Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center

TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S LIVES, HOMES, AND JOBS BY WORKING TO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF BUFFELGRASS.

THE RAPID SPREAD OF BUFFELGRASS AND CONVERSION OF FIRE-RESISTANT DESERT INTO FLAMMABLE GRASSLAND IS THE REGION'S MOST URGENT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE. BUFFELGRASS NOT ONLY IMPACTS NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS, IT ALSO THREATENS LIFE, PROPERTY, TOURISM AND THE REGIONAL ECONOMY. ECOTOURISM IS A CORNERSTONE OF PIMA COUNTY'S ECONOMY, AND ATTRACTS 3.5 MILLION VISITORS EVERY YEAR WHO CONTRIBUTE $2 BILLION TO THE ECONOMY AND ACCOUNT FOR 40,000 JOBS, OR 12 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL WAGES IN PIMA COUNTY. EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINED BUFFELGRASS CONTROL IS NOT A CHALLENGE THAT CAN BE MET BY EACH JURISDICTION ACTING INDEPENDENTLY. SABCC WAS FORMED TO PRIORITIZE AND COORDINATE CONTROL ACROSS ALL JURISDICTIONS IN A TIMELY AND SUSTAINABLE MANNER.SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: COLLABORATION BETWEEN CORPORATE, GOVERNMENTAL, VOLUNTEER AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS TO BETTER UTILIZE THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY; CREATION OF THE RISK ASSESSMENT GEODATABASE; AND ONGOING OUTREACH INTO THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING BEAT BACK BUFFELGRASS DAY.DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2016, THE CENTER:* REGISTERED OVER 1,000 PEOPLE FOR THE 9TH ANNUAL BEAT BACK BUFFELGRASS DAY. * ORGANIZED A SECOND BUFFELGRASS BASH THAT EVENING THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED.* ORGANIZED 40 BUFFELGRASS REMOVAL EVENTS WITH 900 VOLUNTEERS.* TRAINED OVER 50 INDIVIDUALS IN THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS.* SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE FEMA PRE-DISASTER MITIGATION GRANT.* DISTRIBUTED OVER 10,000 BUFFELBUSTER BOOKLETS TO SCHOOLS AND EVENTS.* GAVE 37 PUBLIC BUFFELGRASS PRESENTATIONS.* HOSTED BUFFELGRASS BOOTHS AT 20 PUBLIC EVENTS.* PARTICIPATED IN DAYS OF CARING (NOV 4 & 7), GIVING TUESDAY (DEC 1), AND ARIZONA GIVES DAY (APR 7).