By: Cholla Rose Nicoll, Borderlands Wildlife Preserve CoordinatorAt Borderlands Wildlife Preserve, we try to balance providing access to natural areas for humans and keeping our wildlife safe and thriving in the most non-invasive ways possible. We hope to work towards both goals this coming spring! As many of our readers are probably aware, a recent study published in Nature Climate Change has reported that the west is experiencing the worst drought in 1200 years. Climate change driven by relatively recent human activity has made it 40% worse. Evidence shows that the drought is also not over yet, potentially continuing until 2030. The continued drought makes life harder for our local wildlife. Borderlands Restoration Network and many other organizations concerned with wildlife conservation act by providing water for wildlife. Thanks to a generous donation from one of our incredible supporters, we have purchased four new wildlife drinkers to install in the preserve. Three of these drinkers will replace previous hand-crafted drinkers, eventually moving to different areas of the preserve. Although both types of drinkers provide much-needed water to animals, these new drinkers are designed to be buried at ground level allowing smaller animals and bugs to access moisture more easily. Two of these drinkers have already been installed, and we are happy to say they are working great just in time for the driest part of the year.
In addition to our new wildlife drinkers, the preserve will also be gaining a new trail, The Discovery Trail (DT). The DT will be located at the main entrance to the preserve just behind the welcome kiosk, with construction starting in March and completion planned for late fall of this year. The DT will allow visitors to discover habitat restoration techniques and local history through a series of small educational trailside signs and demonstration areas. As the coordinator of this project, I am excited to be working on this trail with the help of Tess Wagner, BRN’s Restoration Program Manager. Tess has helped design this trail to be ADA compliant using universal design concepts. The BWP currently has no trails that are universally accessible. This trail will provide access to individuals using wheelchairs, strollers, and others with limited mobility or impaired senses and/or abilities. In addition to being universally accessible the DT will also be open to leashed dogs.  The Discovery Trail will be an accessible interpretive trail departing from the parking area and existing kiosk at the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve. Please stay tuned for more updates and potential volunteer opportunities in the future to help with the completion of the Discovery Trail. This trail would not be possible without the generous donation of supporters and the MTN Dew Outdoor Grant program. Borderlands Wildlife Preserve continues to evolve into a place with more opportunities for all to enjoy nature and provide a haven for our local wildlife. We hope to continue to find the balance between the two and are always open to suggestions from the community. Please enjoy this spring in the Sky Islands and reach out anytime with questions about the preserve and new happenings.
By: Cholla Rose Nicoll, Borderlands Wildlife Preserve CoordinatorI know it's cliche to write about love in February, but some animals in Arizona find February the perfect time to meet a partner. Both coyotes (Canis latrans) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) breed in or around February having their pups or kits born in spring. Javelina (Tayassu tajacu) also frequently breed in February to coincide with the birth of their reds during monsoon season. (Baby javelina are called reds due to the red color of their hair.) Breeding season for bobcats (Felis rufus) also occurs in or around February. So, as you can see February is about more than Valentine's Day for our local wildlife, it just happens to be a great month to plan a family for a spring or summer arrival.  Gray fox pair drinking water at the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve. Some fun facts about the animals mentioned above are:
 Image of a bobcat pair captured at night by one of our wildlife trail cameras. Something I am hoping you will all love this month are these pictures from the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve of what is most likely mated pairs of animals. These rare images give us a glimpse into the survival of the species living within the preserve. Although gray foxes and bobcats are not considered threatened species it is always a special treat to see a picture of them not just surviving, but thriving under the pressures of an ever-changing climate and growing human population. I hope these images bring some warmth to your heart despite your relationship status on Valentine's Day.
