Easygrants ID: 28897 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation NFWF Project ID: 0103.12.028897 Wildlife Keystone - Sky Island Grasslands - Fall 2011 - Submit Interim Programatic Report - Basic Grantee Organization: Arizona Antelope Foundation Project Title: Southeastern Arizona Grasslands Pronghorn Initiative Project Period 1/15/2012-12/31/2017 Project Location Description (from Proposal) Project Summary (from Proposal) Summary of Accomplishments 350,000 acres of Pronghorn grassland habitats located in: Altar Valley, Las Cienegas/Elgin/Sonoita Plains, San Rafeal Valley, Sulpher Springs Valley, San Bernadino Valley and Lordsburg Plains West. Increase Sky Island Pronghorn population numbers, distribution and connectiveness by on-the-ground prioritized habitat, travel corridor and population enhancements. 1. Summary of Accomplishments Our two-grant funded half-time contract personnel, John Millican with 34 years pronghorn experience in SE AZ as us on the ground Field Manager and Caroline Patrick with 23 years GIS experience as our GIS Specialist continued their hard work.. The AAF conducted two volunteer fence removal/modification projects one on HW 82 in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Transportation on the central portion of the Sonoita Plains 3.2 miles, and one south of the High Creek county roadway near Bonita Arizona on 3.5 miles. We conducted multiple and extensive landowner and agency contacts/education and project definition through our Field Manager and Grant Managers efforts. We continued to build our extensive geo-data base with key layers in pronghorn occupied habitats in SE AZ and as of 2015 have completed 100% of the necessary work for the Las Cienegas grasslands and Sonoita Plains complex and have continued to make 2nd year progress on base mapping of the Bonita/Allen Flat/San Bernardino herd zones. Coyote control was utilized for the 1st year in the Allen Flat and Bonita areas northwest of Wilcox. For the 4th and final year in a row we conducted a fawn saturation survey on the greater Sonoita Plains again with outstanding Pronghorn fawn survival increasing the herds population to a minimum of 318 animals. And an additional 1600 acres of grassland habitat were restored in key Pronghorn herd zones in the Bonita Grasslands. Outcomes; Describe and quantify progress towards achieving the project outcomes. 1. Continued base map development of SE AZ pronghorn region. Researched and compiled data for 3 new separate herd regions, including Allen Flat, Bonita and San Bernardino Valley. Collaborated with game unit managers in the Bonita, Allen Flat areas to compile datasets of grassland/fencing and water modifications. 2. Our Sonoita Plains July 8th Saturation survey resulted in 83 additional pronghorn fawns observed. GM unit s 34A/B totaled 119 observed (48 in 2011) and GM units 35A/B 199 observed (33 in 2011). Based on this survey of known animals and estimating that a minimum of 10% of the herd was missed we have now accomplished the principle grants goal of increasing both sub-populations to a minimum of 125 animals. In total, we counted 318 pronghorn up from just 81 in 2011 or a 390% increase 3. Both the Allen Flat and Bonita herds received very targeted coyote control on known fawning grounds for the first year, fawning success results to soon to be measured. The San Bernardino herd area also received aerial gunning for coyotes in April 16 for the 3rd and final year and fawn survival was 32% in the aerial August surveys. A record number of pronghorn since 2004 were observed at 197 animals. 4. Number of Pronghorn subpopulations that received habitat project work included the Bonita herd. NFWF-AGFD-HPC funds were used to treat 1,600 acres on the in the East McQuiggan Pasture Bonita Phase 5 in 2016. The grant total grassland restored acres after 5 years at the end of 2016 are now 4,719 towards the grants objective of 5,000 acres. 5. Number of miles of fence modified by two AAF Field projects was 3.2 miles in the HW82 ROW road in the central portion of the Sonoita Plains. As of the end of 2016 we have now removed or modified to Pronghorn standards 51.8 miles of fences across the entire Sonoita Plains. We also modified 3.5 miles of fence on the south of the High Creek County road in the northwest section of the Bonita grasslands area. 6. Number of acres of Pronghorn corridor connectivity was improved by 4,800 acres in the northwest section of the Bonita grasslands area south of the High Creek County Road. Thus our 2016 end of year total of 89,701 acres represents 90% of our grants original target of 100,000 acres of improved connectivity. Provide any further information important for understanding project activities and outcome
