Prey Analysis of Mexican Spotted Owls in Walnut Canyon National Monument
The Mexican spotted owl (MSO) is listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and Walnut Canyon is designated Critical Habitat for the species.
Park News
Lomaki Trail Update
Almost There! In the August 2020 edition, we highlighted this two-year project of upgrades to the Lomaki Trail at Wupatki National Monument. In this issue, we are excited to report the anticipated conclusion of the project in 2021! The Americorps Youth Volunteers and Park crew has been back at it, cutting, shaping, hauling, lifting, and …
Prehistoric Shell Trade
Trade was essential to prehistoric people. Not only were utilitarian items traded, but also prestige goods, such as shell. Finding marine shells in non-coastal locations signifies both trade as well as long-distance transportation. Studying marine shells allows archaeologists to trace prehistoric exchange networks.
Summer Visitors Returning to Flagstaff Area National Monuments
Hello Friends of Flagstaff Area National Monuments! I am happy to give a quick update on interpretive operations for Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater Volcano, and Wupatki National Monuments. Visitation has been crazy busy, and we are experiencing more visitors than ever enjoying their public lands. As such, we appear to be on track for sustained …
Two Employees Win Regional Awards for Resource Stewardship
Lisa Leap Receives Appleman-Judd-Lewis Award Lisa Leap, Chief of Resource Management, recently received the Intermountain Region’s prestigious Appleman-Judd-Lewis Award for excellence in cultural resource management. Lisa has garnered funding for and led her staff in completing dozens and dozens of important cultural resource-related projects. A small recent sampling includes Ethnography Overview and Assessments, a Collection …
It’s Hot Out There! Protecting Visitors and Our Flagstaff Area National Monument in the Hot Summer Months
“PSAR” at the Monuments The summer season in Flagstaff brings with it warmer temps and hot days. With our visitors coming from all over the country, we find many people unprepared for the heat and dry conditions that they may encounter at our high elevation. In the past few years, we have implemented and expanded …