By: Dr. Laura Monti, Borderlands Restoration Senior Fellow, Research Associate, University of Arizona Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and The Southwest CenterMangrove forests and seagrass beds are some of the most efficient ecosystems for carbon storage. Off the coast from the Comcáac Indigenous communities, within the Infiernillo Channel, there are 13 mangrove forests and more than 900 hectares of seagrass beds which is more than exist throughout the entire rest of the Gulf of California. With support from 11th Hour Racing and the Schmidt Family Foundation the members of the Comcáac blue carbon team explored ways to expand the existing seagrass beds and mangrove forests to increase carbon sequestration to strengthen climate resilience for these ecosystems while generating income for the community.  Zostera marina beds and seed planting sites in the Infiernillo Channel of the Gulf of California. Adapted from Terre Cosio, 2000. Comcáac team leaders Alberto Mellado, Erika Barnett, Gabriela Suárez, Gary Nabhan, and Laura Monti led an effort to cultivate 4000 mangrove seedlings which were transplanted to four estuaries in the Infiernillo Channel while scuba divers sowed thousands of eelgrass seeds and transplanted hundreds of rhizomes into the sea floor along the margins of seagrass beds at two different sites. This team is also working with the University of Arizona and Prescott College Kino Bay Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies to renew the designation as a recognized site of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. In addition to capturing carbon, these systems provide critical habitat and food for resident and migrating sea turtles. Among the five species of sea turtles that migrate or reside in the Infiernillo Channel, the sea turtle conservation team Grupo Tortuguero Comcáac-Desemboque led by Mayra Astorga, have documented that olive ridley sea turtle nests have increased significantly during the past seven years possibly related to warming waters further south. In addition to data collection, this group has been monitoring nests, collecting, and incubating eggs, releasing hatchlings, tagging turtles, and leading community education.  Sea turtle hatchery pen.  Volunteers from Grupo Tortuguero Comcáac-Desemboque monitoring hatchlings. During the 2020-2021 seasons close to 10,000 thousand sea turtle hatchlings were released. This two year trend represents a dramatic increase from previous years likely due to reduced human activity during the COVID pandemic. A new initiative supported by Amazon Conservation will link Grupo Tortuguero with other Indigenous coastal communities of Central and South America to facilitate knowledge exchange.  Hatchlings in their protected nest soon to be released to the wild.  Release of sea turtle hatchlings. This interweaving of programs across human health including food, water, and energy security as well as climate change resilience is rooted in Comcáac traditional knowledge and carried out with full knowledge and invitation of the Comcáac community governing authorities and leaders.
If you haven't already, read the first two blogs in this three blog update about work happening with the Comcáac Indigenous Communities. Lea la versión en español de este blog en este enlace. By: Dr. Laura Monti, Borderlands Restoration Senior Fellow, Research Associate, University of Arizona Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and The Southwest CenterIn our blog series update about the work of the Salud Comcáac team, that includes BRN Senior Fellow Laura Monti, we turn to renewable energy and food security. The lack of access to affordable energy, clean water and healthy food threatens the long-term survival of the Comcáac Indigenous communities. Thanks to support of the Honnold Foundation, in Desemboque the community well and about half the homes now have photovoltaic solar panels installed, reducing energy costs by two thirds and eliminating carbon emissions. Working alongside the Solarex Enterprise engineers were Comcáac solar technician leaders Veronica Molina and Cecilia Moreno who received additional training in solar panel installation.  Solar panel community workshop participants and team leaders. These new panels do more than provide renewable energy and clean water, they also provide shade, another resource in short supply. The panels create a buffer against the intense heat and aridity of the Sonoran coast. A food security team led by Mayra Astorga and Gary Nabhan are testing the idea to see what traditional foods and herbs grow well in these new shady spots.  Solar energy and agriculture team. Punta Chueca food security team leader Erica Barnett has also launched a community garden program to increase the availability of healthy foods with support of the Instituto Nacional de Pueblos Indígenas.  Community garden in Punta Chueca. An inaugural community celebration was held to revitalize the consumption of the traditional food, eelgrass. The seeds of this seagrass contain dense concentrations of nutrients and beneficial oils. Read more about the seagrass and mangrove restoration project here.  Close up of Zostera marina (eelgrass) seed. Photo by Eduardo Infantes. In addition, the Comcáac Mesquite Collective, made up of community members who collect mesquite beans to roast and grind by mortar and pestle, produced 150 pounds of mesquite flour providing an additional income source from sales. Much thanks to Juliet Jivanti and the Borderlands Restoration Network Mesquite Stewardship Program for your help with sales!  Read the other blogs in this three part update!