results. Overall, we are quite pleased with this projects progress on all metric levels at the close of our fifth year. We are well on our way of meeting our overall project goal of 5,000 acres of grassland restoration and meet our 100,000 acres of improved connectivity on Pronghorn occupied habitat. We completed the second of 3 planned Sonoita Plains highway right-of-way projects in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Transportation modifying the fences in 5 locations on HW82 east of Sonoita. The net population of the Elgin/Sonoita and Las Cienegas Grasslands pronghorn herd is now at a minimum of 318 animals up from 81 in 2011. Our hard/in-kind matches are continuing to exceed our grant expenditures and commitments from funding partners and volunteers and we expect we will continue that trend. We are planning on asking for a project extension through the end of 2018 to continue to make steady progress and to allow the time to search for an additional $200K from other grant sources to carry us through the end of 2020. Lessons Learned
Conservation Activities Progress Measures Value at Grant Completion 5 prioritized mechanical treatments/burns are completed in key pronghorn use areas to improve forage conditions and reduce shrub cover Other (5 projects are completed in the highest priority use areas) 5000 acres Conservation Activities Progress Measures Value at Grant Completion Add layers of occurence for Chiricahua/Lowland leopard frogs, black tailed prarie dogs & key bird species Other (Layers of key species occurance used to prioritize pronghorn improvement projects/actions) 200,000 acres Conservation Activities Progress Measures Value at Grant Completion Create a geodata base specific to 7 SE AZ pronghorn populations Other (Layers for, travel corridors, fencing, roads, fawning areas/nurseries, waters and key feeding areas) 350,000 acres Conservation Activities Progress Measures Value at Grant Completion Encourage and use all available volunteer partners/programs to modify fencing in key corridors Other (Utilize AAF/4H/Youth Conservation Corps/Las Cienegas volunteers) 100,000 acres Conservation Activities Progress Measures Value at Grant Completion Place 15+ radio collars on newly released pronghorn in the Elgin/San Rafeal sub-populations Other (Improves travel corridor and key use pronghorn areas) Prioritized/focused habitat impact on 50,000 acres Conservation Activities Supplimental transplant and fawn recruitment improvement of pronghorn in the Elgin/San Rafeal herd areas Progress Measures Other (50-80 Pronghorn transplanted to 2 of 7 subpopulation areas in 2012) Value at Grant Completion Increase population from 27 to 100+ by fall 2014 Conservation Activities Progress Measures Value at Grant Completion Validate and prioritize pronghorn travel corridors and modify/remove at least 40 miles of fencing to permit free access and use by pronghorn Other (Acres of subpopulation use and potential use increased) 100,000 acres Conservation Outcome(s) Conservation Indicator Metric(s) Baseline Metric Value Metric Value at Grant Completion Long-term Goal Metric Value Year in which Long Term Metric Value is Anticipated 15+ Radio collars on pronghorn in the Elgin/San Rafeal subpopuations Other 50,000 acres 50,000 acres 50,000 acres 2015 Conservation Outcome(s) Complete at least 5 mechanical treatments or burns in prioritized
Conservation Indicator Metric(s) Baseline Metric Value Metric Value at Grant Completion Long-term Goal Metric Value Year in which Long Term Metric Value is Anticipated areas Other 0 acres 5000 acres 5000 acres 2015 Conservation Outcome(s) Conservation Indicator Metric(s) Baseline Metric Value Metric Value at Grant Completion Long-term Goal Metric Value Year in which Long Term Metric Value is Anticipated Multispecies geodata base is completed & functioning for project prioritization for year-2 & 20 future years Other 0 does not exist for pronghorn + obligate species 350,000 acres 20 years 2014 Conservation Outcome(s) Pronghorn have unrestricted access to interact on 100,000 acres of occupied habitat Conservation Indicator Metric(s) Other Baseline Metric Value 0 Metric Value at Grant Completion 100,000 acres Long-term Goal Metric Value 100,000 acres Year in which Long Term Metric 2015 Value is Anticipated Conservation Outcome(s) Conservation Indicator Metric(s) Baseline Metric Value Metric Value at Grant Completion Long-term Goal Metric Value Year in which Long Term Metric Value is Anticipated Supplimental transplant of 50-80 Pronghorn to the Elgin/San Rafeal herd areas Other 50,000 acres of habitat below populationobjective 50,000 acres with stable pronghorn population 100+ pronghorn 2015
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The following pages contain the uploaded documents, in the order shown below, as provided by the grantee: Upload Type File Name Uploaded By Uploaded Date Interim Report Bonita_Fence-Grassland Dickens, Glen 02/08/2017 Narrative Improvements_2016_aerial 2817.jpg Interim Report Narrative Interim Report Narrative Interim Report Narrative MAP Modified Fences 2011-17 Sonoita Plains 2215.pdf NFWF-Annual Report 2016 Photo Uploads 2717.pdf NFWF interim 2016 Report Jan-Dec FINAL-No Match Updated 2817.doc Dickens, Glen 02/08/2017 Dickens, Glen 02/08/2017 Dickens, Glen 02/08/2017 The following uploads do not have the same headers and footers as the previous sections of this document in order to preserve the integrity of the actual files uploaded.
