Santa Teresa EMA

www.skyislandaction.org 9-1 State of the Coronado Forest DRAFT 11.05.08

SaffordRANGER DISTRICT

DRAFT 11.05.08 State of the Coronado Forest 9- 2 www.skyislandaction.org

CHAPTER 9 Santa Teresa Ecosystem Management AreaTeresas remain seldom-visited by recreationists. Theremote, relatively undisturbed nature of the SantaTeresa Ecosystem Management Area provides idealhabitat for animals that are sensitive to humandisruption, and animals like black bears and mountainlions that prefer isolated habitat.

The granite cliffs, buttes and ridges found in therange have been weathered into strikingly picturesqueformations. The spine of the Santa Teresas is stratifiedby deep narrow canyons containing uniquemicroclimates that support high biological diversity.Common species such as coati, javelina and mountainlion live here alongside sensitive species such asperegrine falcon, greater western bonneted bat.

The Management Area offers high quality primitiverecreation with opportunities to experience solitudeand quiet. This quality is becoming increasingly rare inthe face of continued population growth, and shouldbe give special consideration in the Forest Service’smosaic of multiple-use management. The AravaipaCanyon Wilderness lies to the west of the Santa Teresas.Laurel Canyon in the southwestern portion of theManagement Area, feeds into the spectacular AravaipaCanyon, only 3 miles downstream, which itselfconnects to the Lower San Pedro River. AravaipaCanyon and the Lower San Pedro River are nationallyrecognized as two of Arizona’s most valuable biological

The Santa Teresa Mountains contain some of themost remote land on the Coronado National Forest.Located in the northeast corner of the Forest, theSanta Teresa Ecosystem Management Area (EMA)encompasses 49,838 acres with elevations rangingfrom approximately 3,800 feet in canyon bottoms to7,481 feet at the summit of Cottonwood Mountain.The Santa Teresa Wilderness encompasses 26,780acres within the forest boundary. Bold and ruggedfeatures of the Wilderness include deep canyons, rockyoutcrops, steep terrain, and bald summits.

This Ecosystem Management Area is bordered onthe north by the San Carlos Apache Reservation, onthe northeast by the North Santa Teresa Wilderness(managed by BLM) and on the south and west by stateand private land. Access to the area is currently limitedbecause Stowe Gulch Road, which traverses privateland, has been locked by the owner due to ATV userscausing property destruction. Much of the remainingaccess roads into the forest require high clearance,four-wheel drive vehicles (Figure 9.1).

Natural HistoryThe upthrusted and eroded granite of the Santa

Teresa Mountains is similar in geology and appearanceto the Wilderness of Rocks area in the Santa CatalinaMountains outside Tucson. Compared to the popularrecreation destination of the Catalina range, the Santa



Figure 9.1 Overview of Santa Teresa EMA

Elements of Biological Diversity and Cultural Heritage

The Santa Teresa Ecosystem Management Areaharbors a unique combination of vegetation types andspecies that contribute to the biological diversity ofthe Coronado National Forest. The Forest Servicerecognizes that building a framework for ecologicalsustainability will require management of entirebiological communities combined with specialmanagement for particular species. For revision of theForest Plan the Forest Service identified species thatwill be the focus of planning efforts. Species andvegetation types of management interest found acrossthe Coronado National Forest were described andlisted in the Forest Overview (Table 1.1, page 1-11).Described here are species and vegetation typesspecifically found on the Santa Teresa EcosystemManagement Area. The Forest Service identified 32species of plants and animals including six Threatenedor Endangered species, along with other speciesdetermined to be Species of Concern or Species ofInterest (Table 9.1). These species will be used to guidemanagement decisions.

