COCONINO 2009 STAKEHOLDERS REPORT Dear Coconino National Forest ecosystems in Arizona. Together with a broad array of stakeholders, including members of local, Friends, Visitors and Neighbors~ county and state governments, environmental groups, and indus- try representatives, the Forests are working to determine how to collec- 2009 was a year that brought with it many challenges and opportuni- tively accelerate landscape-scale restoration of ponderosa pine forests in ties for the Coconino National Forest. We looked beyond our borders northern Arizona which will involve millions of acres. and worked with diverse partners that helped us manage the forest. We We will also be engaging the public in our continuing efforts to revise welcomed millions of campers, visitors, tourists and recreationists who our Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan), and shape the enjoy their National Forest. future of the forest. Although our Forest Plan has been amended many In our Red Rock Ranger District alone, campground visitation was times since its approval in 1987, we need to take a more comprehensive up 30 percent over last year, and their Visitor Office had a whopping approach to revise our Forest Plan to better address the current and 262,448 visitors, up from 79,229 in 2008 and 61,051 in 2007. Volunteers future needs of the forest and surrounding communities. and partners helped us meet these increased demands. Many more collaborative improvement projects will begin this year Our partnerships have allowed us improve the stewardship of the as a result of federal funds that were awarded to Coconino County in forest, and we are grateful for the synergy that is created from these 2009 under the Secure Rural Schools Act. The Act stipulates that a partnerships and volunteers. 15-member committee be created that is made up of diverse stake- The community in northern Arizona is comprised of individuals and holders who represent varying interests and will work closely with organizations that want to be engaged and are passionate about the Coconino forest managers. The Coconino County Resource Advisory land and how it is managed, which helps in this rewarding, yet challeng- Committee will provide advice to the Coconino about forest and wa- ing, work of managing the Coconino. tershed health improvement projects that will simultaneously help to For example, in 2009 we saw the founding of Friends of Northern create jobs in local communities. Arizona Forests, an organization of volunteers who have had previous This year will bring additional challenges as we have already ex- ties to Coconino National Forest and donate their time to help the Peaks perienced a large turnover in personnel as people retire or move on to and Mormon Lake Districts complete projects and field work. other National Forests. We are up to the challenge and will continue to The Four-Forest Restoration Initiative is also a good example of strengthen existing partnerships and build new ones to help us accom- collaborative partnerships. Four National Forests—the Coconino, Kai- plish our mission of caring for bab, Apache-Sitgreaves and Tonto—are ac- the land and serving people. tively engaged in a collaborative, It has been an honor to landscape-scale initiative serve as the Acting Forest Su- designed to restore pervisor, and I thank each and fire-adapted every partner, volunteer, and employee for their dedication and hard work. Joe Stringer Acting Forest Supervisor A Maple tree in the Dane Ridge area Forest Wide Projects Coconino National Forest Holy Fangs! To the Bat Cave! Fire’s Natural & Necessary Role There are 28 species of bats known to occur Fire managers have several ways to embrace fire’s in Arizona, and bat survey efforts are lack- natural and necessary role in the ecosystem. ing in most National Forests. Thinning and prescribed burning help pre- However, our wildlife biologists and vent severe fire behavior, and the response to partners were able to obtain new equip- unplanned fires can range from active manage- ment and conduct bat surveys across ment for resource benefits to full suppression ef- the Coconino this field season. forts. Specialists evaluate each fire’s individual A grant from Arizona conditions such as intensity, location, and po- Game & Fish for $3,800 was tential to determine the appropriate response. used to purchase mist nets This year, conditions allowed crews to and infrared video equip- manage 13 naturally-ignited fires to benefit the ment. In addition, biologists landscape. The Mogollon Rim District alone was also obtained several pairs of able to reduce fuels and enhance forest health on night vision goggles. nearly 17,000 acres by taking advantage of light- Multiple water sources and caves ning-caused fires. For the first time, more acres on across the Coconino National Forest the district were able to be treated with managed fire were mist netted for the safe capture of than prescribed fire. bats. The gender and species of each captured In addition to