Ever take the top off a pan of popcorn while it’s popping?Kernels whiz everywhere—and fly into more hard-to-reachcorners than you’d ever think possible.

Last year the lid seemed to come off around SabinoCanyon and millions of wind-borne seeds of invasivegrasses dropped into scatteredcorners of our recreation area.These fast-growinginvasives—much of itbuffelgrass and fountaingrass—rooted in places we’venever seen them before oncreek beds, canyon sides, trailsand ridges.

Why worry? Look closelywithin a patch of an invasivegrass. You’ll see nearly everynative Sonoran Desert plantmissing—denied water,nutrients and light—and none

are re-sprouting. Untreated, these invasive grass patchesspread at an exponential rate.

The danger is not just to the look of Sabino’s SonoranDesert landscape. And it’s not just that invasives destroythe food, shelter and nesting opportunities for Sabino’s

native wildlife. Theseincendiary grasses alsoquickly fill in betweenthe naturally widelyspaced Sonoran Desertplants and we lose ourbarrier to wildfires.

We can’t put a lid onSabino, but we cancontrol invasives. Thisyear Friends of SabinoCanyon donated

Friends of Sabino Canyon Helps Defend

Canyon from Fast-spreading Invaders

by Mark Hengesbaugh, Sabino Stewards

Friends of Sabino CanyonSpring–Summer 2015

Fountaingrass: beautiful but a deadly fire hazard in our Sonoran Desert.

continued on page 3

2Friends of Sabino Canyon Spring–Summer 2015

Friends of Sabino Canyon Mission Friends of Sabino Canyon works to protect,preserve and enhance Sabino Canyon by fundingand supporting projects, inspiring and educatingthe public and partnering with the U.S. ForestService and other key stakeholders.

www.sabinocanyon.orgfosabinocanyon@gmail.com

520.749.1900

Board of DirectorsPhil Bentley, DirectorFred Blatt, TreasurerLahsha Brown, Executive DirectorTerry DeWald, DirectorTim Harris, DirectorEsther Holloway, SecretaryRichard Kunz, DirectorJude McCarthy, Vice PresidentBob Wenrick, President

PartnersCoronado National Forest

Sarah Corning, District Representative

Sabino Canyon Volunteer NaturalistsJudy Ranzer, President

Santa Catalina Volunteer PatrolMartin Horowitz, President

Southern Arizona Rescue AssociationScott Clemans, President

Photos in this issue courtesy of Lahsha Brown, MarkHengesbaugh, Marty Horowitz, David McCray, and RogerRittmaster.

Message from our new president

Are You an All-Star?

We’re looking for talented, passionate, dedicated, and enthusiastic leadersto serve the community as part of the Board of Directors for the Friendsof Sabino Canyon. Are you a candidate?

Our Board is comprised of community members from a variety ofbackgrounds who share a passion for Sabino Canyon. Board membershelp guide and direct the organization as well as raise funds in support ofour mission. Involvement averages 5 to 15 hours per month, attendingmonthly Board meetings, taking action between meetings, serving on ateam or committee, and meeting with donors.

If you are willing to lead, engage, and take action on behalf of SabinoCanyon, please contact our Executive Director, Lahsha Brown atfosabinocanyon.org.

It is an honor for me to have the confidence of the Board as I assume theresponsibilities as President of the Friends of Sabino Canyon.

We will focus our efforts on enhancing the experience of all visitors to theCanyon, whether it be recreation, education or just an encounter withnature.

On behalf of the Board, I want to express our appreciation to Dave Bushellfor the time and effort for the many years he was President.

My very best,

Bob Wenrick, PresidentFriends of Sabino Canyon Board of Directors

Friends of Sabino Canyon:

p Strives to increase public usage and enjoyment of Sabino Canyonby helping to enhance trails and facilities and solicits active supportof those who treasure Sabino Canyon.

p Works in partnership with the Forest Service and otherorganizations active in Sabino Canyon, including Sabino CanyonVolunteer Naturalists, Santa Catalina Volunteer Patrol, and SouthernArizona Rescue Association.

p Gives thoughtful consideration to balancing respect for the landwhile facilitating public access to and supporting education aboutSabino Canyon and the Sonoran Desert.

A record high 67 species of butterflies were identified at this year’s Sabino springbutterfly count, topping the previous high of 63. The butterfly total included tworarities: Satyr Comma (see photo page 7) and Desert Checkered Skipper (Pyrgusphiletas), pictured above.

