Fifth Annual Wet/Dry Mapping:

On Saturday, June 16, 2012, the Friends of Agua Fria National Monument will be participating with Non-point Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) from the University of Arizona as well as the Cosanti Foundation (Arcosanti) in this, the fifth annual Wet/Fry Mapping of the Upper Agua Fria River.

In preparation for the mapping, volunteers will learn to use a Global Positioning Survey (GPS) unit at the Wet/Dry Mapping Training to be held on Thursday, May 31, 2012, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at:

Black Canyon Heritage Park Visitor’s Center

33955 S. Old Black Canyon Highway

Black Canyon City, AZ 85324

To register to participate: Email steven@aguafriafriends.org

or call Steven Brown at:

(928) 899-6184 to sign up

Earth
Day

at

Black Canyon
Heritage Park

A Great Success!!

 On Saturday, April 21, 2012, over 60 visitors celebrated Earth Day at the Black Canyon Heritage Park in Black Canyon City.

From 10:00 am till 2:00 pm, guests were treated to A Day for Curiosity, Discovery, Stewardship

This event was sponsored by the Black Canyon Heritage Park Coalition!

Volunteer, Mike Hoogendyk manning Friends booth.

Bureau of Land Management booth

 Fun activities included:

• Planting of trees and grasses native to the Black Canyon City area.
• Fun games and activities for kids and adults.
• Book signing of the new children’s story Tori the Tortoise.
• Loads of opportunities for kids, students, and adults to learn about volunteer opportunities at Agua Fria National Monument and the Black Canyon Heritage Park.
• Learning about the plants and animals in our area!
• Enjoy Refreshments provided by Meals on Wheels!
• Rubber Duck Race with prizes for the winning ducks and their purchasers

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bob Cothern (623) 694-1338

Ann Hutchinson (623) 742-6514

Steven Brown (928) 899-6184 or steven@aguafriafriends.org

Black Canyon Heritage Park Coalition Members

The complete text of the Newsletter is available by clicking below:

FAFNM Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 1

Inside you will find stories about recent Friends-sponsored activities, updates on continuing projects, reports on the great work the Friends are doing with your support, and a few fun surprises! This newsletter is our effort to connect the many people who are working hard to make our time on the monument the best it can be.

Our newsletter will be published quarterly, on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, and summer and winter solstices. Each issue will feature contributions from your friends and neighbors working on issues related to cultural resources, water management, flora, and fauna. You will find timely reports on the impact of your volunteer hours and financial contributions. We will also provide updates about ongoing projects and threats facing the monument. We will use this newsletter to announce important Friends events for the upcoming season. This issue includes a special bonus: the Friends in the Agua Fria National Monument crossword puzzle on the back page!

We hope that you enjoy this first edition of the Friends newsletter. We look forward to improving upon this great start to provide you with timely and useful information about Friends activities.

Karen La France,

President, Friends of the Agua Fria National Monument

]]> http://aguafriafriends.org/uncategorized/friends-newsletter/feed/ 0 http://aguafriafriends.org/uncategorized/1891-schoolhouse-centennial-celebration/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=1891-schoolhouse-centennial-celebration http://aguafriafriends.org/uncategorized/1891-schoolhouse-centennial-celebration/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:45:43 +0000 StevenBrown http://aguafriafriends.org/?p=828

]]> http://aguafriafriends.org/uncategorized/1891-schoolhouse-centennial-celebration/feed/ 0 http://aguafriafriends.org/uncategorized/friends-board-meeting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=friends-board-meeting http://aguafriafriends.org/uncategorized/friends-board-meeting/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:19:41 +0000 StevenBrown http://aguafriafriends.org/?p=776 Read more]]> On December 8, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. the Board of the Friends of Agua Fria National Monument will hold their monthly Board Meeting.

To obtain a copy of the agenda and the packet of information to be discussed at the Board meeting, click here:

Water Team
Report for October 2011

Something remarkable is happening in the riparian streambed
of the Agua Fria River (AFR) in the ½-mile reach from EZ Ranch to the Riverbend
kiosk.

