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