$1658.00 to Sabino Stewards, our group of volunteernaturalists, patrollers, and neighbors who help remove theseinvaders and preserve Sabino’s native Sonoran Desert habitat.

A 2012 University of Arizona study confirms that after wind-blown buffelgrass seeds, for example, sprout in the gapsbetween Sonoran Desert plants those 15-20 native species thatnormally live on canyon slopes are nearly all crowded out bythe intruder—only mature saguaros and buffelgrass remain.Then if the tightly packed buffelgrass catches fire, the saguarosdie and only buffelgrass returns.

Another University of Arizona study shows the buffelgrassfootprint nearly doubles every two years on south-facingslopes. So, a patch you find in Sabino today will besignificantly larger next year and double in size the year after.And—like other invasive grasses—that infested tract willspread its seeds wherever the wind blows them the wholewhile.

It’s not just one or two invader species having their way in ourcanyon. Sections of Blackett’s Ridge Trail, for example, lookedlike a wheat field last year because non-native soft-featherpappusgrass and natal grass took over.

In April 2014 Sabino Stewards leaders met with CoronadoNational Forest Invasive Species Coordinator SharonBiedenbender and Catalina District Invasive SpeciesCoordinator Chrissy Pearson and designed a program to goafter nine of the most dangerous invasive species in therecreation area. Sabino Stewards learn to identify, GPS andtreat them using the most effective techniques for eachspecies.

We do know we can preserve Sabino’s plant diversity bycontrolling invasive grasses because we’ve done it with giantreed. Between 2008-2010 volunteers spent 6,000 hours(equipped with tools generously provided by a Friends ofSabino Canyon grant) removing the towering invasive canesalong the creek.

Once those stands of giant reed were removed we saw aprofusion of creek-side plant species return. For two yearsafter, a team of Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists surveyedseven test plots that formerly were entirely giant reed andidentified a total of 85 plant species that returned voluntarilywithin them. (See the whole story athttps://vimeo.com/66909992).

3Friends of Sabino Canyon Spring–Summer 2015

Defending the Canyon

continued from page 1

continued next page

Top: Yellow patches are infestations of buffelgrass on Bear Creek in SabinoCanyon Recreation Area. University of Arizona scientists say patches like these willdouble every two years if left untreated. Center: Sabino Stewards pull and rockinvasive soft-feather pampus grass on Blackett’s Ridge. Bottom: Sabino Stewardssaddle up with tank backpacks. From left, Anne Martin, Wayne Klement, ChrissyPearson, Mark Hengesbaugh and Tim Ralph.

Friends of Sabino Canyon Spring–Summer 20154

Defending the Canyon

continued from page 3

Bringing Sabino’s giant reed under control was a struggle.The task we face today, especially with buffelgrass, will befar more difficult now that the lid’s come off and we’refinding it in so many places. But there was a time—30 yearsago—when giant reed was confined to small patches in thedam area. Removing it then would have saved 6,000 hoursworth of work and would have preserved the many nativetrees giant reed killed.

Clearly, the sooner we treat invasives the less damage thecanyon will sustain. And the same results we could obtainthis year through a $5,000 effort will cost $50,000 just a fewyears down the road.

Giving up is not an option, either. There’s the public safetyaspect we can’t ignore. Buffelgrass ignites easily and burnsin a ferocious 30-foot high firestorm with heat that can meltmetal. So even if we were unwilling to spend the effort andmoney to preserve the canyon’s Sonoran Desert flora andfauna from invasives there is no safe place in ourneighborhood—where urban lots meet wild foothills—toleave a fast-growing accumulation of incendiary grass that

doubles in fuel load everytwo years. (See a video onbuffelgrass fire behavior athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBnsTsXwn50).

How committed are we toprotecting Sabino? Thisproblem will test our passionand persistence. But we doneed to control these fast-spreading invasive grassesand we know the canyon isworth every effort we take topreserve it for futuregenerations.

Tim Wernette cautionspassers-by about invasivespecies work ahead.

Sabino Stewards 2014 Results:Worked 253 hours hand-pulling and bagging invasive grasses,removing between 7,000 and 10,000 plants.

Completed treating with herbicide four species of invasive grasseson Sabino creek and the Sabino roadway from the southernboundary nearly all the way to Tram Stop 9, and also along lowerBear Creek.

Treated 31-acres of private property immediately adjacent to SabinoCanyon Recreation Area’s southern boundary that was infested withbuffelgrass and fountain grass.

