The rapid spread of buffelgrass and the conversion of fire-resistant desert to flammable grassland is one of our region's most pressing conservation issues. Native to Africa and the Middle East, buffelgrass is an #invasivespecies that not only survives fire, but thrives on it. In the Sonoran desert, fires fueled by buffelgrass are destroying native saguaros, a plant species that is not fire-adapted and dies when burned.
As a keystone species, saguaros play a vital role in the desert. Their fruits are eaten by birds, bats, and insects. Woodpeckers make cavities in saguaros that are used by many other species, such as purple martins, elf owls, western screech owls and flycatchers. #nisaw
Learn more about the spread of this invasive species and how partners like the NPS are working to combat it: http://bit.ly/2lEEm41
Photo credit: Buffelgrass/NPS
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