After a few years of discussion, Sky Island Alliance is excited to announce a collaborative project with the Sabino Springs HOA to remove invasive species and restore Rock Ledge Spring (the name was uncovered after research into historical water rights documents). Along with the other springs in the neighborhood, these sites represent important locations for native birds, plants, and wildlife. Unfortunately, the presence of Arundo (Giant Reed) has choked off water access for native plants and wildlife. Although the work to remove Arundo is arduous, the final result of a free-flowing spring with open water, a shady canopy of cottonwood, willow, and sycamore trees, and habitat for birds and animals, is something we can all look forward to. Starting soon, we’ll be spending early Tuesday mornings at the spring, removing Arundo, fountain grass, buffelgrass, African sumac, tamarisk, and rabbitfoot grass; all fire-prone invasives will be removed from the site to allow for native species to come in, reduce fire risk, and improve conditions for wildlife and birds.

There will be something for everyone on this project – if you’re interested in wrangling Arundo, that will definitely be high on the list. But there are also opportunities to pull smaller plants, like fountaingrass and buffelgrass, or to assist in dragging the Arundo off to the side so it can dry out and then be chipped and disposed of offsite. There will be lots of different types of opportunities to move this vision to reality.

We’ll be holding an informational meeting at 7pm on May 13th at the Clubhouse Ramada to discuss the project and how to get involved.