Want to Help?Join Sabino Stewards. sabinonaturalists.org.

Inform yourself. Learn more about the University of Arizona studiesthat were cited in this article: sabinonaturalists.org/conservation.

Speak up. Fountain grass is commonly used in landscaping, but it isa Sonoran Desert killer when it takes over in surrounding naturalareas. If you see fountain grass on neighboring property, ask them toremove it (Roundup kills it.) If you see a store selling fountain grass,ask them to stop.

Learn your grasses. Unsure whether it’s an invasive grassyou’re looking at? There are ID sheets for nine invasivegrasses at sabinonaturalists.org/sabino-stewards.

Report sightings. For invasives found in the US ForestService Catalina District, including Sabino CanyonRecreation Area, call Chrissy Pearson, invasive speciescoordinator, at 520.749.7706 — please include generallocation and, if possible, GPS coordinates.

Pima County roads leading to Sabino Canyon are aprincipal pathway for bringing buffelgrass into SabinoCanyon. When you see buffelgrass on the road shoulder,note the cross streets then go to Pima County’sBuffelgrass Complaint Form to report it —https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?pageId=68571.You can also electronically submit photos to the countywith this form.

From left, Kenne Turner, Jean Hengesbaugh, Susan Hetherington,Jeanne Granger, Dan Granger, Mark Hengesbaugh, Alice Bird andCatalina District Invasive Species Coordinator Chrissy Pearson afterworking along Sabino Road.

5Friends of Sabino Canyon Spring–Summer 2015

The Benefits of Donating Appreciated Stock

to the Friends of Sabino Canyon by Bob Wenrick

If you are planning to make a contribution to the Friends ofSabino Canyon, you should consider donating appreciatedstock from your investment portfolio instead of cash. Yourtax benefits from the donation can be increased and theorganization will be just as happy to receive the stock.

This tax planning tool is derived from the general IRS rulethat the deduction for a donation of property to charity isequal to the fair market value of the donated property.Where the donated property is “gain” property, the donordoes not have to recognize the gain on the donatedproperty. These rules create a “double play” of tax benefits: acharitable deduction (1) AND avoiding tax (2) on the capitalgains of the donated property.

Let’s look at an example: Tom and Jerry are brothers, andeach wants to make a charitable contribution to his favoritecharity. Tom wants to donate to his college alma mater, whileJerry wants to give to the Friends of Sabino Canyon. BothTom and Jerry purchased shares in XYZ Corp. back in April1996 for $5,000 each. Tom and Jerry’s investments now havea fair market value of $20,000 each.

In order to make his charitable contribution, Tom decides tosell his shares in XYZ Corp. Tom realizes a gain of $15,000on those shares. Tom now has to deal with Uncle Sam, andwill be required to fork over $3,000 in federal taxes on this$15,000 gain (at a 20% capital gains rate). Tom then takesthese funds in the amount of $17,000 ($20,000 - $3,000) andwrites a check to his alma mater for this amount. Assumingthat he is in the 28% tax bracket, Tom will realize a taxsavings of $4,760 (28% of $17,000) on the charitablecontribution deduction.

Jerry, on the other hand, has made arrangements withthe Friends of Sabino Canyon to donate his shares ofXYZ Corp. directly to the Friends of Sabino Canyon.After the transfer, Jerry will NOT have to realize anygain or pay any tax on the $20,000 transfer of thestock to the Friends of Sabino Canyon. Jerry willalso receive a charitable contribution deduction forthe full $20,000 fair market value of the stock.Assuming that Jerry is also in the 28% tax bracket,the charitable contribution deduction will generatetax savings of $5,600 (28% of $20,000) for Jerry.

Take a closer look at the numbers: Who “made out”better in these transactions? In Jerry’s case, the Friends ofSabino Canyon received the full $20,000 with which to carryout its mission, but Tom’s charity received only $17,000...almost 18% less. Also, Jerry saved a full $5,600 in taxes on

his charitable contribution, while Tom only saved $1,760($4,760 tax deduction on his charitable contribution less$3,000 paid in taxes), a whopping difference of $3,840 in taxsavings for Jerry.

On Tom’s transaction, the IRS made out. In Jerry’stransaction, both Jerry AND the Friends of Sabino Canyonmade out. Tax policy is often used to drive social action andthis is a prime example. There was nothing illegal orimmoral for Jerry to arrange his affairs in order to complywith the law and keep his taxes a low as possible whileproviding his charity with the largest possible contribution.