Publication: Renaissance of Xnois grain from the seagrass (Zostera marina) as a food of the Comcaac community together with the University of Arizona. Link: Publicación / Publication Lea la versión en español de este blog aquí. By: Dr. Laura Monti, Borderlands Restoration Senior Fellow, Research Associate, University of Arizona Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and The Southwest CenterWhen in June of 2021 the third wave of COVID hit the remote Comcáac villages of Punta Chueca and Desemboque, the Salud Comcáac team who formed at the onset of COVID-19 to assist these communities, including BRN Senior Fellow Laura Monti, was prepared. The Comcáac are indigenous people that occupy their autonomous territory in the coastal desert of the State of Sonora, Mexico. Local Seri health promoters who received training during the initial response, Omar Casanova and Isabela Morales, mobilized quickly along with expert herbalists, and Secretary of Health physician Dr. Diego Franco to address the health needs of the villages. Our generous partners including the Amazon Conservation Team responded immediately providing additional funds needed to cope with this surge. For this outstanding work, the Salud Comcáac team was honored by Mexico’s National Secretary of Health.  Cristina Molina, Filomena Barnett, and Laura Molina, Centro de Salud y Medicina Tradicional Punta Chueca.  Desemboque Health team: Omar Casanova, Mayra Estrella, Isabel Morales, and Vilma Morales.
The two Rural Health Centers are now better equipped and operating in Desemboque and Punta Chueca with running water and electricity, combining modern medicine and traditional medicine. Internet and cell phones are supporting telemedicine and other vital communications. Additional space was refurbished with equipment and additional beds, thanks to the Fundación Tichi Muñoz and FESAC, Nogales. Early intervention with 24 hour care, oxygen concentrators and herbal treatments has so far avoided Covid related deaths and reduced hospitalizations. In addition to delivering integrative care to over 100 COVID patients, the team also served 300 Comcáac community members for issues unrelated to COVID in 2021.  Dr. Ana Luisa Weildfeld Gomez, Medical Coordinator from Pitiquito.
 Desert Healers Filomena Barnett, Guadalupe Romero, and Betina Romero. Between COVID surges, seven members of the Salud Comcáac team earned a diploma in health promotion from El Colegio de Sonora facilitated by Dr. Catalina Denman and other public health expert mentors. These students are the first indigenous students to complete this innovative and rigorous applied course thanks to financial support from the University of Arizona Southwest Center and donors.  Salud Comcáac Punta Chueca team: Filomena Barnett, Pati Barnett, Gema Torres, and Laura Molina.  Mangrove medicine herbalists Filomena Barnett and Cristina Molina.  Herbalist Vilma Morales presents medicinal plants used for respiratory illness at the Comcáac-Mayo traditional medicine exchange supported by Fondo Acción Solidaria and Cobanaras. Salud Comcáac is rooted in traditional knowledge and is carried out at the invitation of the Comcáac community governing authorities and in collaboration with the Sonoran Secretary of Health.
Oceans of gratitude to all that supported this work and to those that worked tirelessly to provide health care in these communities! Check out the next blog in this three part blog update about work happening with the Comcáac Indigenous communities! Para leer la versión en español de este blog, por favor dé click aquí. By: Pachynne Ignacio, Ṣu:dagī ‘O Wuḍ Doakag FacilitatorSudagĭ 'O Wuḍ Doakag (SOWD/Water is Life) staff would like to proudly introduce this year's class of 2021-2022 student interns. This is our third year as a program at Baboquivari High School and so far, our students have learned about water systems, water quality, and quantity, and most recently they learned about ecosystem restoration.  SOWD crew with Noland Johnson after a tour of his family’s farm, Alexander Pancho Memorial Farms. Cowlic, AZ. SOWD is an after-school program that emphasizes teachings about rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts around the world. At the end of each year, we help the students construct their water harvesting designs at Baboquivari secondary campus. We incorporate teaching about the drastic changes to traditional O'odham lands and discuss how these changes came to be, and what we can possibly do to restore our homelands.  Interns observing natural running water in the Santa Cruz River with San Xavier Natural Resources. Cukṣon (Tucson), AZ. Field trips that we take on Saturdays bring lessons to life and inspire our students to create interesting and inspired ideas for the project they will be creating in the spring semester as a team. So far, we have visited Alexander Pancho Memorial Farm in Cowlic, Wa:k Hikdan and the San Pedro River.  Swale diverted rainwater in a wo’o (man-made watering hole) that’s utilized for traditional crops and cattle. Cowlic, AZ. Alexander Pancho Memorial Farms. We are excited about future trips and projects the students will participate in and look forward to sharing our journey with you!
