Training Conference 2025
This training event took place in the beautiful Sonoran Desert landscape of Tucson, Arizona on November 6th and 7th, 2025.
Day 1 of this training focused on the challenges from management of some prolific invasive grasses and forbs within the southern Arizona region, including buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris), yellow bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum), and stinknet (Oncosiphon pilulifer). Several presentations also highlighted the rewarding results from innovative plant management such as simulated grazing, native habitat preservation, and provided essential information on pesticide application techniques.
This training concluded on Day 2 with a field trip to Sentinel Peak located at A-Mountain in the heart of Tucson. The field trip demonstrated the success of mechanical removal of buffelgrass and stinknet within the park. The local plant community on A-Mountain is made up of primarily Paloverde-cactus-mixed scrub series of the Arizona Upland, Sonoran Desertscrub. Visually dominant plant species are Foothill Palo Verde (P. microphylla), Brittlebush (E. farinose), Creosote Bush (L. divaricata subsp. tridentata), Saguaro (C. gigantea), Ocotillo (F. splendens), Velvet Mesquite (P. velutina), Arizona Fishhook Barrel Cactus (F. wislizeni) (Turner, Bowers, and Burgess, 1995, and Felger, 2000), plus great diversity of shrubs, native grasses, and herbaceous plants appearing dependent on rainfall.
A thoughtful note on the Indigenous History of A-Mountain:
The Tucson Mountains and surrounding Santa Cruz Valley have a rich archaeological history, with earliest known human artifacts and footprints dating back 6000 years. Beginning ~4800 years ago the Hohokam, ancestors of the Tohono O’odham people, initiated farming in the then perennial, flowing Santa Cruz River valley. Their agricultural practices evolved to include large areas of irrigation canals dating back to approximately 3,000 years ago. Tumamoc Hill preserves regionally unique “trencheras” with stone walls encircling the hilltop. The area holds extensive evidence of agave roasting pits, petroglyphs, pottery fragments, and other relics. The Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui people continue to reside here.
The 2025 Workshop was in Tucson
