Work in Hot Springs Canyon
Hot
Springs Canyon is central to the S-J grazing lease, as it is ecologically to the
Middle-to-Lower San Pedro river basin. A major tributary of the San
Pedro River, draining a watershed of over one hundred square
miles, it has been recognized by The
Nature Conservancy (TNC) in their site plan as a core area
of concern. This concern is reflected in the attention TNC placed on the
upper Hot Springs Canyon watershed in acquiring the Muleshoe Ranch and developing
the partnership in the Muleshoe Cooperative Management Area (CMA). They
have also purchased Conservation Easements in the lower reaches of the wash. S-J
and the Cascabel Hermitage Association (CHA) are now working with TNC to place
donated conservation easements in the middle reaches of the canyon, both on their
own land and with neighbors. The primary aim of this activity is to maintain
Hot Springs Canyon as a wildlife corridor between the Winchester/Galiuro Mountains
complex with the San Pedro river, and then up through Paige Canyon on the west
side of the Central Basin into the Rincon Mountains.
Besides S-J
and CHA's role in maintaining this Hot Springs wildlife corridor, they have done
other substantive conservation projects in the canyon. First, locally residing
S-J members repaired the old windmill to provide alternative waters for both cattle
and people, and built an erosion control fence to protect the windmill (which
was threatened by the aforementioned floods). Re-activating the windmill
allowed S-J to fence off Hot Springs Canyon from cattle at the Yellow Cliffs area
so that this riparian system can recover upstream - an area that has probably
been continuously grazed for over a hundred years. S-J work on the Windmill
area, including its large ramada and grounds, also allowed us to establish a living
presence within the constraints of the S-J
Covenant, and to develop a resource area there for the Cascabel
Hermitage Association. In so doing, motor vehicle traffic can now be stopped
and monitored at the Windmill. We built a kiosk to explain the S-J Covenant
and rules pertaining to use of the S-J/CHA private land in the canyon.
These actions have led to hopeful gains in the restoration of Hot Springs Canyon.
Cottonwood, ash, willow, sycamore and walnut as well as grasses and forbs are
again becoming established where cattle have been excluded or are carefully managed.
Recently a severe flood, that in the past might have scoured the wash clean, left
the newly established channel and vegetation intact. See the following link: