Tonto National Forest

Tonto Forest Archaeologist Chosen to Receive AAS Award

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[Source: Sonoran News.com] – J. Scott Wood, Tonto National Forest Archaeologist and Heritage Manager was nominated by two chapters of the Arizona Archaeological Society (AAS) and selected to receive their prestigious Professional Archaeologist Award for 2011.  Ron Robinson, outgoing President of the AAS will present Scott with this award at the AAS State Meeting, held October 14-16, in Benson, Arizona at the Cochise Community College-Benson.  The official presentation will be Saturday, October 15th, following a member dinner and silent auction.

An MA archaeology graduate from ASU, Scott has worked at Pueblo Grande Museum and at the ASU Office of Cultural Resource Management. His career with the Forest Service began 35 years ago and he is widely considered an expert on the Tonto National Forest, particularly because of his knowledge in ceramics.  He has authored and co-authored dozens of publications and articles and his book, Checklist of Pottery Types for the Tonto National Forest is referenced all over the world.

Scott is currently an AAS member and professional consultant for both the Desert Foothills Chapter (DFC) in Cave Creek and the Rim Country Chapter (RCC) located in Payson.  Scott has taught AAS workshops, held field schools, lectured at seven state-wide chapters and led hikes to areas of member interest.  He has involved AAS members in various professional projects including a recent partnership with ASU students and Professor David Abbott, where, under Scott’s direction, DFC members gathered Hohokam pottery on Perry Mesa and then sorted the ceramics for further study.  DFC President Paddi Mozilo says, “Our success as a chapter is due to Scott’s ongoing and enthusiastic support and advice; he has given all our members a deeper appreciation and involvement in the field of archaeology.”

In addition to his extensive AAS volunteer schedule and his duties as a Tonto Forest Archaeologist, Scott has many state-wide site interests.   He has trained the vast majority of site stewards in the Site Steward Program, developed by the Arizona State Parks Department.   He is involved in the protection and conservation of many rock art and archaeological sites around the state, recently collaborating with the City of Payson to develop the Goat Ruin Site as a public attraction.   RCC President Evelyn Christian is grateful for the chance to have its members be a part of the survey, stabilization and protection of this site.   She believes that, “without Scott, this site would not have gotten the attention and protection that it merits.  He is leading Payson’s efforts to prepare this site for future public education and enjoyment.”

AAS State President Ron Robinson is pleased to be able to present Scott with this award.  He notes that Scott attends all of the AAS State Meetings and goes out of his way to make himself available to members for questions and discussion.  “Scott’s knowledge and expertise have made him an invaluable contributor to the growth and education of all AAS members.  We hope that this award will demonstrate how much we appreciate him and all he does on our behalf.”

The AAS is an independent and non-profit organization with twelve chapters and over 600 professional and avocational members.  The goals of the AAS are to foster public awareness, interest, research and conservation of Arizona’s rich archaeological heritage, with special emphasis on protecting these scarce resources.  AAS members enjoy lectures, classes, hikes and certification training in different facets of archaeology.  Please check the AAS website at www.aarchsoc.org for more information and to find a chapter near you.

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.

All but one Arizona state park in Pinal County will close

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[Source: Florence Reminder, Bonnie Bariola 1-21-2010] — Of the five Arizona State Parks located in Pinal County, only one is slated to remain open.  The reason being that in 1976 the Arizona State Parks Board entered into an agreement with the Boyce Thompson Arboretum Board and the University of Arizona to cooperatively manage the park.  All funding for the Arboretum from the Arizona State Parks Board will stop, leaving the Arboretum to be funded through the University of Arizona and the Boyce Thompson Foundation.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park: Located just west of Superior on US 60, the Arboretum was founded in the 1920s by mining magnate Col. William Boyce Thompson.  In 1917 Col. Thompson served as co-leader of a Red Cross mercy mission to Russia, where he came to understand the importance of plants as the ultimate source of a large portion of mankind’s food, clothing, and shelter.  It was then that he determined to use his great wealth to improve the use of plant resources.  The Arboretum is one of his legacies.

Encompassing 323 acres, the Arboretum is Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden.  It was the first purely botanical institution in the intermountain states.  Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is the place to discover the intricate beauty and many faces of Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden.  Featured are plants from the world’s deserts, towering trees, captivating cacti, sheer mountain cliffs, a streamside forest, panoramic vistas, many natural habitats with varied wildlife, a desert lake, a hidden canyon, specialty gardens and more.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Repairing damage from off-highway vehicles no easy task

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Nora Avery-Page, Cronkite News Service[Source: Nora Avery-Page, Cronkite News Service] — Surrounded by illegal off-highway vehicle trails, this one patch, with a replanted cactus taking root, marks an effort repair at least some of the desert near Mesa.  Boy Scouts planted the cactus and several others dotting this landscape, and groups representing riders, hikers and others often volunteer to help repair damage off-highway vehicles cause here.  “There’s a lot that can be done, but it takes a lot, lots of funding and manpower,” said Tammy Pike, OHV and trails coordinator for the Tonto National Forest.  “We try to reach out and have as many people help us as we can.”

Tonto sees more than 900,000 visits each year from off-highway vehicle riders, and land managed by the state and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management also is attracting more and more riders as Arizona’s population grows.  The Arizona Game and Fish Department estimates that off-highway vehicle use has more than tripled since 1998.  A bill being considered by the Arizona State Legislature would create a registration fee for off-highway vehicles that would help fund, among other things, projects to repair damaged landscapes.  Damaged areas can be restored if there is sufficient money and effort, officials say, but the scale of the damage makes it makes it virtually impossible to repair everything.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]