Ecological systems and the processes that sustainthem are the foundations of native biological diversity.Vegetation communities and aquatic habitats that areespecially species rich, diverse, or threatened; or areendemic to the region or locality are of particularmanagement concern. To evaluate current conditionsand management prescriptions for ecological systemsthe Forest Service is using the framework of PotentialNatural Vegetation Types. Potential Natural VegetationTypes are defined as the vegetation that woulddominate a site under natural disturbance regimesand biological processes. Using this classificationallows current vegetation to be compared effectively tovegetation under historic conditions. BecausePotential Natural Vegetation Types are relatively broadgroupings, and because the Forest contains a highdiversity of vegetation types, we present ecologicalsystems as a focus for management direction. Theseecological systems are cross-walked with the PotentialNatural Vegetation Types used by the Forest Service(Table 9.2). Although there are many fine variations in

or near the range, to gold miners, cattle ranchers andcattle rustlers. The shrub live oak and other brush ofthe interior chaparral communities once sustaineddomesticated herds of angora goats. The WeathersbyAngoras, the largest herds in the eastern part of theAravaipa area, ranged in the Santa Teresas fromsometime around the turn of the century until 1951.2

Like all of the sky islands in the Coronado NationalForest, the Santa Teresas and surrounding lands wereinhabited and utilized by Apaches. Apache knowledgeof this area is part of a long and continuous tradition.3

The Santa Teresa Mountains reside in the historic andpresent day homeland of Western Apaches.4 Apachelived in the area of the range hunting game andgathering food plants.5 While the range is little visitedby modern recreationists, the area is well-known andwell-traveled among Apaches. To this day Apache visitthe area extensively, and each summer Apache familiesgather acorns at traditional gathering locationsthroughout the range. The present day San CarlosApache Reservation bounds the Santa TeresaEcosystem Management Area on the northeast side.Remnants of various Apache bands came to be locatedon this reservation during the wars against thesepeople during the 1870s and 1880s.

areas.1 Run-off from the interior ridges of the SantaTeresa Mountains feeds through Black Rock Canyon,and Holdout Canyon to the Gila River locatedapproximately 13 miles away. The Gila River is themajor source of water for residential and agriculturalpurposes in the Gila Valley region.

The upper reaches and north facing slopes of thehighest mountains in the area are composed ofpatches of vegetation associated with Madrean Pine-oak woodlands, dominated by Ponderosa pine.Transitioning down these slopes at the southern endof the range, the woodlands are composed ofsouthwestern pine, Arizona white-oak, Emory-oak,and other species associated with Madrean pine-oakwoodland. South of Limestone and Laurel Canyons,interior chaparral species such as Mexican manzanita,and sugar and single leaf sumac are found. At thelowest elevations vegetation shifts to scrub and desertgrasslands.

Human Prehistory and HistoryThe Santa Teresa Mountains, or Sierra de Santa

Teresa, have been known by that name for at least twocenturies following its appearance on Spanish maps in1780. These mountains have played host to a range ofhuman inhabitants from native cultures that lived in


AmphibiansRana yavapaiensis

InsectsCicindela oregona maricopaOphiogomphus arizonicus

MammalsCanis lupus baileyiLasiurus xanthinus

PlantsArceuthobium blumeri

Eriogonum arizonicumEscobaria vivpara var. bisbeeanaPenstemon discolorPenstemon superbusPerityle dissecta

ReptilesAspidoscelis burti stictogramma

Lowland Leopard Frog

Maricopa Tiger BeetleArizona Snaketail

Mexican Gray WolfWestern Yellow Bat

Southwestern White Pine Dwarf-mistletoe

Arizona Wild-buckwheatBisbee’s Pincushion CactusCatalina BeardtongueSuperb BeardtoungeSlimlobe Rockdaisy

Canyon Spotted Whiptail

Table 9.1 Species Identified by the ForestService to Guide Management Decisions

PlantsHymenoxys ambigens var.

ambigensCupressus arizonica

Pinaleño Mountains Rubberweed

Arizona Cypress

Table 9.3 Additional Species that RequireSpecial Management Consideration


Table 9.2 Foundations of Native BiologicalDiversity

“Potential Natural Vegetation Types” (bold) as theycorrespond with The Nature Conservancy’s “EcologicalSystems”_______________________________________