managing low-intensity fires, fire bat was recorded. managers monitored the unique weather conditions Some of the survey sites were in June to conduct prescribed fires. Burning in selected to gather information for up- June is rare, but its success is a reminder coming projects such as Clint’s Well that prescribed burning is not dependent Forest Restoration Project and Buck- on a season, but rather on conditions. horn Range Grazing Authorization. Interagency cooperation in both sup- pression and prevention efforts is key to 08 09 At known and suspected roost 05 06 07 sites, emergence counts were fire management. A perfect example is 3 04 the Interagency Fuels Crew, composed of 02 0 conducted using infrared binoculars 494 00 01 and videography. personnel from Forest Service and several local fire 99 20 departments, which teamed up on the Eastside 8 With the combined efforts of 9 wildlife crews from the Coconino Na- and Airport projects for a total of nearly 400 97 96 tional Forest, Kaibab National Forest, acres of thinning. This “Mega Fuels Crew” 95 plans to join forces on prescribed fire 490 94 Arizona Game & Fish Department, 93 Bat Conservation International, and A Townsend’s big-eared bat, not- projects to be able to treat more 92 ed for its large ears, smiles for a acres at once, ultimately re- Northern Arizona University, data was 91 photo during the study. ducing the number of days 200 0 collected on 16 species, including 374 9 two Forest Service sensitive species: smoke is in the air. 89 185 Townsend’s big-eared bat and Allen’s lappet-browed bat. 88 182 The findings highlighted important roost sites, identified new 379 136 87 86 roost locations, foraging areas, and important habitat associations 211 170 154 5 that specialists will be able to use in future project planning. 207 8 464 368 156 84 LEFT and TOP PHOTO: Unhappy 293 240 176 83 Allen’s lappet-browed bats show their fangs as they are captured 279 82 for study. This type of bat is 160 81 among the rarest in North America and forms # of Fires 344 271 80 maternity colonies 209 9 in Ponderosa 7 Pine snags. 400 210 78 7 196 7 76 300 75 110 74 200 73 72 2 100 71 1970 Atop the Saddle, below Humphrey’s Peak Forest Wide Projects More Kids In the Woods As part of our effort to get more kids out of • NAU’s Junior Forester Academy: Pro- the house and in the woods, the Coconino Na- vides summer day camps where future forest- tional Forest competed for and received $50,000 ers grow career skills, then apply those skills in funding to be split among seven northern Ari- to community forest health projects. zona programs which partner with the Coconino • North Kaibab Kids Camp: Hosted by and Kaibab National Forests, and Rocky Moun- the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab tain Research Station-Flagstaff Lab. National Forest, this program offers a cultural The multiple-program proposal was one of and natural science learning camp to students 17 proposals selected nationwide for funding. from Fredonia and the Kaibab Piute Tribe. The Forest Service received 197 proposals • Wildlife in Native Schools: Managed by overall and awarded a total of $500,000. the Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research The More Kids in the Northern Arizona Station-Flagstaff Lab, the program includes Woods partners and projects include: field trips to the historic Fort Valley Experimen- • Elden Pueblo: Arizona Natural History tal Forest Station, in partnership with Northern Association’s Public Archaeology Project offers Mogollon Rim for urban youth and their families. Arizona University’s Institute for Tribal Envi- youth hands-on field experience learning about • Museum of Northern Arizona’s Discov- ronmental Professionals Environmental people of prehistoric cultures and their relation- ery Program: Offers summer sessions for kids to Education Outreach Program. # of Fires ship with the land. learn about the region’s fine arts, natural sciences, • Camp Colton: Flagstaff Unified School native cultures and ecology. District provides 6th-grade students week-long 460 400 410 camps using the national forest as their out- door classroom to learn about their environ- ment and themselves. 448 317 300 280 • Camp Colley: Supported by the Camp 443 299 Colley Foundation with the City of Phoe- nix Parks and Recreation Depart- 271 200 198 ment, this program offers 225 159 158 outdoor experiences 224 121 157 306 128 near the 176 100 283 225 89 183 98 392 105 184 137 128 95 82 319 244 214 133 9 242 08 0 06 07 328 147 4 05 2 03 0 283 203 153 01 0 180 000 2 131 99 293 220 98 39-Year Fire 97 229 151 96 200 95 267 245 94 Summary Timeline 93 170 92 191 91 Lightning-caused fires 0 9 Human-caused fires 145 89 88 7 8 86 85 84 3 8 82 1 8 80 9 7 78 7 7 76 75 74 3 7 72 3 71 Birdie Fire Taylor Fire Slurry Drop Mormon Lake Fuels Crew 1970 Peaks & Mormon Lake It’s been a very busy Hoxworth Springs Channel Restoration and productive year on the Peaks and Mormon Restoring degraded stream channels is a vital Lake Ranger District.