Arundo Removal Work at Sabino Canyon

On 27th November, 2009 I volunteered for the removal of a species called Arundo donax, also known as Giant Reed or Giant Cane, at the Sabino Canyon. It is an invasive species to various parts of Riparian habitat and has been a threat to the native plants. This plant spreads very quick in response to floods and debris flows. It uses its rhizomes to spread and very easily remove the competing overstorey trees. This plant is one of the fastest growing plants in the world which can grow up to several inches in a day. It grows so readily from its rhizomes that people are suggested not to use the canes as walking stick, which might contribute in spreading the plant.

Photo-1: Suggestions on Arundo

That day, I joined Jim Wasburne, Assistant Adjoint Professor at the Department of Hydrology and Water Resources at University of Arizona. We reached Sabino Canyon at around 7:30 in the morning and started working from around 8am. There were few bundles of Arundo that were cut some time before and were gathered at one place. We first carried those bundles from that site and piled it near the road so that it could be carried easily from there.

Photo-2: Carrying Arundo Bundles

Photo-3: Arundo Piles

Then, Jim with the help of his another friend Michael, started digging out the well spreaded deep roots of Arundo and cut it into pieces.

Photo-4: Digging out Arundo Roots

Photo-5: Cutting Arundo roots

Then we collected those small pieces of shoots and roots in black polythene bags and carried it to the same place as the piled bundles.

Photo-6: Arundo Roots into Plastic Bags

All these shoots and roots are carried by the US Forest Service and destroyed by burning.

Arundo has already affected a beautiful creek environment. It has very less habitat value and uses lots of water. It uses almost four times more water than any native plants and also competes with the natives for water, nutrients and sunlight. Native plants like willow, cottonwood, ash, and mesquite cannot survive within the Arundo cane thicket because Arundo crowds and kills even mature native trees.

Photo-7: Arundo as a Problem

Arundo even affects native arthropods, and thus reduces habitats for species like birds, reptiles and other wildlife which feed on insects. Arundo does not have any horizontal structures, thus does not support birds or their nests. As the plant is perfectly vertical, it lowers the shade structures in the creek and thus warms the water as well as the micro-climate.

Photo-8: Arundo as a Problem

Hence, to get rid of the Giant Cane, the US Forest Service has been organising an integrated method involving both mechanical (cutting and digging) and chemical (herbicide) processes. A liquid herbicide named Rodeo (glyphosate) is applied on the plant shoots. This herbicide cannot be transferred to human or wildlife when dry.

The plant grows so fast that we could see new sprouts in some places where recently the roots were cut off.

Photo-9: New Sprout from the Roots

If anybody wants to join this work, public volunteer days are being organised for Sabino Canyon Arundo Removal from October, 2009 to March, 2010 on every first Sunday of the month. Interested individuals can send an email to tucson.arundo@gmail.com

Photo-10: Information for Volunteers

More information about this work can be obtained from this site. The video in the link provided is quite informative.

I would like to thank Jim for this opportunity. It was a wonderful experience. And since Sabino Canyon is a good hiking spot, we could also find many people interested for the work.