For the 20 or so years that I have observed this part of the river I would characterize it as heavily impacted.  Typical findings included: large patches of bare soil; sparse groundcover; poor retention of runoff, sediment, or organic matter; and a down-cut channel.  While there was a nice line of old cottonwood trees on the upper banks, there were few successional trees.  Innumerable tire tracks ravaged the river banks and especially the main channel.  Water-based habitat was scarce, and there were even fewer signs of wildlife in the water or the river corridor.  It was not a very attractive place to visit.

The situation has changed considerably, at least since June 2011.  What’s different now?

On outings in September and October, 2011 to document the condition of the river I was immediately struck by the height and density of vegetation that is replacing the bare patches of soil.  Now there actually is a bit of water in the stream, and it flows in about ¾ of the reach. I saw frogs and small fish.  There are many 2-foot-high eedlings of cottonwood.  In places, the clover and seep willow reach over my head.  The water flows clear and there is little algae present.  Organic materials such as twigs, leaves, and bark are being captured by the numerous cottonwood seedlings and variety of shrubs.

Doe browsing on restored forage (Photo by Tim Flood)

Walking up the streambed I observed a great blue heron spearing a fish, a browsing wary doe that I observed for a couple of minutes, a red-tailed hawk arising from the riverbed, and three young javelina resting on the stream bank.  The lowland leopard frogs were about 1 inch long, indicative of having hatched late in this season.  Just downstream of the kiosk the streambed is also densely vegetated.  The frogs are
larger there in the marshy area, and I observed a squawky belted kingfisher, and a soaring zone-tailed hawk.

Great Blue Heron (Photo by Tim Flood)

So, why the transformation?

I attribute these marvelous changes to the BLM’s recent placement of fence along the road.  This fence keeps vehicles from entering the channel and is allowing the river bed to restore itself in spectacular fashion.  Frankly, I didn’t think we’d see any changes so quickly. But, to those Friends who have hiked with us on our FAFNM “Walk and Talk” in this reach during the past two years I recommend that they see it now themselves.

The BLM’s fencing project is returning something valuable to the Monument and the local community. The streambed is different now, and in a good way.  I somewhat bemoan the loss OHV recreation in this corridor, but I see that the fence is producing a remarkable restoration of valuable local asset.  This streambed and river channel is a resource that folks, local or otherwise, can be proud of.  BLM is to be applauded for this work and for protecting this important riparian resource for all to enjoy.

We thank you for your continuing support of the Friends.

Join the Friends through PayPal

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$20.00 for Senior $15.00 for Junior

$40.00 for Organization $ Or Make a Donation in Any Amount

Membership Level

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Make a Donation to the Friends

On Saturday, September 10, 2011, The Cultural Resources Committee of the Friends of Agua Fria National Monument presented the “Perry Mesa Symposium”. It was held in Phoenix at the Embassy Suites Hotel North.

(All Photos used in this email were provided courtesy of: Lee Gehl, transNETMedia.com)

Attendance
at the Symposium was just fantastic!

There were 133 people on site and registered. They came from across the Southwest and represented professional archaeologists, avocational archaeologists, academic archaeologists, the public and many government entities. We wish to extend a big
THANK YOU! to all those who attended and especially to the presenters.

Fifteen speakers and a panel of experts spoke on everything from rock art, “race tracks”, prehistoric agricultural practices, pottery analysis, trading trails and settlement organization to past archaeological surveys and analysis of stone tools and projectile points. The Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe were also presenters, and detailed their past history on the monument.

Presenters

Photos of the presenters, listing of their affiliations and the titles of their presentations are avaialable here: Photos from 2011 Perry Mesa Symposium

Proceedings Available

The proceedings of the Perry Mesa Symposium are available for purchase below, and we are targeting shipment by Year End.

Support the Friends!

The Friends of Agua Fria National Monument are able to bring you events such as the Perry Mesa Symposium and to carry out our mission to protect the cultural and natural resources of the Monument, as a direct result of the generosity of our members and don0rs. We thank you for support in the past and hope that you will continue to support the Friends in our work. THANK YOU!

