Watershed Management Group: Las Cienegas Beaver Habitat Fenceline Survey

Join the River Run Network to survey cattle fenceline in beaver habitat along a beautiful creek at the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area!

These surveys are related to the Las Cienegas Beaver Reintroduction plan through Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Arizona Game & Fish (AZGFD). This is a first step in helping beaver become reintroduced into this area of Cienega Creek and we are so excited to be a part of it!

What to expect on these surveys:

These fenceline surveys are similar to WMG’s well-known beaver surveys. Each survey will be a hike of between 3-6 miles long. We will collect data using WMG owned tablets and the application Field Maps. Volunteers will work in groups with a lead, walking along the existing fencelines, stopping to photograph and document holes, gaps, missing, or unmapped sections of fence. Expect to be hiking through varied terrain; each fence section has a different characteristic, some parts are shaded by large Cottonwood trees along the creek, some sections are in scrambly open desert scrublands, and some areas require navigating through thick vegitation. Your feet and clothing may get wet and muddy.

We will be hosting a virtual orientation on Zoom for this event on Wednesday, November 22nd from 5:30pm – 6:30pm. This optional orientation will go over logistical details, location information, and packing needs for the event if you are coming for the day or wanting to camp overnight.

The location for this survey is remote, it takes about an hour to drive from Tucson to the meeting point, then another 45 minutes on dirt roads to the project site. For this reason, medium to high clearance vehicles recommended and we highly encourage volunteers to carpool. Email rfitzpatrick@watershedmg.org to get in touch with other volunteers who may want to carpool.

Optional Overnight Camping:

Free camping is available at a primitive location on BLM land nearby surveys. WMG staff will be camping the night of Friday, December 1st to then begin a survey again on Saturday, December 2nd. Please feel welcome to join us! Bring your own camping gear, food for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

This project is a collaboration between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arizona Department of Water Quality (ADEQ) and Watershed Managent Group at Las Cienegas National Conservation Area.This event is organized through WMG’s River Run Network (RRN). Members work together to learn about and steward our creeks and rivers through creek walks, restoration activities, river clean-ups, and educational workshops. If you are not yet a member, we will add you to the RRN when you register for this event. Membership is free and includes a regular e-newsletter with upcoming events.