Veterans Help Restore and Maintain Resilient Landscape at Chiricahua National Monument

Arizona Conservation Corps Veterans Crew 348

Photo courtesy of Arizona Conservation Corps

In October 2018, an Arizona Conservation Corps Veterans Fire Crew helped restore and maintain a resilient landscape at Chiricahua National Monument by reducing the buildup of vegetation.

The veterans crew completed approximately 1/4 mile or 2 acres of work along the park’s main entrance road. They thinned brush and snags (standing dead trees) along the north side of E. Bonita Canyon Road. They chipped all cut materials, up to 50 feet from the road, on site.

Cut vegetation, piled along the road

Photo courtesy of the Arizona Conservation Corps

This is part of an ongoing project that will eventually treat the entire north side of the E. Bonita Canyon Road, from the park entrance station to the Visitor Center. The goal of the project is to reduce the buildup of vegetation and create a holding feature firefighters can burn off of to help limit the spread of future wildfires. The area burned most recently during the 2011 Horseshoe 2 Fire.

Chipping cut vegetation

Photo courtesy of the Arizona Conservation Corps

The project will also improve safety and help protect park wildlife by creating better visibility to be able to see deer and other wildlife near the road.

Contact: Jason Thivener, Fire Management Specialist, Saguaro Arizona Parks Group

Before and After

Left image
Buildup of brush along the park entrance road
Credit: Photo courtesy of the AZ Conservation Corps

Right image
Thinned vegetation along the park entrance road
Credit: Photo courtesy of the AZ Conservation Corps