It has been a productive February for the Southeastern Arizona Restoration Team. The Corps Members completed training at the beautiful Cave Creek Ranch in Portal, AZ – the javelina hotspot of the sky islands. After a Wilderness First Aid refresher, the team traveled to Coronado National Memorial, where they have been learning the local flora, fire ecology, and human migratory patterns. While at Coronado, the gang has already made an impact on the Memorial’s ongoing agave restoration, including: cage fixing, Critter Out applying, and invasive species removing. They’ve also had the opportunity to see more of this landscape, hiking to several natural springs and seeps to install wildlife cameras and maintain animal drinkers. Showing their true camaraderie, the team worked hand-in-hand with a National Park Service trail crew to prevent erosion and enhance trail structures on Joe’s Canyon Trail. Most recently, they rehabilitated a fire hand line to a more natural state that existed before last year’s fires. They are now getting ready to head to Chiricahua National Monument to further restorative efforts there.
