Bark beetles and rain

[Diane Tuccillo]

Once the monsoons hit this summer, the Rim Country got quite a nice bit of rain. It was not enough to end the drought, but many days of steady rain really helped. There were plenty of days we were up there at our house in Heber this summer and it rained and rained, and not a drop fell anywhere near the Valley. They didn't say a whole lot about this on the news as the rains were gentle "female" ones, not newsmakers. That means the trees are hopefully somewhat stronger, at least in that area. Lots of green grass on the roadsides (watch for elk!) and even in the understory of the fire areas.

The problem is, the trees got really stressed recently, the rains came too late, and the bark beetles have been having a field day. When the sap is not running well in dry trees, it is an open invitation for the beetles to set in. The Forest Service is quite aware of the problem, and they say they completely lack the funding to fight the beetles or to remove infected trees. They are not going to do anything. Therefore, be prepared for what you will see when you go up there. There are MANY dead pines in many areas, one of the worst hit being the area around Tonto Creek, where the road turns in from Kohl's Ranch. That's where Horton Creek trailhead is located. It is kind of shocking. Like the fire areas are not enough.

I am wondering if there is also some kind of beetle or blight that is hitting the jojoba? They are dead as doornails in many places, and make it look like autumn on the hillsides. It is not a pretty sight though when you realize it is not supposed to be happening.

I heard 15% of the Ponderosa forest on the Rim has been affected by the drought/bark beetles. Scary.

[GTG_AZH]

We saw the same type of situation with the pines in the Catalinas when we were down in Tucson last week. There were a lot of dead trees.

GTG

[MaryPhyl]

I can't place jojoba--what kind of tree is it? Where does it grow?

[GTG_AZH]

Usually a greyish-green bush to 6' high. Smallish acorn shaped nuts.

http://www.webschool.org.uk/science/ada ... sld010.htm

GTG

[MaryPhyl]

I know that plant :idea: just did not give it a name. THX Mary

[GTG_AZH]

Some sites list it's nuts as poisonous. I have never heard this before, I was always told they were great for a emergency protein source. They taste like a bitter cross between almond/pecan/acorn.

Some desert plants, such as jojoba nuts, are edible in small quantities, but large quantities can cause illness or even prove toxic. One also should consider the possible loss of body water through sweat expended while hunting for edible plants.

taken from ( dead link removed )

GTG

[Mike]

I just got in from the Prescott area about an hour ago. We drove down the Senator Highway to the Hassayampa and saw a lot of brown pines along the way.

[azhiker96]

I've nibbled a few jojoba on the trail and never experienced any ill effects. I found this,
"Native Americans have used jojoba for hundreds of years. In the 1700s, Father Junipero Serra, the founder of 21 California missions, noted in his diary that the Native Americans were using the oil and the seeds for many different purposes: for treating sores, cuts, bruises, and burns; as a diet supplement and as an appetite suppressant when food was not available; as a skin conditioner, for soothing windburn and sunburn; as a cooking oil; as a hair or scalp treatment and hair restorative; and as a coffee-like beverage by roasting the seeds."

It was taken from this site, ( dead link removed )

They do often have a bitter taste which reminds me of the tanin you find in acorns. If you could leach that out they'd be quite tasty.

[MaryPhyl]

Flagstaff is full of smoke right now from the fire in the Sycamore wilderness. Ought to be a pretty sunset but it is hard on the sinuses and the asthma people.

[Mike]

Flagstaff is full of smoke right now from the fire in the Sycamore wilderness. Ought to be a pretty sunset but it is hard on the sinuses and the asthma people.

I was in the fire tower on Spruce Moutain near Prescott this morning. You could easily see the smoke from there. We could also see it quite well driving out Highway 69 toward I-17.

[GTG_AZH]

great link azhiker96
what part of the wilderness is burning?

Never mind, found it.

[Mike]

Never mind, found it.

Post the link! Does it say what the acreage is now? Last figure I saw was yesterday morning, about 200 acres, I think.