Participants in the Gila Valley Leadership Program spent March 13 learning about the complexities of managing public lands in southeastern Arizona. The class joined Bureau of Land Management staff for an entire day that started at the Safford Field Office with an overview of the various resources and programs managed by the BLM.

With 1.4 million acres in six counties and a staff of only 40 people, the Safford Field Office never has a “slow day.” Typical requests include applications for power lines, communication sites, grazing renewals and special permits. The office recently completed an environmental assessment for a large wind energy project in Navajo County. Other big programs managed by the BLM here are range and watershed, fish and wildlife, recreation and wilderness, and heritage resources such as archaeological sites, historic structures and Ice Age fossils.

BLM law enforcement ranger Larry Ramirez presented an interesting talk about the many issues and challenges he encounters, and partnerships he has with other law enforcement agencies such as the County Sheriff’s office, city police departments and the Border Patrol.

Sheila Neff, a member of the Gila Valley Leadership class, looks for birds that frequent the Gila Box area. The leadership class spent March 13 with BLM staff members and were taught about land management. Photo by Diane Drobka

The first stop on the public lands tour was the BLM’s Gila District Air Operations Center, which is the site of the annual Aerial Firefighting Institute. Over a two-week period each March, the Institute brings single-engine air tanker (SEAT) pilots to Safford for four-day intensive workshops that acquaint new pilots with the aerial firefighting program and gives them firsthand experience in simulated fire scenarios. The program also gives more experienced pilots a chance to refresh their skills. Mark Bickham, the BLM’s single-engine air tanker program coordinator at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho provided an overview of the materials and exercises presented each year. He led Leadership Program members on a tour of the training facility and enabled them to view SEATs reloading with water for their practice drops east of town.

After leaving the airport, the group traveled north on the Solomon Pass Road to visit the ruins of the Civilian Conservation Corps’ Sanchez Camp. Under the leadership of the U.S. Army and Soil Erosion Service, the camp housed more than 150 men who worked on erosion-control projects, mostly low rock walls designed to catch runoff. There were 35 such camps in Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties that operated in the mid-1930s through early 1940s. The Sanchez Camp included four barracks, a recreation hall, administration building, mess hall, hospital and auto/blacksmith shop. The remains of four buildings are still visible, along with numerous rock-lined walkways that connected the buildings. The Gila Watershed Project was considered the second-highest priority in the nation for the CCC.

The group then continued on the Solomon Pass Road as it crested over the Gila Mountains and descended toward Bonita Creek. They were met along the way by BLM range management specialist Dave Arthun, who provided a historical perspective on grazing and watershed management in the West beginning with the earliest livestock in the area, likely during the Coronado Expedition. Arthun discussed the Taylor Grazing Act and creation of the Grazing Service, which later became BLM. He pointed to a corral and stock water that were nearby and explained how the BLM works with ranchers in the area to construct new facilities that will help ensure healthy rangelands.

As the group continued its drive north, Bonita Creek canyon soon became visible. Sheer rock walls and a twisting canyon lined with newly greened cottonwoods came into view, and many commented on the beauty of the area.

After lunch at the Lee Trail Picnic Area, BLM fishery biologist Heidi Blasius shared her extensive knowledge of native fish and aquatic ecosystem which, along Bonita Creek, includes beavers. A special treat was a close-up view of several small native fish that Blasius had netted earlier that morning. She explained how native fish such as the loach minnow and speckled dace are threatened by non-native fishes that could move upstream from the Gila River.

For that reason, the Bureau of Recreation is preparing to begin construction of a 4-foot-high wall across Bonita Creek that would act as a barrier to non-native fish and protect Bonita Creek’s native fish population.

The class then drove to the confluence of Bonita Creek and the Gila River. There they saw the historic Serna Cabin, built by early pioneers who farmed, raised livestock and had a small orchard. There were a dozen or more families once living along the creek. Now, only remnants of a few homes stand as reminders of the rugged individuals who settled the West.

From the cabin, the group walked down to the Gila River to see where those wishing to float a 3-mile stretch of the river can launch their boats. This segment of the Gila was designated as Arizona’s first Water Trail. Outdoor recreation planner Jeff Wilbanks explained how the BLM has developed facilities to better serve the increasing demands for recreation in Graham and Greenlee counties.

Just up the hill from the confluence is the Bonita Creek Watchable Wildlife Viewing Area. A short stroll to the end of the sidewalk took participants past colorful signs interpreting the fish, wildlife and plants of Bonita Creek. The trail ends at the view deck, situated on the cliff overlooking the lush, green riparian canopy. Birds and other wildlife can normally be viewed from the deck, but winds that day kept everything lying low and out of sight. The Bonita Creek/Gila Box area is one of several BLM sites listed on both the Southeastern Arizona Birding Trail and the Graham County Bird Checklist.

As the explorers left the viewing area, they got a distant view of the Kearny Monument, which was constructed by the Graham County Historic Society to mark the area where General Kearny and his Army soldiers camped in 1847 during the Mexican-American War.

Near that monument lies the BLM’s Riverview Campground, aptly named as many of the campsites have a view of the Gila River canyon. The campground has 12 sites with picnic tables, grills and shade ramadas. Just downstream from Riverview is the Flying W Group Day Use Area. This site, located near a reclaimed mine, has a cluster of picnic tables and grills under a large W-shaped roof. The site also features a volleyball area (bring your own net and ball!) and horseshoe pits.