Region Briefs | Crater closed through May to protect nesting golden eagles

FLAGSTAFF

A two-mile area around SP Crater, known as the SP Crater Golden Eagle Conservation Complex, is off limits to recreationists, including hunters, hikers, and UTV-users to protect golden eagle nests.

In collaboration with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Babbitt Ranches announced special rules in effect for the complex on the CO Bar Ranch.

Under the special rules, lead ammunition is strictly forbidden, no target shooting is allowed, and no hunting, trapping, or other methods of taking small game animals are allowed.

The golden eagle complex was created in 2021, following agreements with Game and Fish, the Arizona State Land Department, and the Landsward Foundation, overseeing the complex.

With a concern that golden eagle populations may be declining, the complex is designed to keep nesting areas quiet and safe to promote the survival rate of the young and serve as a national model for the protection of eagle populations, said Babbitt Ranches President Billy Cordasco, on behalf of the Babbitt Ranches Community.

Kenneth “Tuk” Jacobson, the coordinator of Game and Fish’s Raptor Program, said, “Golden eagles are typically a wilderness species that don’t take well to human activity in and around their nesting territories.

“They will abandon eggs if they feel threatened, and it doesn’t take long when eagles are off the nest,” he said, “especially with cold weather, for the eggs to die.”

Jacobson said golden eagles don’t lay eggs every year, and a recent study by Game and Fish found that golden eagle pairs produce one nestling every two years.

NM announces Indigenous youth summit

The New Mexico Indian Affairs Department announced that the 2022 Indigenous Youth Wellness Summit would convene on June 17 and 18 in Albuquerque.

Planned in collaboration with Honoring Native Life and the department’s Indigenous Youth Council, Indigenous youth from across the state will meet to discuss mental health-related tools and strategies and identify mental health needs and priorities.

The summit is open to youth ages 16 to 25.

“The summit’s goal is to encourage young people who are struggling with mental health issues to talk about their experiences without fear of stigma,” said Indian Affairs Cabinet Secretary Lynn Trujillo, “as well as to create safe spaces for these discussions in schools, the workplace, and in the community.”

Created in 2011, Honoring Native Life serves as a clearinghouse for Native American suicide prevention and is housed at the University of New Mexico.

The summit results from numerous calls by tribal leadership and youth to improve access to behavioral and mental health services and resources both inside and outside of tribal communities.

IYC member Jeremy Begay said, “Many Native American youths do not have resources through their communities or have felt socially isolated. We want to create an open space for youth to feel safe and discuss physical, spiritual, emotional, and holistic wellness.”

IYC member Shayna Naranjo said, “Last year’s (summit) was our first large event as a group. It showcased an interest in learning more about health and wellness with a specific focus on culturally tailored topics that challenge our normal understandings of health.

“Reflecting on the recommendations and comments made at the conclusion of last year,” she said, “the members and I are excited for this year’s summit since we’ll be holding it in person.”

Information: www.iad.state.nm.us or iad.iyc@state.nm.us

Traffic jams expected during Arizona scenic canyon road work

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Projects planned for one of Arizona’s most scenic highways that will include a safety tune-up and structural improvements are expected to clog traffic along the two-lane route during work set to begin this spring and run into 2023.

The work by the Arizona Department of Transportation for U.S. Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon between Sedona and Flagstaff includes rockfall mitigation, drainage and sediment control, and rehabilitation of a bridge.

People traveling through the steep-sided canyon can expect significant traffic flow restrictions and a limited number of full closures to accommodate the work.

It’s already sometimes difficult to pass through the canyon’s tight quarters, including a near-corkscrew climb or descent at the north end.

The canyon’s trails and swimming holes are popular with hikers and day-trippers during the summer, while its colorful vistas of fall foliage pull crowds of admirers.

The 14-mile span is much needed, Brendan Foley, assistant district engineer for ADOT’s Northcentral District, said during a recent public information meeting.

“All three improvements are vital to preserving the integrity and safety of the highway,” Foley said.

Petroglyph monument to host Indigenous Family Day

ALBUQUERQUE – Petroglyph National Monument will host an inaugural, free Indigenous Family Day near Piedras Marcadas Canyon on April 9.

Participants must park at the Rio Vista Church at 8701 Golf Course Road. The event will be held at nearby Las Marcadas Park II and at Piedras Marcadas Canyon. Free shuttles will be provided from the parking area to the event location.

Nancy Hendricks, superintendent of the monument, said, “We hope this event will bring together Pueblo and tribal people from across the region for a special day of prayer, healing, and reflection, honoring their ancestral and ongoing connections to the lands within the monument.”

The event will start at 8 a.m. with a 2.5-mile “Gratitude Trail Run” or a 1-mile walk hosted by Native Health Initiative and Running Medicine starting at Las Marcadas Park II.

The run will be followed by an opening ceremony, guest speakers, and activities to entertain children.

After lunch, there will be a guided walk through Piedras Marcadas Canyon, where members of the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps will highlight their work to protect petroglyphs and the landscape.

The day will end around 3:30 p.m. with a closing ceremony.

Family Day is a partnership between the National Park Service, Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps, and Native Health Initiative, with support from the National Park Foundation, Western National Parks Association, and the Piedras Marcadas Neighborhood Association.

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