But there ARE a few cautions: While this plan works forJerry in the above example, it will not work if the stock hasNOT been held for more than a year. If the shares were heldfor a year or less, the shares would be treated as “ordinaryincome property” for these purposes, and the charitablededuction would be limited to the stock’s $5,000 cost. Soremember that if you are considering the contribution ofappreciated stock, you need to make sure that the shareshave been held for more than one year and qualify for the“qualified appreciated stock” deduction.

If you would like to make a donation of stock, or havequestions about making a similar donation, please contactBob Wenrick, President, Friends of Sabino Canyon atrcwenrick@comcast.net.

6Friends of Sabino Canyon Spring–Summer 2015

Bill and Marian AdcockFrances and Harold AhlichMargaret AndersonClarence and Phala AnderssenJames BailRobert and Sharon BakerTeresa BallentineJill Ballesteros in Honor of

Nancy BowerJonathan BankRhonda BankLt. Col. Ralph and Marcia

BarclayGwen BarkerCindy BastronTravor and Sally BesteThomas BickleyFredrick and Lynn BlattJohn and Carolyn BlileyEsther BlumenfeldElizabeth BorozanJose and Joyce Braziller

Breiger-Waugh Family TrustPhillip BrownJean Marie BushellMary F CannonMary ChaneyScott Clemans in Memory of

Thomas and Annita HarlanFred and Peggy CochranAllen and Donna ColomanJames and Carole Cornell, Jr.Suzanne CouvretteAnn CoxHarold E. DavisTam T De WittTerry and Peggy DeWaldRichard and Nancy DickensDiana DorellKaren Dryden and Michael

DawsonJohn DuffyDorothy EakinRick and Lois Eisenstein

Ms. Patricia Engels and Mr.Medland

Bill and Janie Ernstrom inMemory of Inge Schneider

David Fales and SaraHammond

Fritz FauserNoel and Judy FedieBruce and Jenny FelberLeah and Gerald FilemanAudrey and John FinleyJanet and Jerry FovalDavid and Michele FredsallElsbeth FruehEmanuel FurstDonna and Glenn GabanskiErnest and Marie GalazJane Gellman Donor Advised

Fund of the JewishCommunity Foundation

Kent and Lois GillBruce and Vivianne Gold

Robert and Marie GraningerDee-Dee GreenRachel and Jonathan GreenSharon GreenfieldVictor and Vera GrethelKaren GriffithRosine GualdoniLarry and Ann HaabRoger and Marguerite HaarHilary HamlinDenis N HansenJean and Mark HengesbaughHarry HenzeEsther W Holloway in Memory

of Jack HollowayMartin HorowitzRobert and Cheryl HouseWilson HughesRoger and Nancy IngersollMary and James JeffriesRodell and Suzanne JohnsonPatricia Johnston

In Memory of Jean PorterAnne Marie BradyAnn BranhamElinor Brecher.Jill BudzilekStuart and Jeanne FarwellAline GoodmanEmily HilliardMary Beth Janes and Alan C ScottLarry NahmiasGeorge and Barbara RosenbertEmily Rosenberg PollockSuzanne RoyDeborah Sanborn and Peter QuinlanSusan Small

In Memory of Ken BankGail Anderson and Bob ReichenbachPhil and Hope AndersonPaul Bauer and Patricia CretilliElizabeth BerryGeorge and Chris BubanyPatrice BureshDr. Kaye and Douglas CaseWilliam and Loraine CowlesRuth CraneCharles and Vicki DeckerTerry and Kay DurhamDebbie EllefsonFrank and Pam GouldDenise M Intihar-Lum

Earl and Diane KinnebergAnne and Don LiebermanDiane LottHeribertha MbeleEmma McNallMedical Staff of the Northfield HospitalCliff and Becky OlsonRandall and Lois PerkinsStephen and Linda PittRJM Construction LLCJames SchlichtingRodney and Roselyn SkillmanCarolyn StarbuckCurtis SwensonSteve Underdahl

Thank you for being a Friend!

For over 20 years, Friends of Sabino Canyon has funded visitor enhancements, educational activities, trail maintenance,and invasive species management, as well as funding restoration caused by flood and fire damage. These and otherprojects have all been made possible through individual memberships, business donations, foundation grants, andcommunity support of fundraising events. Friends of Sabino Canyon is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.We are grateful for the support of the following donors who made contributions from 10/25/2014 through 03/31/2015.