Interior ChaparralInterior Chaparral

Madrean Encinal WoodlandMadrean Encinal

Madrean Pine-Oak WoodlandMadrean Pine-Oak Woodland

Mixed Conifer ForestMontane Mixed-Conifer Forest

Semi-desert GrasslandsApachean Shrubland

Physiographic Features______________________________

Pinnacle Ridge granitic domes

plant communities on the Santa Teresa EcosystemManagement Areas, ecological systems classify plantcommunities into broader groups so as to be mostuseful for management actions such as mapping, landmanagement, and monitoring. Plant communitieswere grouped based on shared characteristics such asnatural processes (e.g. fire and flood), substrates (e.g.shallow soils, limestone outcroppings), and localclimate.6 Figure 9.2 shows the distribution ofecological systems in the Santa Teresas. Throughcontact with regional scientists and experts, and otherpeople familiar with the Santa Teresas, we identifiedecological systems, physiographic features, additionalspecies and cultural resources that should also beconsidered in the Forest Plan revision.

Species that will need special managementattention include species that are endemic to theregion or locality, species that have a restricteddistribution within the region, and species dependenton specialized habitat. Other species that will needspecial consideration are species that area rare,vulnerable or declining throughout their ranges; arerare, imperiled or vulnerable in the U.S. portion oftheir ranges that overlap the Coronado NationalForest; or are harvested for economic interests. Thesespecies may not be adequately protected by managingfor ecological systems and may require specificmanagement actions or monitoring. Table 9.3 listsadditional species whose needs should be assessedduring plan revision.

The Santa Teresa Mountains contain a wealth ofprehistoric and historic influences. Visible andphysical remnants of previous human habitation ofthe area include built structures, physical sites, orobjects or assemblages of material culture. Humanuses of the land compatible with the protection ofbiological diversity, and traditional Western Apacheuses of the land are also an important part of theCultural Heritage of the area (Table 9.4).


Figure 9.2 Ecological Systems of the Santa Teresa EMA

� The Santa Teresa Mountains remain situated in alandscape in which wide-ranging species (black bear,mountain lion, deer, pronghorn, Mexican gray wolf,jaguar, coati, and others) are able to move between theSanta Teresa Mountains and the following: PinaleñoMountains, Galiuro Mountains, Aravaipa CanyonWilderness, and wildlands to the north.

� Negative impacts from road, ATVs, and camping areremoved from Cottonwood Canyon.

� The Santa Teresa Ecosystem Management Areacontinues to be a high quality location for primitiverecreation with opportunities to experience quiet andsolitude. Wildlife and human visitors are free from directdisturbance and noise.

Desired Conditions

Conservation assets work on behalf of desiredconditions and against the threats to the ecological andcultural elements of the Santa Teresas. They willcontribute to the Forest Service’s ability to maintainecological sustainability on the Management Area. Thefollowing emerged as strengths and opportunities forconservation on the Santa Teresa EcosystemManagement Area.

Location of Santa Teresa Ecosystem Management AreaThe Santa Teresa Ecosystem Management Area is

located in close proximity to the neighboring Galiuroand Pinaleño Mountains along with the AravaipaWilderness. It is bordered on the north by the San CarlosIndian Reservation, and on the northeast by the NorthSanta Teresa Wilderness (managed by BLM). Large tractsof state and private land surround the management areato the south and west. The Ecosystem Management Areais currently in a landscape with intact wildlife linkages toneighboring wildlands.

Santa Teresa Wilderness and Surrounding Roadless AreasThe Santa Teresa Wilderness consists of 26,780 acres,

comprising approximately 54% of the Ecosystem

Management Area. It provides a core of relativelyundisturbed habitat that contributes to the health ofwatersheds fed by mountain runoff. It also provides arefugium for species easily disturbed by human presence.The Wilderness is surrounded by 8,922 roadless acres (asidentified by Sky Island Alliance). These combine for atotal of 35,702 acres of habitat (73% of the EcosystemManagement Area) that is undisturbed by roads. (Seealso Special Interest Areas on page 9-15)

Significant Opportunity for Wildland Fire UseThe remote nature of the Santa Teresa Mountains

along with the rural character of the surroundinglandscape, create significant opportunity for wildland fireuse. Managing naturally-ignited fire to burn so it fulfillsits natural role in the ecosystem will help maintainvegetative communities that are more representative ofpre-fire suppression conditions. Natural fire occurring atregular intervals creates a mosaic of different vegetationtypes, cycles nutrients into the soil, helps control insectand disease levels in plants, and reduces heavy fuelaccumulation.

