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
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
Creeks Connect Community! Prescott Creeks held its 25th Anniversary Celebration September 19, 2015. A beautiful fall day welcomed guests and visitors to our office site at Watson Woods Riparian Preserve to celebrate the waterways and natural areas in our community and the work of Prescott Creeks in restoring and preserving these community treasures. Our guests
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
“Cottonwood and willow plantings created important habitat for belted kingfishers on Granite Creek.” 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 in the morning and the last one to leave in the afternoon/evening. This
Western Bluebirds find restored habitat before it is completed Wikimedia 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
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
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
Join Prescott Creeks on an invasive species removal spree on Saturday, 8/30/2014 in Watson Woods. We’ll meet at 8:30 am at the Rosser Street entrance and teach you about invasive weeds, why they’re the bad, and what you can do about them. We’ll spend a little while pulling some weeds then we’ll spread native grass
The Watson Woods Riparian Preserve Loop Trails are now 100% open. The northern loop had been closed since April due to nesting Common Black Hawks who like to defend their nest territory. But good news, their chicks have graduated from the nest and the happy family has moved on so we can re-open the trail.
Prescott Creeks has placed two temporary closure signs on the west side of the North Loop Trail within Watson Woods Riparian Preserve. After receiving multiple reports of nesting common black-hawks along the trail, it seemed a prudent course of action since they are a listed as a Wildlife of Special Concern (WSC) by AZ Game
On Wednesday, June 25th, Prescott Creeks was glad to welcome five young northern flickers to Watson Woods Riparian Preserve. These young flickers were rescued by APS crews from a burned pole during the Slide Fire in Oak Creek Canyon. A little over a month later, they had been nurtured by Liberty Wildlife and were ready
A blog on the Watson Woods interpretive kiosk at the Rosser Strett entrance by The Watershed Company who produced the signs and designs.
With the main part of the initial Watson woods Riparian Preserve restoration nearly finished, I’ve been looking back through the work we have done and the changes that have taken place. One of the first big pieces we worked on was the stormwater basin adjacent to the Peavine Trail parking lot. This basin receives all of
Invasive species are a BIG problem. The United Nations has stated invasive species are second only to direct habitat destruction as the greatest threat to decreasing global ecological diversity. The EPA defines them as species that are non-native to an ecosystem and cause harm to the economy, environment, or human health. Invasive species or “alien
From Gregg Fell, Field Projects Coordinator: During the last quarter of 2012, the final monitoring events for the Watson Woods Restoration Project were conducted for geomorphology, botany, macroinvertebrate zoology, herpetology, and ornithology, with results summarized briefly below: Geomorphology The Granite Creek restoration has resulted in a new channel pattern that has improved stream access to
As we take time to thank of the man blessings at Prescott Creeks, here are a few (and by no means all) of them: A beautiful habitat with lovely creeks to learn and care for Wildlife that inhabits these riparian areas A board of directors to guide the organization A terrific staff with a passion
As the cool autumn weather is in full swing, I am pleased to report that our new interpretive trail system in Watson Woods is becoming a reality, after months and months (and months) of planning. Thanks to the help of Susie Bragg, Chris Hosking, and the “Over the Hill Gang,” we now have 2 loops
Prescott Creeks is currently involved in a US Army Corps of Engineers, “In-Lieu Fee (ILF) Mitigation Program,” which represents another component of our on-going wetland and riparian conservation work. The ILF Program compensates for impacts to wetlands, waters, and riparian areas as authorized by the Clean Water Act, Section 404 Permitting Program. As an ILF
Prescott Creeks will be leading a hiking tour of Watson Woods Riparian Preserve on Sunday, October 7, as part of the Prescott Outdoor Recreation Festival and Expo. We will start at 9am, meeting at the Watson Lake South Boat Launch. Led by Gregg Fell, Field Projects Coordinator for Prescott Creeks, participants will be guided through
For those of you who have visited Watson Woods in the past few weeks, you may have noticed heavy equipment, piping, and construction crews at the Rosser Street Parking Lot. From now until January 2013, the City will be constructing a new sewer lift station and forcemain pipe, which will be designed to service the
Interesting news from the avian world: birds display “cacaphonous aggregations” in response to finding one of their own deceased. In other words, they gather around the body of a deceased companion, oftentimes a noisy gathering. This begs the question: do birds hold funerals? This NPR story explores the recent publication that explains the science on
The Monsoon Season has been kind to Watson Woods so far, providing much needed nourishment and moisture for our trees, wildlife, restoration areas, and the Creek! The changes have been dramatic: Granite Creek (which was dry as recently as July 3rd) is not only flowing in its main channel but has overflowed into many “braided”
During the past few months I have been “Birding” on several occasions with the Prescott Audubon Society (PAS) out at Watson Woods. Many of you know that Watson Woods is officially designated as an Important Bird Area by PAS. As one of the largest wetland/riparian areas in the area, Watson Woods provides numerous resources for
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Prescott Creeks is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with a mission to achieve healthy watersheds and clean waters in central Arizona for the benefit of people and wildlife through protection, restoration, education, and advocacy.
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