Volunteer for the Wild...

join us in the forests and on the creeks of the Mogollon Rim this summer and fall!

Call or email and we'll sign you up for adventure:

Mogollon Rim Crayfish Removal

Ecological Assessments of the Mogollon Rim Watersheds

Contact: Emily Omana 928.556.9306 or emily@grandcanyonwildlands.org

NOTE: PLEASE CONTACT US TO CONFIRM BEFORE GOING OUT TO THE FIELD LOCATIONS!!

MOGOLLON RIM ROAD REVEGETATION PROJECT

Before

After!

2008 Dates

June 7

July 12

July 26

August 23

September 6

The Mogollon Rim, a breathtakingly beautiful landscape of alpine forests and streams, is home to a variety of threatened wildlife species including goshawks, Mexican spotted owls, black bears, mountain lions, mule deer, elk, as well as aquatic species like the Little Colorado River spinedace and northern leopard frogs. Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, in cooperation with the Forest Service, is committed to protecting and restoring this unique refuge for wildlife.

One of the area’s major impacts results from the spider web of eroding dirt roads found throughout the forest, most of which have never been recognized by the forest service as legal roads in the first place. In just a few hours we can completely disguise a road to look as if were never there. The idea is, if they can't see it, they won't use it. Our daylong projects consist of restoring closed dirt roads to a natural condition through revegetation techniques involving hand tools, native seeds, and trail maintenance practices. All participants will be able choose from activities varying from easy to moderate, with tasks ranging from raking and spreading leaf litter, to moderate trail maintenance chores like moving rocks and logs.

WHAT TO BRING:

Hat
Lunch
Sunscreen
Sturdy Hiking Boots
Work Gloves (optional)
Outdoor Clothing (including long pants and/or shorts suitable for hiking)
Jacket
Rain Gear (because you never know!)
Sunglasses
Day-pack
Water Bottles
First Aid Kit
Camera (for personal use - it's beautiful out there!)

WHAT WE WILL PROVIDE:

Water
Tools
Extra Work Gloves
First Aid Kit
The opportunity to enjoy a wonderful and fulfilling outdoor conservation experience!

HOW TO GET THERE:

From Flagstaff, take Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3) south approximately 45 miles to the junction with State Highway 87 at Clint's Well. Turn right (west) on 87 and look for the US Forest Service information center, approximately 1/4 mile from the junction on the right. There’s a restaurant, small grocery store and gas station. We will meet in the parking lot at 10:00am and then travel to the project site from there.

From Phoenix, take Hwy. 87 north toward Payson. In Payson, continue north on State Highway 87 to Clint’s Well (approximately 34 miles). The US Forest Service information center will be on the left side of the road. If you pass the junction with Forest Highway 3, you’ve gone too far. There’s a restaurant, small grocery store and gas station. We will meet in the parking lot and then travel to the project site from there.

Mogollon Rim Crayfish removaL

Dines Tank Dates

June 16-29

July 28- August 10

Come join Grand Canyon Wildlands Council in an effort to remove non-native crayfish from several sensitive riparian areas on the Mogollon Rim. These waterways contain some of the highest biodiversity present in the Southwest. One major threat to these crucial areas is introduced crayfish. Although there are no crayfish native to Arizona or the Colorado River basin, it is now virtually impossible to find a creek, stream, or river that isn’t overwhelmed by this small crustacean. Species such as the northern crayfish (Orconectes virilis) are detrimental to many native fish and amphibian species, as well as other species including reptiles, insects, plants, and sport fish. On the Mogollon Rim crayfish are playing a role in the continuing decline of the Little Colorado River spinedace, a threatened fish. During 2 intensive two week trips we plan to restore the important LCR spinedace habitat at Dines Tank by reducing or eliminating the crayfish population, with your help of course! Come and stay for the day or the whole trip, and help us achieve this important goal!

What to bring:

It is a good idea to bring hiking boots or shoes and sandals to get wet, a backpack, water bottle, sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat. If you plan on camping bring your tent (optional), sleeping bag, pad, personal toiletries and a flashlight or headlamp. We will provide a kitchen and all meals (including crayfish!), a portable toilet, and all the equipment you need to remove the crayfish. Temperatures can change from warm days to very cool nights, so come prepared for anything! We will bring drinking water to fill water bottles, but come prepared with at least 2 liters of water. Other items to consider include a camera, binoculars, cards, games, books, etc.

How to get there:

From Flagstaff, take Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3) south approximately 45 miles to the junction with State Highway 87 at Clints Well. Turn right (west) on 87 and look for the US Forest Service information center, approximately 1/4 mile from the junction on the right. There’s a restaurant, small grocery store and gas station. We will meet in the parking lot at 10:00am and then travel to the project site from there.

