetation • Provides poor habitat for wild animals & livestock

  10. Kearny River Fire Initiative Remove Salt Cedar (Tamarisk) • Negative Environment Impacts (Continued): • Provides little food value for native wildlife • Increases wildfire hazards, due to dense, nearly impenetrable thickets • Limits use / access to the waterways • Narrows / channels streams & rivers • Use mechanical, chemical & biological methods

  11. Kearny River Fire InitiativePlan for the Tamarisk Beetle Arrival

  12. Kearny River Fire InitiativeTamarisk Beetle • Tamarisk or salt cedar leaf beetle (Diorhabdaelongata) was brought to the US as a biological control to reduce or eradicate tamarisk . • In 2001, the beetles were released in 6 states (CA, NV, UT, CO, WY & TX) • Currently, in 10 states after 20 years of study • Expected to be near Safford in 3-5 years • Current Restoration projects – Verde River Valley & Gila River Valley (Safford)

  13. Kearny River Fire Initiative Restore Habitat & Protect Wildlife • Replant cottonwoods, willows, etc • Restore native grasses • Create appropriate habitats for endangered species such as • Southwestern Willow Flycatcher • Yellow-Billed Cuckoo

  14. WINKELMAN NRCDKearny River Fire Initiative Partners • Arizona State Forestry • San Carlos Reclamation • US Bureau of Reclamation • Asarco • NRCS • USDA • Town of Kearny

  15. WINKELMAN NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT • There are 32 Natural Resource Conservation Districts (NRCD) in Arizona. • NRCDs are local units of state government • Every part of Arizona is within a NRCD • NRCDs are organized by watershed boundaries. • Funded by Arizona State Legistature

More Related