Coconino National Forest

Lynx, Verde sites close for bald eagles

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[Daily Courier, 12/2/2011] Twenty-one sites on Arizona’s public lands are temporarily closing this month to protect bald eagle nesting sites. A portion of Lynx Lake and its eastern shoreline on the Prescott National Forest closed to the public Thursday and could remain closed as late as June 30. Six areas along the Verde River also closed Thursday and will stay closed as late as June 15.

Les Stukenberg/The Daily Courier A bald eagle sits in a pine tree above Lynx Lake in this Daily Courier file photo.
Les Stukenberg/The Daily Courier
A bald eagle sits in a pine tree above Lynx Lake in this Daily Courier file photo.

They include the Verde near Chasm Creek on the Prescott National Forest, and the river below Sycamore Canyon on the Coconino National Forest. People still can float through, but no foot or vehicle traffic is allowed. Aircraft also should stay at least 2,000 feet above the Verde and Salt river drainages, as well as Lake Pleasant and Alamo Lake.

“Bald eagles continue to do well in Arizona, but they are sensitive to human activity during the breeding season and it can take as little as 30 minutes of leaving the eggs uncovered for a breeding attempt to fail,” said Kenneth Jacobson, head of the Arizona Game and Fish Department Bald Eagle Management Program. “Cooperation from outdoor recreationists during the breeding season has been a major reason that the population continues to grow.” The bald eagle was federally listed as an endangered species in 1978. Nationally, the birds recovered enough to be removed from the list in 2007.

In December, Arizona bald eagles begin rebuilding nests in preparation for laying eggs. Bald eagles nest, forage and roost at the rivers and lakes that have become some of Arizona’s most popular recreation spots, and this time of year can be challenging for the birds. Game and Fish’s bald eagle management efforts are supported by the Heritage Fund, an initiative approved by voters 20 years ago to provide for wildlife education and conservation through Arizona lottery ticket sales.

People visiting bald eagle country can make an advance call to the local land management agency (Forest Service or BLM, etc.) or the Arizona Game and Fish Department to help them plan their trip to avoid disturbing bald eagles.

By following these simple guidelines, the public can help ensure that the state’s living wildlife legacy will last for generations to come:
• Enjoy bald eagles from outside the closures, especially during critical nesting times (December to June). These areas are posted with signs and/or buoys, and many have daily NestWatch monitors. A few good places to see bald eagles without disturbing them (during December and January) are at Lake Mary and Mormon Lake near Flagstaff, or on the Verde River Canyon Train in Clarkdale.
• Bald eagles protecting an active nest will let you know if you are too close. If a bald eagle is vocalizing and circling the area frantically, you are too close and need to leave the area quickly. Bald eagles incubating eggs or brooding small young should never be off the nest for more than 15 minutes.
• Help from anglers is especially needed. Monofilament and tackle has killed two nestlings and has been found in two-thirds of all bald eagle nests in the state. Every year, biologists remove this potentially lethal material from nests and/or entangled nestlings. Ospreys, shorebirds, waterfowl and songbirds also succumb to this litter. Do not discard any type of monofilament along rivers and lakes, but recycle it at fishing stores. Keep your monofilament fresh; do not use old brittle line. Make sure to use the correct test line for the fish you are trying to catch. Also, do not cut the line when an undesirable fish is caught and return it to the water with the hook and line attached.

The public can help bald eagle research and recovery efforts by reporting any harassment or shooting of bald eagles. Call the Arizona Game and Fish Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-352-0700 or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement at 480- 967-7900.

Summer’s almost over at Slide Rock State Park

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[Source: Bruce Colbert, Prescott Daily Courier]

Photo Credit: Bruce Colbert/The Daily Courier

With the intensity of an Olympic swimmer, little 6-year-old “Mya” adjusted her swimming goggles, stepped to the rock ledge, and catapulted herself into the air landing about 15 feet below in a cool pool of Oak Creek.

“Yeeeah,” she shouted after popping her head out of the water.

Welcome to a typical summer day at Slide Rock State Park, located about five miles north of Sedona.

“We’ve got people coming from all over the world,” said Ellen Bilbrey, Arizona State Parks Chief Public Information Officer.

Elaine and Graham Norris traveled from England to do some touring, and found themselves this past week marveling at the red rock spires surrounding Slide Rock Park.

“We were talking to someone and said we wanted to go see Sedona, and he said, ‘You’ve got to go to Slide Rock, it’s fantastic,'” Graham said in a clipped British accent. “So here we are and he was right.”

However, out of the more than 1,000 visitors per day on weekends (about half that on weekdays) most are local Arizonans who know all about the park and its famous creek. Oak Creek is fed by a spring about seven miles upstream, and with runoff from the surrounding mountains.

But the pastoral park is not just about the creek.

“There are hiking trails that people can continue on into the Coconino National Forest. There’s rock climbing, picnicking, volleyball, shaded ramadas, fishing, bird watching, photography, a gift shop, and you can have weddings here for an incredibly low price,” Bilbrey said. “It’s like a theme park, except it’s a natural theme park.”

Made to order for nature lovers, the park also caters to history buffs.

In 1907, Frank L. Pendley settled in Oak Creek Canyon, planted vegetables and apple and pear orchards on 43 acres of creek side land, and in 1910 took ownership through the Homestead Act.

Pendley’s son, Tom, continued managing the property until 1982 when the family decided to sell it. Gov. Bruce Babbit heard about the sale, bought the property through the Arizona Parklands Foundation, and state officials opened Slide Rock State Park in 1987.