AREA Maps and Recreation Suggestions:

Jack’s Canyon: Canoe or kayak on Blue Ridge Reservoir.

Leonard Canyon: Canoe or kayaking at nearby lakes, hike or drive along the Mogollon Rim

Chevelon Canyon: Hike the General Crook National Recreation trail, canoe or kayak on several nearby lakes.

Preliminary Ecological Assessment of Mogollon Rim Watersheds

Dates: No 2008 dates scheduled yet, but we'll keep you posted!

The pine forests and riparian areas of the Mogollon Rim are essential habitats for many sensitive, rare and endangered species and provide important corridors for migrating wildlife. Mexican spotted owls use the riparian forests and steep canyons for roosting and nesting. The last strongholds of native fish such as the Colorado River spinedace and roundtail chub occur in the perennial creeks. Habitat degradation and the spread of aggressive non-native species are a growing problem, and have already caused the decline of many native species. By completing these preliminary studies and conducting background research, we will be able to provide management recommendations for non-native species control, habitat protection and restoration, and the abundance and distribution for small mammals, riparian invertebrates, vegetation, and herptofauna. We will compile all the existing data on wildlife, vegetation, hydrology, water quality, and archeology in the four drainages. We will focus on biota about which relatively little is presently known. The fieldwork will be conducted during one day in each watershed in May and again in August. For each watershed, two segments will be evaluated, a disturbed segment (used for recreation, cattle grazing, OHV use, or flow regulation) and a more pristine segment (low impact).

Methods

q Riparian Vegetation

All study sites will be located and marked on topographic maps or aerial photos. Four 50m transects will be established, with two parallel transects at least 20m apart on either side of the stream. A GPS reading will be recorded at the start and the end of each transect, and a 50m metric tape will mark the length of the transect from the start to the end point. The observer will walk the length of the transect, and stop every 5m to record all plant species within 10m of the transect tape. Plant species will be identified and recorded. Two specimens or diagnostic portions of any unrecognized species will be collected. Herbaceous plants (i.e. grasses, annual and perennial plants) will be collected in their entirety, including the leaves, stems, roots, and flowers, if possible. Leaves, cones, flowers, and branches should be collected from woody species and trees. Specimens will be placed in a plant press with the name, locality, date, and habitat. Percent cover will be estimated for each species identified at each of the 5m stopping points and recorded on the datasheet. The percentage of each vegetation type, such as grass, herbaceous plants, shrub, mid-canopy trees, and high canopy trees will be estimated every 5m.

q Terrestrial and Riparian Invertebrates

Several collecting techniques will be used to collect riparian invertebrates. For nocturnal sampling a ultra-violet black light will be utilized to attract invertebrates. This method involves suspending a white sheet from a rope tied between trees or other upright anchors approximately 2m apart with the black light hanging against the sheet. During the day, collection of invertebrates will be conducted on vegetation, including small trees, shrubs, grass, and annual plants using a sweep net, which is swiped back and forth across the vegetation for one minute, gathering invertebrates in the bottom of the net. Spot collecting is used to detect invertebrates on tree trunks, rocks, under logs and fallen branches, in leaf litter, and in flight (i.e. butterflies and dragonflies). Invertebrates located on substrates can be removed with forceps and aerial invertebrates will be captured with a sweep net. No more than three individuals or diagnostic portions of all arthropods and mollusks will be collected.

q Fish

We will conduct seining for fish in the study reaches, keeping close track on catch per unit effort. We will identify species upon capture and return them to the wild. If identities are uncertain, we may photograph the specimens prior to releasing them.

q Herptofaunal

Herptofaunal searches include walking the bank of the creek, looking under and on rocks, logs, and tree trunks, and searching through vegetation. We may noose reptiles, then photograph and release them. No herpetofauna will be collected unless the specimen is salvaged roadkill or not recognizable.

q Avifauna

We will document all bird species detected throughout each of the other surveys and add this data to the comprehensive databases of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

q Mammals

Small mammals will be surveyed by placing mammal traps along the riparian corridor over night. One hundred traps, bated with dried oats, will be placed approximately 3m apart along 2-4 transects in the evening. Traps will be collected at first light the next morning and the mammal species, weight, and sex will be recorded. All small mammal handling will be done by trained professionals. All mammals observed or detected during the site visit will be recorded. Large mammals of interest include beaver, squirrel, large predators, and large ungulates.

We will provide meals and assist with transportation as necessary.