Conservation Assets


Opportunities for primitive recreation and solitudeTraditional Apache uses of the land

Table 9.4 Elements of Cultural Heritage

The Coronado National Forest and surroundinglands have experienced a variety of changes in thetwenty years since the current Forest Plan was written.Management concerns and threats exist in the SantaTeresas that are not addressed in the Forest Plan, orhave not been adequately dealt through management.The plan revision will update existing managementdirection and add new management direction, both ofwhich should address these concerns. The followingissues present challenges to ecological sustainabilityon the Santa Teresa Ecosystem Management Area.

ADJACENT LAND USESAlthough the Santa Teresa Ecosystem Management

Area is currently fairly isolated, the potential exists forfuture exurban and/or road development in thesurrounding valleys. This would disrupt wildlifelinkages that allow wildlife to move between the SantaTeresa Mountains and surrounding mountain rangesand wildlands (Figure 9.1). This would also potentiallydisrupt the current opportunities for quiet recreationand solitude in the management area.

Resources that would be affected by adjacent landdevelopment include: springs, ephemeralwatercourses, seeps, scenic resources, all nativevegetation types and their associated flora and fauna;species particularly sensitive to direct humandisturbance (e.g., bats, lizards, desert box turtle,Coues’ white-tailed deer); wide-ranging species ofterrestrial animals: mountain lion, black bear, coati,pronghorn, deer; and prehistoric and historical sites,structures, and artifacts.

EXTRACTIVE USESMiningNo mineral resources have been identified in the

Santa Teresa Mountain unit but future prospecting

activity would most likely occur in the area north ofCobre Grand Mountain, the Fisher Canyon area, or atthe southwest corner of the Forest.7

Ecological Damage in Cottonwood CanyonThe access point at Cottonwood Canyon is

traversing an area currently degraded by over-grazing,fire, and recreation which has lead to excessiveerosion. Much of the road (FR677) that is on theforest land is not part of the transportation system.Additionally, a spur created by ATVs travels off thisroad into the Wilderness Area. Affected resources areriparian woodland and species that depend on them,and Wilderness values. Poorly managed livestockgrazing in the Cottonwood Creek area has diminishedthe riparian habitat by preventing recruitment ofriparian tree species and understory.

ROADS/TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMThe Santa Teresa Management Area is currently

remote enough to prevent heavy recreational use bymotorized vehicles. However, the proliferation ofmotorized recreation, coupled with rapidly growingpopulation in the state of Arizona will likely changethat over the next 15 years. Current threats frommotorized use of the Santa Teresa EcosystemManagement Area include existing non-system roads.Potential future threats include creation of new non-system roads combined with a lack of enforcement ofthe legal transportation system.

Affected resources include: springs; ephemeralwatercourses; seeps; scenic resources, all ecologicalsystems, all native vegetation types and theirassociated flora and fauna, riparian plant and animalspecies, species especially sensitive to directdisturbance, Wide-ranging species of terrestrialanimals, game species; prehistoric and historical sites,structures, and artifacts.

Threats to the Forest: A Need for Change


long-term framework for ecological health andsustainability in the Santa Teresa EMA. To confrontthreats and capitalize on conservation assets, werecommend the following objectives and managementactions be incorporated into the revision of theCoronado National Forest Plan and subsequentproject level activities.

The Santa Teresa Ecological Management Areaoffers great opportunities for primitive recreationwhere quiet and solitude can be experienced. Thiscontribution to the Coronado National Forest shouldbe a major focus and driver for future management ofthis area. New management direction that showsforesight and proactively addresses threats will create a

Recommended Objectives and Management Actions

Continue to restore and maintain historical fire regimes on and adjacent to theEMA.

Monitor current human use of the Santa Teresa EMA. Look at trends in urban,suburban, and exurban growth, and sociographic trends, to project and respondto human pressure on the Forest.

