A past co-worker of mine shared a recent news story with me. The focus of the video is a young girl from my old hometown who initiated a buffelgrass removal project. In case you don’t know, buffelgrass is an invasive species that is wreaking havoc in the Sonoran Desert ecosystem.

I’m incredibly proud of this young lady and her determination, she’s going to leave quite a mark on this world! It warms my heart to know that her inspiration for this project came from the Buffel Buster Activity Booklet (the coloring book that is mentioned in the fifth paragraph). I created that booklet* six years ago while working for the now defunct Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center.

I felt it was an important piece necessary for the organization’s outreach efforts and thankfully, our executive director and program manager agreed. I know from personal experience how much of a positive impact educational pieces like this can have on a young life.

*Artwork by Dennis Caldwell.