kearny river fire initiative shipman fire (2013) 500+ acres
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Kearny River Fire InitiativeShipman Fire (2013) 500+ acres
Shipman Fire
Shipman Fire After 2 Years
Shipman Fire After 2 Years
Kearny River Fire 1,428 acres
Kearny River Fire
Kearny River Fire
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
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
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
Kearny River Fire InitiativePlan for the Tamarisk Beetle Arrival
Kearny River Fire InitiativeTamarisk Beetle
• Tamarisk or salt cedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata) 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)
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
WINKELMAN NRCDKearny River Fire Initiative Partners
• Arizona State Forestry• San Carlos Reclamation• US Bureau of
Reclamation
• Asarco• NRCS• USDA• Town of Kearny
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