83 «82 «82 «83 «AAF/NFWF/AGFD Modified Fences, 2011-2017 AAF Enhanced Fencelines Ranch Constructed, Pronghorn Standard Future AAF-ADOT Planned Fence Modifications 2015 Youth Grant SCC Modified Fences 2016 Private/Pronghorn Friendly 0 2.5 5 2017 Miles ±
Interim Programmatic Report Narrative Arizona Antelope Foundation, Southeastern Arizona Grasslands Pronghorn Initiative January-December 2016 1. Summary of Accomplishments In four to five sentences, provide a brief summary of the project s key accomplishments and outcomes that have been observed or measured to date. Our two-grant funded half-time contract personnel, John Millican with 34 years pronghorn experience in SE AZ as us on the ground Field Manager and Caroline Patrick with 23 years GIS experience as our GIS Specialist continued their hard work contributing multiple hundreds of hours of project work in 2016. The AAF conducted two volunteer fence removal/modification projects one on HW 82 in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Transportation on the central portion of the Sonoita Plains 3.2 miles, and one south of the High Creek county roadway near Bonita Arizona on 3.5 miles. We conducted multiple and extensive landowner and agency contacts/education and project definition through our Field Manager and Grant Managers efforts. We continued to build our extensive geo-data base with key layers in pronghorn occupied habitats in SE AZ and as of 2015 have completed 100% of the necessary work for the Las Cienegas grasslands and Sonoita Plains complex and have continued to make 2 nd year progress on base mapping of the Bonita/Allen Flat/San Bernardino herd zones. Coyote control was utilized for the 1 st year in the Allen Flat and Bonita areas northwest of Wilcox. For the 4 th and final year in a row we conducted a fawn saturation survey on the greater Sonoita Plains again with outstanding Pronghorn fawn survival increasing the herds population to a minimum of 318 animals. And an additional 1600 acres of grassland habitat were restored in key Pronghorn herd zones in the Bonita Grasslands. 2. Project Activities & Outcomes Activities Describe and quantify the primary activities conducted under this grant. Field projects: 4/15-17/16 AAF volunteer fence project completed by 45 volunteers and Arizona Game and Fish Department personnel. We modified 3.2 miles of existing highway right-of-way fence on both sides of Highway 82 from Sonoita east to the Upper Elgin Road. These segments of fence encompassed 5 known and documented Pronghorn crossing zones and are expected to increase significantly safer pronghorn crossing opportunities. It played a key part in completing the critical central portion of the overall Santa Cruz Plains pronghorn corridor improvement project. Pronghorn road kills for 2016 were reduced in this zone to zero down from 2 the previous year. (Note Photos) 9/24/16 AAF volunteer fence project completed by 52 volunteers in the northwest portion of GM unit 32, 14 miles east of Bonita. We modified 3.5 miles of existing boundary and interior fencing south of the High Creek Road. Approximately 2.5 miles of existing fence, required the wooden stays to be disconnected and the bottom barbed wire strand to be removed and lifted to a height of 16 inches. The remaining 1 mile of fence involved removing and replacing the barbed wire with smooth, along with installing stays along the fence line. Most of the work occurred well away from the roads and required considerable hiking and carrying of materials as well as clearing the fences of dried tumbleweeds. This project added 4,800 acres of pronghorn habitat connectivity. During the project weekend, multiple sightings of rutting pronghorn occurred in the fence modification area. (Note Photos) AAF/NFWF Annual Interim Grant Report SE AZ Grasslands Pronghorn Initiative Period 5, Calendar 2016 Submitted: 2/7/17 1