Maintain wildlife corridors between the Santa Teresa EMA and the PinaleñoEMA, the Galiuro EMA, and other surrounding natural areas.

Enforce existing regulations that prohibit cross-country travel and off-highwayvehicle use in restricted areas such as washes and special closure areas.

Enforce the restriction of motorized vehicles to current system routes. When thetravel map is made final, enforce the use of the revised legal transportationsystem.

Do not allow motorized access into Cottonwood Canyon.

Close FR677. (See Figure 9.3 for the proposed transportation system for theSanta Teresa EMA.)

Do not allow any further creation of roads in the Santa Teresa EMA.

Maintain the rugged nature and wilderness characteristics of the SantaTeresa EMA.

Maintain opportunities for low-density, high-quality primitive outdoorexperiences.

Mitigate collection of reptile species and poaching of wildlife by minimizing thelegal transportation system and closing illegal user-created roads.

Preserve the native biological diversity of the Santa Teresa EMA.

Utilize wildland fire use throughout the Santa Teresa EMA.Maintain a resilient forest that tolerates wildfire, flood, and insect infestationand contains a mosaic of diverse settings for human and natural uses in theSanta Teresa EMA.


Adjacent Land Uses

Objectives Actions

Ecological Restoration

Objectives Actions

Extractive Uses

Objectives Actions

Roads/Transportation System

Objectives Actions


Figure 9.3 Travel Management Plan and Route Recommendations for the Santa Teresa EMA


Manage 20,095 acres of Sky Island Alliance inventoried roadless area (outsideof the wildernes) to maintain it as free from roads.

Manage 20,095 acres to maintain their wilderness suitability. (See Figure 9.4for a map of the Santa Teresa Wilderness and the area to be managed tomaintain wilderness characteristics.)

Maintain the intact nature, wilderness characteristics, and unfragmentedcharacter, of the Santa Teresa EMA.

Special Management Areas

Objectives Actions

Wilderness

outstanding qualities and managed to protect theirwilderness characteristics. Identification of areassuitable for wilderness should not be influenced bynonwilderness activities or uses that can be seen orheard from areas within the potential wilderness.Protection of wilderness-quality roadless areasthrough designation as Wilderness Study Areas is keyto ensuring the ecological integrity of the CoronadoNational Forest. Remaining roadless areas withwilderness characteristics are essential tools for theCoronado National Forest to be able to maintainecological sustainability on each EcosystemManagement Area and across the Forest.

The roadless area surrounding the existing 26,780acre Santa Teresa Wilderness is located in thenorthern, western, southwestern, and southeasternportion of the EMA and is adjacent to the existingWilderness and contains 20,095 acres.

Throughout this roadless area, outstandingopportunities for solitude and primitive recreationexist. As such, this roadless area is suitable for additionto the existing Wilderness located here.

The existing Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA) asidentified by the Coronado National Forest, via acomputer model (Recreation Opportunity Spectrum)not designed to identify roadless areas, and using anoutdated transportation system map, identified 8,922acres in the Santa Teresa IRA. On-the-ground fieldchecking by Sky Island Alliance has determined thatthe roadless acreage in the Santa Teresa EMA, outsideof Wilderness is 20,095

In the northern portion, south facing slopesdistribute water into Goodwin, Black Rock, andHoldout Canyons in the heart of the adjacent SantaTeresa Wilderness area, leading to the Gila Riverapproximately 13 miles to the northeast. The Gila

Santa Teresa Wilderness The Santa Teresa Wilderness, established in 1984

consists of 26,780 acres that occupy about half of theSanta Teresa Ecosystem Management Area. TheWilderness is bordered on the north by the San CarlosIndian Reservation and on the northeast by the NorthSanta Teresa Wilderness managed by the BLM.Holdout Canyon typifies the rest of the Wildernesswith its extremely rugged landscape, and abundantcaves and alcoves hollowed into eroded cliffs withpicturesque formations. Chaparral vegetationdominates the wilderness with stands of ponderosapine and Douglas fir along the north flank and crest ofCottonwood Mountain.8 Black bears live here alongwith coatis, javelina, mountain lions and Peregrinefalcons. Human use of the area is very light.