To learn more and to support the Ṣu:dagī ‘O Wuḍ Doakag (Water is Life) after-school program please click here. By: Cholla Rose Nicoll, Borderlands Wildlife Preserve CoordinatorFor the past year Borderlands Wildlife Preserve has been monitoring wildlife with a series of six trail cameras. For the most part these cameras are set up in easy to access areas providing us with a glimpse into what animals are on the preserve, but only a limited view from these areas. We are happy to announce our view is about to expand and we will be adding more cameras for a total of 15! This will allow us to evenly distribute cameras throughout the preserve getting a clearer picture of what animals are present in more remote areas.  Image of a coyote taken at the BWP this fall. Another exciting development on the horizon for 2022 is a partnership between Borderlands Restoration Network, Sky Island Alliance (SIA) and the Patagonia Public Library. SIA will be providing wildlife trail cameras to the library for check out and use in their FotoFauna program. The FotoFauna program allows anyone with a wildlife trail camera to submit data to help track presence, absence, and seasonal movements of species in the Sky Islands of the U.S. and Mexico. I will be available for guidance in operating these publicly available cameras and hope to use them for youth education in Patagonia schools.  We look forward to sharing more beautiful pictures like these from this fall with you. More details on both projects will be coming soon so watch out for updates and invites to participate! We are happy to be able to share even more excellent photos with you throughout the coming year.
Happy 2022! Wildlife Monitoring at the BWP during 2021 - 2022, supported by the Wildlife Conservation, Climate Adaptation Fund, supported by funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The WCS Climate Adaptation Fund supports projects helping ecosystems adapt to climate change, including urban environments and projects incorporating joint mitigation and adaptation approaches. By: Perin McNelis, BRN Native Plant Program Assistant ManagerBetween September and December 2021, our Native Plant and Watershed Restoration Programs kept very busy with our largest seed collection season to date. Between our seed collections for commercial sale and nursery production as well as our collections for various grants and contracts for restoration projects on public and private lands, the team collected approximately 700lbs of bulk seed! We were incredibly lucky to have an abundant crop after record monsoon rains quenched the landscape and supported a robust harvest.  Volunteer, Kirstine Grace, collecting Crimson Bluestem (Schizachyrium sanguineum) seeds on Coronado National Forest land in the San Rafael Valley. The largest portion of our seed collection efforts this season was for a revegetation project in Mansfield Canyon in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains. The program brought on 10 seasonal seed collectors (two crew leads and eight crew techs, plus an intern that rotated between the nursery and seed collection crew) to spearhead this project. It was our fourth year conducting seed collection for this project in partnership with USDA Forest Service, with the goal of revegetating and controlling erosion on multiple sites after the removal of toxic tailings that were leaching from a few legacy mines into the local watershed, a tributary of Sonoita Creek and ultimately the Santa Cruz River.  The 2021 seed collection crew on the edge of the Patagonia Mountains and the San Rafael Valley on Coronado National Forest land. Photo credit: Cricket Dean. Program management scouted the Coronado National Forest lands surrounding Patagonia and identified robust populations of plants on the target species list for the project, they then monitored the phenology of the species at each site, observing when the plants were finishing flowering and going to seed and when the plants were at their “natural state of dispersal” with mature, ripened seeds ready to be collected. This careful planning informed the schedule and flow of the season. The crew was thoroughly trained in plant identification, field safety, and seed collection ethics so as to not harm or over harvest from plant populations.  Seed collectors, Olivia Diaz, Gabriel Gudenkauf, Karima Walker and Marsella Macias, practice grass identification during crew training. The crew then split into two groups with one lead and four techs each and took our vans out into the mountains each day to different beautiful sites in the Sky Islands covering as much ground as possible, and building genetic diversity into each collection by collecting from as many individuals in each population. Our fantastic crew collected over 460lbs of seed from 16 different species of native bunch grasses, as well as 12 different species of forbs from various locations in the Santa Rita Mountains, Patagonia Mountains, San Rafael Valley, Huachuca Mountains, Canelo Hills and Chiricahua Mountains. Sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri) was a favorite target species of the group as they loved climbing to beautiful vistas in search of this charismatic plant.
