General Site and Project Information

Located on the Colorado Plateau and showcasing a breathtaking illustration of canyon erosion, the Grand Canyon has become the epitome of geologic history with the oldest rock dating back a little less than 2,000 million years ago. In addition to its eclectic rock types, the Grand Canyon National Park is home to diverse ecosystems including 5 life zones: The Lower Sonoran, Upper Sonoran, Transition, Canadian, and Hudsonian. Within the Park, endemic, threatened/endangered, and rare plant and species exist.

Because of its beauty and grandeur, the Park has felt rapid increase in visitation, which has unfortunately resulted in detrimental impacts on the native vegetation. Moving into Phase II, the 2011 SCA team will continue working at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center in conjunction with the Vegetation Department as part of the South Rim Transportation Plan and Environmental Assessment. There, the team is working hard to re-vegetate using native species around the visitor center. Once the planting sites are complete at the visitor center, the SCA team will begin re-vegetating disturbed areas due to construction sites around the newly constructed Platinum LEED certified buildings.