Michael Byrd, Author at Prescott Creeks

Biodiversity & Invasive Plants

Nature loves diversity. A walk through a healthy Central Arizonan riparian (streamside) corridor would reveal a rich forest composed of ash, walnut, boxelder maple, hackberry, three to four different species of willow, three different species of cottonwood, and numerous species of shrubs, graminoids (grasses and grass-like plants), forbs, and aquatic plants. Each of these plants

Saltcedar in Watson Woods

Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), also known as tamarisk, is a large shrub native to Eurasia and northern Africa that grows in arid to semi-arid regions. Found only along waterways, saltcedar can spread rapidly and take over areas normally dominated by willows. Saltcedar does best in disturbed areas which make up a majority of the riparian areas

Preserve Infrastructure

If you drive along Highway 89 between Downtown Prescott and the Granite Dells, or if you spend much time in Watson Woods Riparian Preserve, you would have a hard time not noticing the construction project that has been occurring over the last several months. Last year, the City of Prescott approached Prescott Creeks with plans

Art in Nature

“We cannot win this battle to save species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature – for we will not fight to save what we do not love.” Stephen J. Gould, Evolutionary Biologist Tweet Expressive Arts in Partnership with Nature This year, in early August, Denise Incao, local artist and

Monarchs Returning

Right on schedule, monarch butterflies are appearing in the Prescott area. A number of astute observers report seeing these familiar butterflies returning to their haunts in Watson Woods Riparian Preserve, along the Willow Lake trail system, and in monarch-friendly gardens throughout the community. Thanks to Suzanne Yoder for the remarkable video of a monarch laying

Updated Fire Conditions

With the rains of the last week, fire conditions have been downgraded but remain Moderate to High. Current as of July 17, 2017, according to Prescott National Forest: “(t)here are currently no fire restrictions on the Prescott National Forest. Please remember: fires must be attended at all times, fires must be extinguished completely (cold to

Volunteer Appreciation

28 December 2016 Dear Volunteers, On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff, I’d like to thank you for the time that you have committed to working with Prescott Creeks. Your volunteer efforts have resulted in evident improvements in the Upper Granite Creek Watershed and the Watson Woods Riparian Preserve. As a volunteer you

Your support at work

When you make a financial contribution to Prescott Creeks, you directly support getting community members involved in on‐the‐ground work.

Visitors & Residents

As spring unfurls, it’s been fun to see who is stopping by the Preserve for a visit and which resident species are getting active. As one might expect, it’s been busy out there. This week, we’ve had a Great Egret (Ardea alba) visiting a feature we know as Wetland #1. It seems to be doing

Phenology Trail

On Tuesday May 3rd, Phenology Trail volunteers and local plant enthusiasts got together in Watson Woods Riparian Preserve for a grass workshop led by local expert Sue Smith. This workshop provided a hands-on opportunity for the participants to become familiar with local grasses identification, their natural history, and phenology. Since it was a gorgeous day in the preserve, it

Author: Michael Byrd