Activity Report Explorer

Aldos Silver City • Entered by Marcia Stout on January 1, 2024

Riparian – Grazing Monitoring

December 1, 2023 – December 22, 2023

Key Issue: Livestock Grazing Management
Activity Type: Stewardship (monitoring, sampling, planting, etc.)
Key Partners: Gila National Forest
Landscape/area: Gila National Forest (2658321 acres)

Measurable Outcomes

Outcome 1: Trail/land monitored (2 surveys)
Outcome 2: Hiked (5 miles)

Short Description of Activity

On December 19, four members of our riparian monitoring team monitored within the small Vigil Springs exclosure upstream from the San Francisco River, within an important watershed niche. We were thinking it might look as it did last winter, but were very disappointed to observe recent major cattle sign in the west half of the exclosure. We heard cattle and observed sign from that same day or the day before. The area has been heavily impacted by the cattle, including the small pond and spring area. The gate from the water lane was open into the east side and 3 salt blocks were next to the pond. The gate on the north side of the exclosure was open with a very visible cow trail into the exclosure. The north side fence needs numerous repairs. Erosion on the south side has made it possible in two areas for cattle to walk under the pipe and cable fence. We reported the cattle trespass etc. that same evening and soon heard back from several forest service staff, including the Hydrologist (our GNF liaison). She clarified that this exclosure was a watershed project to move a 6th code watershed into an improved condition class, plus details on the gate issue etc. The District Ranger and Range staff attempted to check the situation at this exclosure the next morning but had to turn back because of heavy rain. They were planning on trying again the next day, but we have not heard back yet because that was the holiday weekend.
On our drive back home, we also monitored a short stretch of Upper Saliz Canyon containing an exclosure. (The threatened narrow-headed garter snakes were captured in Whitewater Creek and translocated here due to the Whitewater-Baldy Fire; also habitat for threatened Chiricahua leopard frog and one or two other species.) This was a good way to end our monitoring efforts for the year, because we saw no recent cattle sign and conditions looked relatively good.

Reflection/Evaluation

We are in the process of clarifying some confusion we have regarding boundaries/ fences of the Upper Saliz Exclosure. Perhaps the worst grazing impacts within an exclosure that we observed this year was at Vigil Springs this month. We plan to conduct follow up monitoring for this exclosure, plus contact the District Ranger in January to see what action was taken unless we hear back first. It was particularly troubling that salt blocks were placed within the cattle exclosure at the pond location. At the same time, we were glad for with the quick response and communication from the forest service staff and their thanks for our efforts. They were not pleased with the cattle situation. So in general, communications and interaction with GNF staff are good and have even improved relative to last year. This obviously maximizes our monitoring effectiveness.

Photos/Uploads

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Photo Captions

1. Warming up with our new matching holiday hats, after monitoring Upper Saliz exclosure. (Knitted for all of our riparian monitoring team by one of our monitoring members!)
2. Feeling more cheerful after finding no recent cattle sign at Upper Saliz Canyon exclosure on Dec. 19.
3. Not feeling cheerful as we discovered lots of very recent cattle sign and impact in the Vigil Springs exclosure on Dec. 19, including at the pond.
4. Observing cattle impact within Vigil Springs exclosure while completing the monitoring survey, Dec. 19.