The crew collecting Sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri) seeds, also known as Desert spoon, on Coronado National Forest land in the Patagonia Mountains. Photo Credit: Cricket Dean. Additionally, we did smaller seed collections for contracts with USDA Agricultural Research Service and the United States Forest Service at the Wild Chile Botanical Area in the Tumacácori Mountains for research related to conservation of crop wild relatives, as well as for a contract with the National Forestry Foundation and Southern Arizona Quail Forever to be used in habitat restoration projects in conjunction with erosion control structures to support Montezuma Quail habitat in the Huachuca Mountains. We also collected seed for commercial use for seed sales and nursery production through Borderlands Nursery & Seed, and are excited to add some unique new species to our inventories in 2022!  Seed collector, Olivia Diaz, collects Rubber Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa) on Coronado National Forest land in the Santa Rita Mountains. The Watershed Restoration Program collected seed for a few of their own projects as well, including a project supported by funding from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Section 6 grant that involves establishing native grasses after invasive species removal to support habitat for the endangered Beardless chinchweed (Pectis imberis), as well as for landscape-scale restoration projects that combine watershed restoration work with seeding for our Path of the Jaguar project supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Arizona Department of Water ResourcesWater Management Assistance Program.  Seeds collected and stored in the BRN Native Seed Lab. Finally, our staff harvested over 120lbs of native grass and forb seed from the farmed seed-increaser plot at Borderlands Nursery & Seed for seed production contracts with the Petrified Forest National Park, the Institute of Applied Ecology for Tonto National Forest.
As this seed collection season comes to a close, and the landscape transitions into winter, we are so grateful for the monsoon rains we received this summer that supported our fall harvest and for our incredible seasonal crew that made the scale of our collection season possible as well as fun! We were so lucky to have our own small staff joined by such a wonderful group of passionate, hilarious, observative, intelligent, adventurous, dependable, and caring individuals who brought renewed inspiration to our program, long term colleagues, and friends who care deeply about the BRN mission. By: Borderlands Restoration NetworkEnvironmental education is an organized effort to teach individuals about how to sustainably manage ecosystems. Graduates from the various education programs that Borderlands Restoration Network offers develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and are taught the skills to engage in preserving the natural environment and biocultural diversity. The Arizona Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) is a nonprofit organization leading in advancing environmental education throughout Arizona. AAEE collaborates with practitioners in the field to establish frameworks for quality environmental literacy programs, EE certifications, and working groups. The nonprofit started hosting the AAEE Excellence in Environmental Education Awards to honor individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact on environmental education through innovative and inspiring practices in Arizona. Leona Davis, Earth Grant Program Coordinator with the Arizona Institute for Resilience nominated Jordan Sene, BRN’s Youth Education Program Coordinator in the Outstanding Young Professional (age 23 and under) category. On November 5th, Jordan received the award during an interactive award ceremony.  Jordan Sene, BRN Youth Education Program Coordinator Jordan Sene, 21, is from Rio Rico, Arizona. She is a student at Arizona State University majoring in sustainable ecosystems at the School of Sustainability. She is also pursuing her Master of Sustainability Solutions (MSUS 4+1) degree at ASU. Jordan participated in the Borderlands Earth Care Youth (BECY) program when she graduated from Rio Rico Highschool, before heading off to university. During the program, she was a youth leader first learning about sustainability and permaculture while doing watershed restoration work. Participating in BECY sparked new interest and passion in Jordan and it changed the trajectory of her study and career path.  