7Friends of Sabino Canyon Spring–Summer 2015

Clark and Eve WebsterKaren Zwolenski

In Memory of John MattesonNancy Berglind and Scott AdamsRoger BryanSusan BryanThomas and Mary Ann CarlsonJames CarterCharles CoyCarleen CullenDorado Country Club EstatesBecky DuncanMarilou Ficklin

Sandy FogartyAnnie GiesekingSue and Ken KaufenburgElyse KaufmannJohn and Maria KeatingRobert KempinskiDarlene and Pat LennanMichele MontgomeryDerrick MooreSusan MulveyPatrick and Sandra PolencheckMaria ReisertMelvin and Sharon ToddAndreia Van Dusen

Bob and Susan JohnstonePaul and Anneliese KahnJohn and Sheri KarobonikBill KaufmanStephen and Patricia KingJim and Shirley KiserJay and Barbara KittleKarin KizerCarol KorichBarbara and Arnold KrausBill and Cora La GrangeKathryn LanceBart LasnerKevin and Barbara LeeheyRandy LewisAnne and Don LiebermanJoseph and Sonya LivingstonLisa LombardiJohn and Sara LongRichard MacchiaJohn W. Madden M.D.Milton and Tamar Maltz

Family FoundationJackie ManningTheodore MartinMatt MastersDelos and Bill McKnightJim and Deborah McLaughlinUrsula McWhirter

Amy MerkelBarbara MolotskyJudith Moreillon and Nick

VitaleCarol and Jerry NeilAnna Nelson-Moseke in

Honor of Heaton SternSandy NortonMarlene OlsonBrian and Cathy OlswingLeona OpenshawCharles and Carol OttoCarol and Michael ParkerLarry and Carlene ParkerKathleen ParsonEllie PattersonJean PayneJoe and Ramona PeaseFaith Peppler and Christopher

CormanAngela PerrymanJoan and Martin PersonLouise PlankShelley and Ken PodellJacquelyn RafertyStephen and Gloria RaineyTimothy and Hannelore RalphDenise RanneyJudy Ranzer

Edgar RawlDorothy Regensteiner in

Memory of Inge SchneiderSteve and Mary Jane RileyEileen and Steve RodmanWilliam RoodFay RoosRona S. Rosenberg in Memory

of Inge SchneiderMargaret RosenquistHelene RothsteinRichard SafranJane SchunemanKaren and Garth ScottGeorge SellingerDavid SewellLinda SkinkerKatherine and Philip SmithCathy and Ralph SoriceBruce and Judy SpencerSpringer Family Fund of the

Ayco Charitable FoundationAgnes Stahlschmidt and

Parviz NikraveshKen and Lenora SternsteinBarbara StokelySusan L StruckEric and Sue StuhlmannSandra Thivierge

Dr. and Mrs. Hugh C.Thompson III PhilanthropicFund held at the CommunityFoundation for SouthernArizona

Brian and Robin TobiasWalt and Carol TornowRichard TracyJanet Tracy and Gary SmithJoJean TravisGlenda Turner and Michael

HalpernLarry F. TuttleJames TwinameCandace WagnerJessica WalkerGilbert WardTotten and Leila WarfieldPhyllis WassenbergRenate and George

WassermanFred and Mary Alice WebsterCarol WeinsteinSuzy and Gerald WeismanRobert WenrickGeorge and Barbara WezniakJim and Ann WheelerArthur WhiteRobert Wilson

There is a great diversity of butterflies in Sabino Canyon. A recent butterfly count in March recorded the rare Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus), pictured above.

Back by popular demand — and now available at theSabino Canyon Visitor Center Bookstore for $19.99.

The Friends of Sabino Canyon have teamed up with theUniversity of Arizona Press to offer a second edition of the

ultimate guide to Sabino Canyon. Soft cover, 122 pages.

Sabino Canyon: The Life of a Southwestern Oasisby David Wentworth Lazaroff

A Beautiful Photographic and Scientific Experience

Your purchase helps support the Friends of Sabino Canyon.

Get your copy now — a limited number are available.

PO Box 31265, Tucson, AZ 85751

What’s New in the Bookstore?

WE LOVE OUR FRIENDS!See pageS 6-7 for the

Heroes Who Support FOSC!

NON PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTUCSON, AZ

PERMIT NO. 3341

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one of the benefits of being a member.

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home, join Friends of Sabino Canyon or

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www.sabinocanyon.org — Thanks!