Buffelgrass threatens Tucson’s most iconic public spaces, including Tumamoc Hill. It is the elephant in the room. Dense, flammable continuous stands ring the Hill in 270°, embedding the long-term research and saguaro plots in an ecosystem-transforming invasive species. Beyond being a clear and present danger to the National Historic Landmark buildings and a century of research, buffelgrass on Tumamoc Hill is perhaps the most visible infestation in the Sonoran Desert. The successful control of buffelgrass at this site can not be understated as a tide turning victory in the region-wide effort to protect the Sonoran Desert. Active collaboration with Pima County, the City of Tucson, and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is already making progress.