Field Trip: 9/23/16 Twenty-four members of the Arizona Antelope Foundation Board, Tucson Mule Deer Association and Arizona Game and Fish Department personnel attending an afternoon field trip in the Bonita Grasslands area of southeastern Arizona northwest of Wilcox. This area has a goal of the restoration of 20,000 acres of grassland by removing invasive mesquite trees. To date over 15,000 acres have been restored since 2010 utilizing multiple funding sources to achieve this level of progress including; $126K from the AAFs National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant, $182K from the AGFD Habitat Partnership antelope and mule deer funds and $751K from the AGFD Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Initiative for a grand total of $1.059M. (Note Photos) Grassland Restoration project: July/16 Bonita Phase 5 East McQuiggan Pasture final report for 1600 additional acres of acres of mesquite removal was accomplished funded in part by NFWF grant funds and antelope and mule deer Habitat Partnership dollars. Pronghorn surveys/survival/fawn enhancement: Landowner Coordination: Agency/NGO Coordination: 7/8/16 Grant and Project Manager and 2 AAF Board members assisted AGFD with our 4 th and final saturation post-neonate pronghorn survey on 7/8/16 in game management (GM) units 34A/B north of HW 82 on the Las Cienegas Grassland and in GM units 35A/B on the Babacomari and Rose Tree Ranches and all associated public/state lands. The survey resulted in a stunning 83 additional pronghorn fawns observed. GM unit s 34A/B totaled 119 observed (48 in 2011) and GM units 35A/B 199 observed (33 in 2011). Based on this survey of known animals and estimating that a minimum of 10% of the herd was missed we have now accomplished the principle grants goal of increasing both sub-populations to a minimum of 125 animals. In total, we counted 318 pronghorn up from just 81 in 2011 or a 390% increase. Going into the spring fawning season of 2017 its likely that the population may rise to 400. (Note Photos) Both the Allen Flat and Bonita herds received very targeted coyote control on known fawning grounds for the first year, fawning success results to soon to be measured. The San Bernadino herd area also received aerial gunning for coyotes in April 16 for the 3 rd and final year and fawn survival was 32% in the aerial August surveys. A record number of pronghorn since 2004 were observed in the San Bernadino Valley at 197 animals. 2016 Twenty-five plus different contacts and field reviews were conducted by the Projects Field Manager to plan or accomplish project objectives on the following ranches; Babocomari, Rose Tree, Vera Earl, Woods, Empire, Audubon, O-Bar-O, Haus, IV-Bar, M Triangle, KJ, Sierra Bonita and the Ten X. 2016 Multiple dozens of meetings were attended by the Projects Field or GIS or Grant Manager to discuss/present/develop project options with the following entities; Malapi Borderlands Group, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, Southeast Arizona Collaborative Grassland Workgroup, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Herford NRCD, Mule Deer Foundation, Arizona Land and Water Trust, The Trust for Public Land, Southeastern Arizona Grasslands Working Group, Safford and Sierra Vista AGFD HPC Working Groups, US Fish and Wildlife AAF/NFWF Annual Interim Grant Report SE AZ Grasslands Pronghorn Initiative Period 5, Calendar 2016 Submitted: 2/7/17 2
Service, Sierra Vista Natural Resources Working Group, Altar Valley Working Group, Cochise County Public Lands Advisory Council, Arizona Department of Transportation and the Arizona Game and Fish Department and Commission. Geodata Base: 2016 Continued base map development of SE AZ pronghorn region. Researched and compiled data for 3 new separate herd regions, including Allen Flat, Bonita and San Bernardino Valley. Collaborated with game unit managers in the Bonita, Allen Flat areas to compile datasets of grassland/fencing and water modifications. (Note attached maps). Encrypted shape files and feature classes with Meta data to indicate data source, projection, and description documentation. Added newly acquired data into excel catalog and data management system to track data by the source of the data and the type of data (land features, water, land ownership, etc.). Compiled individual pronghorn sightings data for report maps. Documented landscape and habitat modification including mesquite grubbing and controlled burn activities. Developed data into report-ready maps. Maintained framework for data management and tracking to ensure each location will have complete, comprehensive and matching data sets. (Note Maps) Youth Projects/Involvement: Outcomes April/September/16 At our two southeastern Arizona fence projects we had 4 different University of Arizona wildlife undergraduates attend, work and interact with our Board members and Arizona Game and Fish personnel. Describe and quantify progress towards achieving the project outcomes. 