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Salt Cedar mitigation is the first course of business for the cleanup after wildfires.
The reclamation project required in and around Kearny as the result of a pair of wildfires that burned large areas along the Gila River are progressing and could commence as soon as February 2017, according to Kearny Mayor Sam Hosler.
During a recent interview with the Copper Basin News, the mayor acknowledged that organizing and funding the effort has taken a while, but he’s pleased with the way things are coming together.
Kearny is benefitting from the help provided by the Winkelman Natural Resources Conservation District (WNRCD), which is headed by local rancher Bill Dunn, who also is the President of the Arizona Association of Conservation Districts.
The salt cedar has pretty flowers but is very detrimental to a desert area especially during a fire.
Eradicating the Tamarisk plants will be the first priority of the cleanup effort.
The removal of the Tamarisk will reduce future fire danger. The plant, aka the Salt Cedar Bush, is a deep-rooted invasive species that grows quickly and crowds out other plants. Additionally, it gives off salts that contaminate the ground around it and keep other plants from growing.
The plant is also highly flammable as evidenced by the Kearny River Fire’s ability to travel even against the wind.
“The Tamarisk would explode in a ball of flame,” Mayor Hosler told the Copper Basin News. “They have volatile esters in them; akin to a plant made out of oil or gasoline. It’s very hot and fast burning.”
The plant or bush causes other challenges as well.
“The Tamarisk grounds out access to the river, which cuts down on recreation or caring for it,” Hosler said. “It causes the river to channel and grow deeper.”
Like a human who consumes salty foods, the Salt Cedar Bush is a very thirsty species. It consumes more water than any plant in Arizona along the river, which cuts down on the flow of the river.
The reclamation project can be categorized in its infantry stages at this point.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had dedicated $300K to the cleanup effort, of which a portion will be used by Kearny in coordination with the WNRCD.
“In terms of working to get federal grants, this is all moving pretty fast,” Hosler said.
The town will handle dispersion of the grant and hire people to work, according to Hosler. Kearny will work cooperatively with local ranchers in the area who assisted with securing the grant by agreeing to donate the use of their heavy equipment for the project.
Prison labor will also be used in the cleanup effort. The Globe prison has an inmate fire crew.
The wildfires did not eliminate the root system of the Tamarisk, which will require the use of bulldozers to pull out the roots. Any roots that are missed by the dozers will chopped down by individuals with chainsaws. A painted-on chemical will be applied to the remaining stump, causing it to eventually die.
Hosler advised that workers will have to work in windows as a result of working around other protected species. He added that the Tamarisk will be difficult to eliminate because of the frequency of new shoots arising. He estimates the project will last four to five years.
“It’s going to be a beast to control,” he said. “But I think with Bill Dunn’s expertise and that of his organization we’ll be able to do just fine.”
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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