Many of Pendley’s apple trees still produce fruit; his house and cabins still stand; some of his farm equipment still works; the apple sorter still sorts; and his hand-built irrigation system still irrigates.

“We’ve got 13 different species of apples and get phenomenal apples in the fall,” Bilbrey said. “During the fall Apple Festival, if we’ve got a crop, you can pick your own heritage apples.”

Although the park is open year-round, Bilbrey said that for some people, winter is the time to go.

“If you are a photographer, the fall and winter are absolutely gorgeous,” Bilbrey said. “And there are hardly any people then.”

If you go to the park for a summer swim, Bilbrey cautions parents that there are no lifeguards on duty, but park rangers patrol the slide area on a regular basis.

“All the rangers are first responders, and I’ve never heard of a drowning in at least 15 years,” she added.

It costs $20 per vehicle to visit the park. Park hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Labor Day weekend, and then rangers shorten the hours. To get to the park from Prescott, which is about 70 miles north, drive Highway 89A north, or I-17 north and exit at SR 179 to Sedona.

To learn more about the park and its amenities, Junior Ranger program, or how to become of Friend of the Park, visit azstateparks.com, or go to Facebook, Twitter or MySpace social networks.

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Frog totals in the wild jump by 1,700

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[Source: Sierra Vista Herald] – The Arizona wilderness became a bit more populated this week, thanks to a team of biologists from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the Phoenix Zoo’s Conservation Center. 

More than 1,700 threatened Chiricahua leopard frogs were released into the Tonto National Forest. The frogs, including adults and tadpoles, were released at multiple sites in the forest near Payson. The frogs were raised from eggs collected near Young. Additionally, 100 frogs that were bred and raised at the zoo were released last week near Camp Verde in the Coconino National Forest.  

“Thanks in part to Game and Fish’s Heritage Fund, we are making great strides in re-establishing Chiricahua leopard frogs to their native habitat in Arizona, and this release marks a significant accomplishment and milestone for the recovery effort,” said Michael Sredl of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “Our goal is to work through partnerships to preclude the need to list species on the federal endangered species list, or in cases where they are already listed, to recover them to a point where they can be removed from the list.”

 Until the 1970s, Chiricahua leopard frogs lived in ponds and creeks across central and southeastern Arizona, but populations have declined significantly since then due to drought, disease, habitat loss and threats from non-native species. They were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2002.  A recovery team was created to help bring the species back from the brink of extinction. The team developed a recovery plan with the goal of recovering the species to the point where it can be removed from the endangered species list. The plan includes releases of captive-bred frogs, habitat restoration, and monitoring.

Arizona Lake Campgrounds

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[Source: Livestrong.com]

Overview

Photo source: Livestrong.com

Hikers, bikers and fishermen can definitely find themselves at home at some of Arizona’s lakes. Keeping active with a camping vacation can be a good way to stay healthy and release some stress. The spring, summer and fall months are prime season to get out to Arizona’s lake campgrounds, which are usually open from about May to the early fall. Some lake campgrounds, such as Fool Hollow Lake in eastern Arizona, are open to campers year-round.

Upper Lake Mary Campgrounds

Upper Lake Mary is a large lake in Flagstaff that’s well-stocked with a wide variety of fish. Located on federal land, this destination offers camping opportunities from early May to mid-September. In addition to two campground areas, the Upper Lake Mary recreational area offers boat ramps, picnic areas, hiking trails and fishing areas. The Upper Lake Mary campgrounds are fully developed with clean drinking water, cooking grills and maintained toilets. The fee for camping at Upper Lake Mary is $6, and for $35 campers can purchase a seasonal pass, as of August 2010.

Ashurst Lake Campgrounds

Like Upper Lake Mary, the Ashurst Lake Campground is managed by the federal government as part of the Coconino National Forest. This pristine campground, a mere 20 miles from Flagstaff, offers free camping from May to mid-October. There are 50 camping spots on the grounds, and each provides drinking water, toilets and cooking grill areas. According to the Forest Service, Ashurst Lake is unique among lakes its size in Arizona for its ability to hold water throughout the dry season. The lake is equipped with a boat ramp and excellent fishing opportunities. Anglers can expect to find rainbow and brook trout.

Patagonia State Park

The 250-acre Patagonia State Park in southeastern Arizona might be one of the state’s better kept secrets. The campground is positioned on a man-made lake, and opportunities abound for avid hikers, anglers and rowers. The lake is stocked for fishing from October through March, while campgrounds are available for $17, as of August 2010. Campgrounds are fairly well-developed with restrooms, showers and electric hook-ups. Park entrances are open to campers from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m., but overnight stays are allowed.

Lyman Lake State Park

One of Arizona’s lake campgrounds that provides cabin or yurt camping is Lyman Lake Park, located in the eastern part of the state. Lyman Lake Park is also fairly big, with over 1,200 square acres. It costs $50 to rent one of Lyman Lake’s cabins and $35 for a yurt, as of August 2010. Tent and RV camping sites are also available for less. Cabins and yurts are open from late May to early September. This Arizona lake campground is a good spot for hikers and tourists as well, who can participate every weekend in a guided tour of the area’s historical features–the former Rattlesnake Point Pueblo, a native American settlement.

Fool Hollow Lake Campground

Some Arizona lake campgrounds provide opportunities for year-round camping and recreation. One of these is the Fool Hollow Lake, also located in eastern Arizona. This area is a state park with developed campgrounds, featuring both electrified and non-electric campsites. In addition, these sites share showers, restrooms and picnic areas. Fishing is available and Fool Hollow Lake, too, including rainbow trout in abundant numbers, according to Arizona State Parks.

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