1. Continued base map development of SE AZ pronghorn region. Researched and compiled data for 3 new separate herd regions, including Allen Flat, Bonita and San Bernardino Valley. Collaborated with game unit managers in the Bonita, Allen Flat areas to compile datasets of grassland/fencing and water modifications. (Note attached maps). 2. Our Sonoita Plains July 8 th Saturation survey resulted in 83 additional pronghorn fawns observed. GM unit s 34A/B totaled 119 observed (48 in 2011) and GM units 35A/B 199 observed (33 in 2011). Based on this survey of known animals and estimating that a minimum of 10% of the herd was missed we have now accomplished the principle grants goal of increasing both sub-populations to a minimum of 125 animals. In total, we counted 318 pronghorn up from just 81 in 2011 or a 390% increase 3. Both the Allen Flat and Bonita herds received very targeted coyote control on known fawning grounds for the first year, fawning success results to soon to be measured. The San Bernardino herd area also received aerial gunning for coyotes in April 16 for the 3 rd and final year and fawn survival was 32% in the aerial August surveys. A record number of pronghorn since 2004 were observed at 197 animals. 4. Number of Pronghorn subpopulations that received habitat project work included the Bonita herd. NFWF-AGFD-HPC funds were used to treat 1,600 acres on the in the East McQuiggan Pasture Bonita Phase 5 in 2016. The grant total grassland restored acres after 5 years at the end of 2016 are now 4,719 towards the grants objective of 5,000 acres. 5. Number of miles of fence modified by two AAF Field projects was 3.2 miles in the HW82 ROW road in the central portion of the Sonoita Plains. As of the end of 2016 we have now removed or modified to Pronghorn standards 51.8 miles of fences across the entire Sonoita Plains. We also modified 3.5 miles of fence on the south of the High Creek County road in the northwest section of the Bonita grasslands area. 6. Number of acres of Pronghorn corridor connectivity was improved by 4,800 acres in the northwest section of the Bonita grasslands area south of the High Creek County Road. Thus our 2016 end of year total of 89,701 acres represents 90% of our grants original target of 100,000 acres of improved connectivity. AAF/NFWF Annual Interim Grant Report SE AZ Grasslands Pronghorn Initiative Period 5, Calendar 2016 Submitted: 2/7/17 3
Provide any further information (such as unexpected outcomes) important for understanding project activities and outcome results. Overall, we are quite pleased with this projects progress on all metric levels at the close of our fifth year. We are well on our way of meeting our overall project goal of 5,000 acres of grassland restoration and meet our 100,000 acres of improved connectivity on Pronghorn occupied habitat. We completed the second of 3 planned Sonoita Plains highway right-of-way projects in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Transportation modifying the fences in 5 locations on HW82 east of Sonoita. The net population of the Elgin/Sonoita and Las Cienegas Grasslands pronghorn herd is now at a minimum of 318 animals up from 81 in 2011. Additionally, our hard/in-kind matches are continuing to exceed our grant expenditures and commitments from funding partners and volunteers and we expect we will continue that trend. We are planning on asking for a project extension through the end of 2018 to continue to make steady progress and to allow the time to search for an additional $200K from other grant sources to carry us through the end of 2020. We are deeply grateful that the NFWF has expressed continued confidence in our projects results and plans and we will continue to make steady and meaningful progress on behalf of southeastern Arizona grassland restoration and improved Pronghorn habitat and increased population objectives. AAF/NFWF Annual Interim Grant Report SE AZ Grasslands Pronghorn Initiative Period 5, Calendar 2016 Submitted: 2/7/17 4