Wilderness SuitabilityWilderness is a cornerstone for protecting

biological diversity and ecological sustainability on theForest. Whether designated, or proposed, these areasprovide a refuge for many species from largecarnivores to small invertebrates. They also provideopportunities for the highest quality primitiverecreation including activities such as hiking,backpacking, horsepacking and hunting. As roadlessareas become increasingly scarce in the United States,remaining roadless areas on the National Forest thatmeet wilderness criteria deserve protection.

The Coronado National Forest is required toanalyze potential Wilderness Areas during Forest PlanRevision. It is mandated by both statute andregulation that the Coronado Forest Plan revisionsinclude wilderness suitability analyses. Lands withwilderness characteristics must be considered forrecommendation as potential wilderness areas duringplan revision. These areas should be designated asWilderness Study Areas in recognition of their


Figure 9.4 Area Suitable for Wilderness and to be Managed for Wilderness Characteristics

1 Brown, D.E. 1989. Ecological values of Bureau of Land Manage-ment wilderness study areas in Arizona. The Wilderness Society.Washington, D.C.

2 Wilson, John P. 1955. Islands in the Desert A History of the Up-lands of Southeastern Arizona. University of New Mexico Press,Albuquerque.

3 Cordell, Linda. 1984. Prehistory of the Southwest. AcademicPress, INC., Orlando.

4 Opler, M.E. 1941. An Apache Life-way: The economic, social,and religious institutions of the Chiricahua Indians. University ofNebraska Press, Lincoln, London.

5 Wilson, John P. 1955. Islands in the Desert A History of the Up-lands of Southeastern Arizona. University of New Mexico Press,Albuquerque.

6 Marshall, R.M., D. Turner, A. Gondor, D. Gori, C. Enquist, G.Luna, R. Paredes Aguilar, S. Anderson, S. Schwartz, C. Watts, E.Lopez, P.Comer. 2004. An Ecological Analysis of Conservation Pri-orities in the Apache Highlands Ecoregion. Prepared by The NatureConservancy of Arizona, Instituto del Medio Ambiente y elDesarrollo Sustentable del Estado de Sonora, agency andinstitutional partners. 152 pp.

7 United States Bureau of Mines. 1993. Mineral Appraisal ofCoronado National Forest, Part 10: Santa Teresa Mountains Unit.Intermountain Field Operations, Denver, Colorado. 12 p + Ap-pendices.

8 Unites States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 2003.Coronado National Forest Fire Management Plan.


representative of Madrean encinal, while the slopessouth of Limestone Canyon and Laurel Canyonintroduce Apachean shrubland species such asmanzanita, and sugar and single-leaf sumac. Theremaining portion of the roadless area on thesoutheastern corner is comprised of Madrean oak-pine woodland, Madrean encinal, and ApacheanShrubland.

The area as a whole provides a wide variety ofhabitat for game and non-game species. Animals suchas black bear and mountain lion, which favor largeareas of relative isolation, have a preference to suchareas without roads, within their home ranges. Manyother wildlife and game species can be found here,including javelina, mule and white-tail deer, gray fox,bighorn sheep, and coati. Peregrine falcons soaroverhead, hunting for prey.

River is the major source of water for residential andagricultural purposes in the Gila Valley region.

Laurel Canyon, in the southwestern part of the IRAfeeds into the spectacular Aravaipa Canyon, only 3miles downstream, which itself connects to the LowerSan Pedro River.

These connections make these roadless areas ofsignificant importance for the spring and fall avianmigrations, as well as overwintering areas for somespecies.

The upper reaches and north facing slopes of theroadless area’s highest peak, Cobre Grande Mountain(7,159 ft.) are composed of patches of vegetationassociated with Madrean montane conifer forests,dominated by Ponderosa pine. The forests andwoodlands transitioning down these slopes in thesouthwestern end of the roadless area are composed ofArizona white oak, Emory oak, and other species

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Santa Teresa EMA

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