Impact Stories

Common Black Hawk

The term ‘indicator species,’ or ‘bioindicator,’ seemed too impersonal and detached to describe the black hawk screeching kee-kee-KEE-KEE as it emerged from a wall of lush cottonwoods and took a low pass right over our heads. We must be close to a nest, we thought, and quickly backed away in the direction we had come. We watched the hawk circle back, take another loud pass, and come to roost in one of the tall creek-bottom hardwoods. When its calls quieted to an intermittent accusatory kek-kek-kek, we stopped and got out the… Read the full story…

Miller Creek Public Restroom

Located not far from the banks of Miller Creek in the middle of Prescott, a new grant-funded restroom has provided not just an environmental benefit, but a human-dignity aspect as well. That point was emphasized recently during a meeting between representatives of the parties involved in the 2019 installation of the restroom at the Coalition for Compassion and Justice (CCJ) shelter on Miller Valley Road. It has now been more than a year since Prescott Creeks partnered with CCJ, the City of Prescott, and the Arizona… Read the full story… 

Nesting Raptors

Prescott Creeks’ ongoing restoration efforts in Watson Woods Riparian Preserve continue to see results in stream and wetland function, willow and cottonwood planting distribution and growth (“recruitment”), and habitat quality. With the support of thousands of volunteer hours and your membership contributions and donations, what was once the town dump and gravel pit is now a 126-acre oasis in the heart of our community. Read the full story…

Watson Woods Riparian Preserve Restoration

The continued restoration efforts within Watson Woods Riparian Preserve have resulted in tremendous improvements in the riparian and wetland habitat and its associated animal species. Since 2009, over 20,000 trees have been planted, 3,500 ft of Granite Creek has been restored, and over 25 acres of wetlands have been created! Also, with on-going management activities and 13,000 (and counting) volunteer hours recorded, the entire 126-acre Preserve is bouncing back from years of degradation and abuse. It has truly become an “oasis” once again. Read the full story…

Saltcedar in Watson Woods

Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), also known as tamarisk, is a large shrub native to the Eurasia and northern Africa that grows in arid to semiarid 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 in the southwestern United States. Saltcedar has several attributes that alter native ecosystems in ways that are detrimental to the native biotic communities. Read the full story…

Belted Kingfisher

It was December and conditions were cold and wet. I was the ‘foreman’ on the job which meant, among other things, that I was the first one on-site and the last one to leave. This day we’d been planting just upstream from the bridge at the downstream end of the project. It had been a long day with wind and rain, and I was soaked. As I was leaving I had a mental checklist going in my head for the day’s accomplishments, goals for the next day, the budget, and the hot shower calling my name. Something caught my attention… Read the full story…

Western Bluebird

During the Watson Woods Riparian Preserve Restoration project, we had a plating effort going during the end of February. The particular week we were in the field it happened to be raining and snowing quite a bit so Preserve conditions were a bit challenging. We’d worked with community volunteers to harvest cottonwood poles from donor trees and our task was to dig pits down to the water table and plant the poles. The water table was about 6 feet down at the time… Read the full story…

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