Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2005; Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site

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A summary of fire ecology activities and program information for the Park/network including fire effects plot workload, staffing, management objectives and monitoring results, and planning, fire monitoring, communications, and research. Also included are staff accomplishments/areas of focus, future program direction and other optional information (e.g. data analysis graphics or presentations, annual highlights, publications, program challenges, unique solutions to problems, collaboration, photographs of monitoring/fire activities, and suggestions on FFI). 2005 was a light fire effects monitoring year, with only three plots read at Chiricahua NM. With no budget for fire monitoring in either park, plots were read by Resource Management Biological Science Technician Ruth Olsen with the assistance of the preparedness fire crew. We hosted a University of Arizona undergraduate student intern this summer, who began inventory and monitoring of the prey base of the Mexican spotted owl in support of future prescribed burns in MSO PACs; small mammal and MSO monitoring/surveys will continue in and around the PACs as well as in prescribed burn units. The study to determine mortality of agaves from prescribed burning was completed this year, and results were submitted to the USFWS/Tucson office. Lesser long-nosed bat surveys continue. At Fort Bowie, the Apache Spring Watershed Restoration project commenced, with 16 non-FMH plots installed in the riparian corridor to determine effects of treatment activities on vegetation structure and composition as well as spring water flow. With an approved Fire Management Plan, we hope to start plot installation on the Ruins Rx burn in Spring 2006. New endeavors for FY2006 include conversion of data from FMH to FEAT and actually getting this report in on time! Additional research/monitoring for FY2006 include the continuation of the Chiricahua fox squirrel study and it’s adaptation/preference for burned landscapes, the continuation of the coatimundi study to determine fire landscape/home range associations, and possibly the effects of prescribed burning on the banded rock rattlesnake and it’s prey base (lizards).

Fire Ecology Annual Report: Calendar Year 2005; Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site

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