Pinal County Fights Fire Risk: $192,000 Grant Targets Invasive Plants

Invasive Plant Management at Peralta Regional Park

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors has approved a $192,000 grant from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, with the county providing an additional $30,000 in matching funds, to combat invasive plants at Peralta Regional Park. The 498-acre park, located on the south facing foothills of the Superstition Mountain Range, has been experiencing a surge in invasive vegetation since opening to the public in January 2023.

During the Board meeting, Kelly Fox, Urban Wildlife Planner with Pinal County Open Space, Trails and Regional Parks Department, cited a University of Arizona statement comparing the noxious weed problem to “a biological forest fire racing beyond control.” Fox noted that there was over $3 million in requests to the Department of Forestry and Fire Management, with only one-third of requests fulfilled.

According to the grant application, noxious weed infestations can be found throughout approximately 50% of the park, with highest density in areas of increased human interaction. The project aims to treat approximately 50 acres containing three primary invasive species: stinknet, buffelgrass, and salt cedar.

Stinknet, a recent addition to Arizona’s noxious weed list in 2020, poses particular challenges. As noted in the grant application, this invasive plant can form dense stands that become major fire risks when dried out. Not only can the plant cause respiratory and skin allergic reactions during removal, but when burned, it produces caustic smoke that can create additional health hazards.

Treatment Methods and Monitoring

The treatment plan, detailed in the grant application, includes string trimming followed by contract-facilitated spot burning and herbicide control. Areas will undergo two consecutive years of torching treatments, starting in fall 2025, followed by chemical and manual maintenance.

The department will establish monitoring sites to evaluate treatment effectiveness. These sites, constructed within treatment areas, will include both control and treatment zones to help determine the efficacy of different methods. According to the grant application, the park staff will continue to monitor and document treatment sites for a minimum of three years post-project completion.

During the meeting, Supervisor Serdy emphasized the critical timing of weed removal. “If you wait until it’s dried and you pull it, you’re actually spreading it because of seeds,” he cautioned. “You’ve got to pull it and get it taken out while it’s still green, otherwise you’re part of the problem and you’re spreading it.”

Community Education and Resources

The department is partnering with Desert Defenders, a program started by the Desert Botanical Garden, to provide resources to the community. Fox outlined several practical solutions for residents, including using mulch or covering infestations with cardboard topped with mulch. “We don’t live in an economic era where we can all pay for this to be removed and have the perfect landscape,” she noted.

The project includes plans to launch a county-wide invasive plant webpage at the beginning of 2025 and distribute door hangers about invasive plants. Fox noted that stinknet seeds can remain viable in the soil for at least seven years, emphasizing the importance of proper removal and disposal methods.

Project Timeline

The invasive species grant period runs through December 31, 2027. The department plans to hold a minimum of two volunteer events per year for noxious weed pulls within Peralta Regional Park in areas that are not within treatment polygons, as specified in the grant application.