Awareness of the threat posed by invasive species began to be realized in our region in the late 1990s when staff from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum began organizing concerned and motivated citizens in around buffelgrass and fountaingrass control efforts at Tucson Mountain Park. That early group, known as the Tucson Mountain Weedwackers, would later become the Sonoran Desert Weedwackers (SDWW), which has proven to be the most consistent, dedicated volunteer group for pulling buffelgrass in our region.

Pima County staff (first at the Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation [NRPR] department, now at the Conservation Lands and Resources [CLS] department) organized the 3-times per month SDWW pulling efforts. Key contributions, outcomes, and value of CLR-led SWDD efforts from 2000-2025 include directing SDWW efforts each month, working with other community groups and providing opportunities to for the public to engage on this issue, treating buffelgrass and stinknet, and providing other educational opportunities to the community.

Since 2000, CLR-led volunteer efforts have totaled over 60,000 hours of effort, with a 2025 value of over $2M (see graph, below). Key County staff involved in the effort today are Kelsey Landreville (Restoration program manager) and Ellie Schertz (Invasive Species Program Coordinator). A key former NRPR staff person, who was a significant driver of the SDWW effort, was Doug Siegel.

More recently, Pima County has been working with Ben Tully from the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Key SDWW volunteers include Brian Brianerd, Ian Newman, Tim Tonnesen, Sonja Norman, Marcie Shatz, Steve Sorensen, Barbara Jones and many others.

On this 25 year anniversary since the creation of the SDWW, that group and the Pima County and UA staff that support them are most deserving of this important recognition. Thank you for the consideration.