Join the Friends through PayPal

$25.00 for Individual $35.00 for Family

$20.00 for Senior $15.00 for Junior

$40.00 for Organization $ Or Make a Donation in Any Amount

Membership Level

Individual $25.00 Family $35.00 Senior $20.00 Junior $15.00 Organization $40.00

Make a Donation to the Friends

The Friends wish to announce a series of hikes lead by volunteers with the Friends of the Agua Fria National Monument ( Friends) between October 2011 and April 2012. The following hikes are scheduled to take place in the coming months. Firm dates for those in italics are to be determined later, and you will receive notice of these in a subsequent email. To take part in any of these hikes, please RSVP with contact phone number and email to info@aguafriafriends.org for directions and provide a contact phone number.

1. (TBD) Boulder Basin led by Al Enouen

For more information on these hikes and to learn more about the Friends email us at: info@aguafriafriends.org

The Friends are able to provide these hikes through the support of our members and through your generous donations.

We thank you for your continuing support of the Friends.

Join the Friends through PayPal

$25.00 for Individual        $35.00 for Family

$20.00 for Senior              $15.00 for Junior

$40.00 for Organization   $ Or Make a Donation in Any Amount

Membership Level

Individual $25.00 Family $35.00 Senior $20.00 Junior $15.00 Organization $40.00

Make a Donation to the Friends

The Friends are extremely grateful to the Deer Valley Rock Art Center for donating the use of their facility at 3711 W. Deer Valley Rd. as the site for the Annual Meeting, They were gracious hosts and a good deal of the success of the event is owed to their generosity and assistance.

The Friends wish to thank the outgoing officers who have served the organization so well through trying times.

Glenda Simmons – Prior President

Trudy Mertens – Prior Treasurer

Donna Ruiz y Costello -Prior Interim President

Entrance to Deer Valley Rock Art Center Property.

New Officers Elected!

The newly elected officers are:

Karen LaFrance – President

Jim Riggs – Vice President

Lura BriAnne ‘Bri’ Parker-McGlynn – Treasurer

Sarah Striker – Member at Large

Biographies of Newly Elected Friends Officers

Revised By-Laws Adopted

The evening of the Annual Meeting, a set of Revised By-Laws was adopted by the Friends membership.

By-Laws Addopted September 9, 2011

Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Budget

 Adopted

The Friends adopted the Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Budget at the Annual Meeting. A link to the budget and notes of explanation are provided below.

FAFNM Draft Budget 2011-2012

Notes to Proposed FAFNM 2011-2012 Budget

Monument Manager – Rem Hawes

Honored by Wilderness Society

The highlight of the evening was the formal presentation of the National Landscape Conservation System Leadership Award to Agua Fria National Monument Manager, Rem Hawes by Phil Hanceford, with the Wilderness Society, BLM Action Center. Raymond Suazo, BLM Arizona Associate State Director was in attendance to honor Rem.

Presentation of award by Phil Hanceford (far left) of the Wilderness Society and Raymond Suazo (middle) of BLM to Rem Hawes (far right).

Rem Hawes (middle) accepting Award from Phil Hanceford (holding award) with Raymond Suazo looking on.

Reception Follows Business Meeting

Following the Business Meeting, the Friends gathered in the Main Hall of the Deer Valley Rock Art Center to enjoy refreshments and to catch up on the years events.

Members enjoying refreshments at the reception and chatting about the years happenings.

Outgoing Treasurer, Trudy Mertens chatting during the reception.

To take part in all the fun: JOIN THE FRIENDS

$25.00 for Individual          $35.00 for Family

$20.00 for Senior                $15.00 for Junior

$40.00 for Organization    $ Or Make a Donation in Any Amount

or send check to: FAFNM P.O. Box 290, Black Canyon City, AZ 85324-0290

Email: info@aguafriafriends.org
Or call us at (623) 249-4460

Perry Mesa Symposium

Following the Annual Meeting, many of the Friends took part in the Perry Mesa Symposium that was held on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at the Embassy Suites Hotel at the intersection of I-17 and Greenway in Phoenix. For more information on the doings at the Symposium use the following link.

More information on the Perry Mesa Symposium