Natural Resources

The Tucson Region is responsible for managing land, wildlife, and vegetation along roadway corridors of approximately 1,500 miles (740,000 acres).  The Tucson Region spans across seven distinct biotic communities, six counties, and two ADOT maintenance districts.  The Tucson team is comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds, coming from fields ranging from zoology and wildlife management, to range management and road maintenance.  Combined, our group has over 35 years of experience working with ADOT.  In addition, all of our members possess an herbicide applicator license issued by the Arizona Office of Pest Management and a Class A Commercial Driver License.

Boom axe on I-19	Management Emphasis Areas Vegetation Management Wildlife Monitoring Vegetation Monitoring GPS/GIS Data Management
Russian Knapweed US 191	Noxious and Invasive Vegetation Management Conduct seasonal noxious/invasive weed species surveys Seasonal surveys & treatment of: Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) populations Russian Knapweed (Acroptilon repens) populations Onionweed (Asphodelus fistulosus) populations Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) populations Seasonal pre-emergent treatment in Pima, Pinal and Graham county agricultural areas to control vegetation
Wildlife Monitoring Camera	Wildlife Monitoring Collection of wildlife-road mortality data Inspection and repair of diversion fence for Sonoran Desert Tortoise on State Route 86 Data collection, maintenance and new installation of wildlife-corridor monitoring cameras along State Routes 80 & 90
Fountain Grass on SR 77	Vegetation Monitoring Seasonal photo monitoring point data collection Bi-annual buffelgrass monitoring plots Russian knapweed treatment area inspections Onionweed treatment area inspections Seasonal right-of-way inspections
Mapped Noxious weeds	GPS/GIS Data Management Update wildlife-road mortality location data map Update invasive, noxious, and nuisance vegetation survey location data map for new & established species Monitor vegetation movement over time from seasonal surveys
Pima Pineapple Cactus	Sensitive Resources Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive species in our region include: the Pima pineapple cactus, the ferruginous pygmy owl, the Sonoran desert tortoise, banded Gila monster, Southwestern willow flycatcher, Arizona cliffrose, massasauga rattlesnake, bighorn sheep, lesser long-nosed bat, Sonoran pronghorn, jaguar, etc. Riparian areas include Cienega Creek (I-10), Peck Canyon (I-19), Sonoita Creek (SR-82), and several places along the San Pedro River. Major rivers within the Region's roadway corridors include: The Gila, Santa Cruz, and San Pedro River Native American Lands: Tohono O’odham Nation, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, San Xavier Reservation, San Carlos Apache Reservation
Swift Trail Parkway to Mt.Graham Observatory	Scenic Routes Patagonia Sonoita Scenic Road (SR-82 & SR-83) Coronado Trail Scenic Road (SR-191) Swift Trail Parkway (SR-366)
Coronado National Forest on SR266	Natural and Significant Features Buenos Aires National Wildlife Preserve (North of Sasabe, SR-286) Coronado National Forest (Southeast of Tucson, SR-82, SR-83) Organ Pipe National Monument (Why, SR-85) Chiricahua National Monument (Willcox, SR-186) Las Cienagas National Conservation Area (SR-82 & SR-83) Kartchner Caverns State Park (Benson SR-90) Ft. Huachuca (Huachuca City, SR-90) Kitt Peak National Observatory (Southeast of Sells, SR-386) Mt. Graham International Observatory (Safford, SR-366) Parker Canyon Lake (South of Sonoita, SR-83) Patagonia Lake State Park (Southwest of Patagonia, SR-82) San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (Sierra Vista, SR-90) San Pedro River Resource Conservation Area (Tombstone, SR-82)

Spring andFall Buffelgrass Monitoring Plot	Ongoing Projects Buffelgrass Monitoring Where: I-10, I-19, SR-77, SR-79, SR-80, SR-82, SR-83, SR-86, and SR-286 How: Photopoints or data collection plots on route right-of-way collected from same locations When: Data collected bi-annually (Spring & Fall) Purpose: to measure the seasonal movement of buffelgrass & test the short & long-term effectiveness of various chemical application techniques and mechanical control methods.
Cutting behind guardrails on I-10	Roadside Vegetation Management Remove hazardous trees Clear shoulder & median recovery zone of trees and overgrown brush Remove sight-distance problems for signs & turn-outs Clear guardrails in support of ADOT Maintenance activities Methods: Timber Axe, Boom Axe, & Chainsaws
Onionweed in bloom	Invasive and Noxious Weed Treatments Applying herbicides or mechanical removal to control major species of concern: Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) Russian Knapweed (Acroptilon repens) Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) Onionweed (Asphodelus fistulosus)
Bobcat captured on culvert camera	Wildlife Movement Monitoring on SR80 and SR90 Currently monitoring culverts for species movement between the Whetstone Mountains and the San Pedro River, and the Dragoon Mountains and the San Pedro River.
Wildflowers on SR-286 during Monsoon	Preserve and Encourage Native Species Practice spot herbicide application and/or mechanical removal of weeds in appropriate areas to minimize chemical exposure to environment. This promotes low-growing native grasses & wildflowers in areas previously dominated by invasive & noxious weeds Over time, such practices work to maintain a stable roadside environment that requires minimal maintenance.