BECY Nogales 2018 at T4 Ranch Six months in as a BRN staff member, Jordan learned hands-on how to coordinate the BECY program with the Patagonia and Douglas 2021 cohorts in the summer. By the fall, she designed and implemented an 8-week online course internship for students in Douglas, Arizona, Agua Prieta, and Hermosillo, Sonora. The course, Jaguars 101: Jaguar Habitat Restoration & Community Resilience was multidisciplinary and featured guest speaker practitioners from the U.S. and Sonora. The course started with the basics on jaguar biology, ecology, history, and cultural value. Then, interns learned more about the importance of stakeholder engagement throughout the borderlands, watershed restoration techniques, and cases for conservation. Jordan also moderated a panel discussion focused on environmental justice, representation, and advocacy with three local environmental advocates. The last section of the course emphasizes sustainable management of food systems and current sustainability research that young conservationists are conducting at the University of Arizona and Universidad de Sonora.  Jordan Sene moderates a panel on environmental justice with guests Estefania Ramirez, Asociación Mujeres y Conservación, Masavi Perea, ChispaAZ, and Cam Juarez, Saguaro National Park. By: Jordan Sene, BRN Youth Education Program CoodinatorThis fall, we offered our first youth program centered around jaguar habitat restoration and community resiliency. It was an 8-week internship course that included eight youth ages 15-20 from Douglas, AZ, Agua Prieta and Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico. The purpose of this introductory course was to teach youth interns about the importance of jaguar habitat restoration and building community resilience in our southwest region of the US/Mexico borderlands.  Interns learned virtually about jaguars in the borderlands. Youth interns learned about environmental and community restoration, conservation, binational collaboration, environmental justice, and overall sustainability with an emphasis on regenerative management of natural and cultural resources. We also hosted many conservation professionals and experts from both sides of the border from diverse backgrounds and experiences in their expert fields of conservation and jaguar habitat restoration. Interns learned about the causes of jaguars critically endangered status and mitigation efforts aimed to prevent the jaguar's extinction in the Sky Islands region. Those efforts include various methods of water and land restoration. Throughout this online course, interns worked on an applied project centered around jaguar advocacy and community resilience which they successfully presented during the final week of the course.  Sergio Avila, from the Sierra Club, sharing about the history and cultural value of jaguars. Intern ProjectsThe Story Behind Jaguars 101: The youth interns from Agua Prieta conducted virtual storytelling behind the Jaguars 101 course and shared their internship experience through their presentations. The students gave their perspective on the course including, jaguar history, cultural value, jaguar biology, and their role in the Sky Islands ecosystem. The interns also produced a jaguar video. Their purpose behind this project was to demonstrate that internships can be personal, captivating, and engaging for a younger demographic.  Student produced a video about what they learned in the course. Youth Workshop at Douglas Public Library: The Douglas youth interns from Cochise College completed a series of workshops for young children, ages 6-11, at the Douglas Public Library. They taught the younger children and their families how they can help their environment and why it's so important to do so. Their purpose was to educate the youth, their parents, and the community about the importance of healthy ecosystems, conservation, and wildlife.  Lillian Tsurumi Verdugo, Youth Leader of the Agua Prieta group, shares some of the insights learned during the course at the virtual graduation. Biodiversidad de Hermosillo: Hermosillo youth interns from the Universidad de Sonora focused their project on sharing and educating young children about entomology, the study of insects. Their project took place at a local children's home called Todos Somos Hermanos, where they taught young children environmental science-related topics through a series of workshops while making it a fun experience. The purpose was to generate sincere interest in the nature that surrounds them and learn to respect it. The series of workshops focused on mammals and tracks, desert plants, and insect diversity. Youth played games and completed activities such as plant pressing during each short course. The youth interns plan to continue these workshops as they continue practicing environmental education and citizen science.
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