Upcoming Events
Mediterranean Pine Engraver
Bark Beetles Found in Tucson
Monsoons Bring an Abundance of
Urban Woody Weeds
by Willie Sommers, Invasive Plant
Program Coordinator
Lead tree, a member of the Fabaceae (legume) family, has gained a strong foothold in Phoenix and surrounding communities. I’ve seen it as far east as the Town of Superior, and in the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area of the Salt River. Native to southern Mexico and into tropical Central America, lead tree is a fast-growing non-native woody plant with alternate, bipinnate leaves.
AZ Magnificent Tree Corner
Urban Forestry Specialist
The AZ Magnificent Trees Program is getting a make-over! Over the last three months, I’ve been revising our Magnificent Trees Guidance Manual and developing new handouts for nominations of cherished and large trees in our state. An Advisory Board has been assembled, set to meet for the first time this month. I will host the first AZ Magnificent Tree Measurement Workshop in October in Tucson. Interested in joining us? Add your email to our contact list and you’ll receive an email with details for registration by mid-September. If you can’t join us in October, look for another opportunity in February 2022.
The Lewings’ Scrub Oak (Quercus turbinella) near Chino Valley with a total score of 55.6.
GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Community Challenge Grant Highlights
by LoriAnne Barnett Warren,
Urban Forestry Specialist
After a challenging year due to COVID, all of our Community Challenge Grant recipients invigorated their projects! Out of the 23 open projects this year, several completed work in March and June 2021. Here are some highlights: Watershed Management Group completed a Rain Garden Care Handbook (link in Resources below), the Town of Camp Verde restored habitat at the Ryal Canyon Trailhead, the Town of Sahuarita completed a tree inventory and assessment, Apache County hosted an Arbor Day event and planted 40 trees, and Tucson Clean and Beautiful created a list of native low and medium water-use trees that can be used in the Sonoran Desert. Congratulations to all for your hard work!
Photo credit Maxpixel.net
Community design and hypertension: Walkability and park access relationships with cardiovascular health
There is increased literature focusing on the role of the built and natural environments in preventing hypertension. However, very few studies have quantitively analyzed specific pathways through which urban form affects blood pressure levels.
The 2021 Tree City USA application portal opens this month!
Resources
Know of any upcoming events? Have any suggestions for future
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Please email Christine at cmares@dffm.az.gov

Urban & Community Forestry, Forest Health, and Invasive Plant Programs Staff:
John Richardson, Assistant State Forester
(Forestry Programs)
(602) 771-1420

Cori Dolan, Program Manager
(520) 262-5519

Wolfgang Grunberg, GIS Coordinator 
(602) 399-1886

Willie Sommers, Invasive Plant Program Coordinator
(602) 319-6818
Aly McAlexander, Forest Health Specialist
(602) 290-9644

LoriAnne Barnett, Urban Forestry Specialist
(602) 399-9447

Christine Mares, Conservation Education Coordinator
(602) 717-9015
The State of Arizona Urban and Community Forestry Program is made possible with assistance from the
USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this
institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - Mission - Manage and reduce wildfire risk to Arizona's people, communities, and wildland areas and provide forest resource stewardship through strategic implementation of forest health policies and cooperative forestry assistance programs.
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