Border BioBlitz at San Rafael Valley

Address: 277 McKeown Ave,Patagonia AZ 85624

08 April, 2023

Description

The Work Sky Island Alliance is teaming up with N-Gen, Wildlands Network, and numerous other NGOs for the 2023 Border BioBlitz! The Border BioBlitz is a project taking place throughout the month of April with the aim of collecting observations of as many species as possible within five kilometers to the north or south of the U.S.-Mexico border. During this trip we invite naturalists of all persuasions to join us for a field day of borderlands biodiversity surveying. We will be focusing on areas within our Border Wildlife Study, an un-fenced stretch of the border reaching from the Patagonia Mountains to the Huachuca Mountains, and across the San Rafael Valley. The work will be as hard as you want to make it and could include anything from birding by car or climbing up remote canyons in search of rare plants, for example. If you enjoy searching out plants and wildlife for a good cause, please join us! Covid Precautions To keep our volunteers and staff safe, we’re taking these precautions: If you have signs/symptoms of Covid, or if you or anyone in your household has had a recent exposure, please stay home.Monitoring the case numbers and variant severity so that we can make good decisions about proper precautions. If you’d like to bring kids, please contact us first. Choose how to get there: You can either meet us there, caravan with us from SIA’s office, or carpool in SIA vehicles (masking will be based on case numbers and discussion with other carpoolers). Working outside, of course! We will stay safely spaced out while working. We’ll have a thermometer available in case anyone starts feeling off. What to Expect/Bring Bring your own food for the day — lunch, snacks, and water. SIA will provide potable water, and folks are welcome to bring their own as well. Be prepared to unplug — there is limited or no cellphone or internet service where we'll be camping and working. Bring work clothes and appropriate close-toed shoes that you don't mind getting dirty and potentially torn. Bring sun protection: sunscreen, long-sleeves, hat, etc.Bring a refillable water bottle and a daypack for snacks and gear.Bring whatever gear or tools you need for your survey work: Binoculars, butterfly nets, snake hooks, field guides, etc.Bring your smartphone or tablet with the iNaturalist app downloaded, and make sure to join the "Border BioBlitz 2023" project before you leave home.Location We will be working along the U.S.-Mexico border in the San Rafael Valley (near the town of Lochiel). If you have a particular area you are interested in the valley (within five kilometers of the border), let us know and we will try to fit it into our itinerary! Getting There A higher-clearance vehicle is encouraged as the dirt roads in the borderlands can be rather bumpy and rocky. You can meet us there, caravan from SIA's office, or carpool in SIA vehicles. Option 1 Meet at the SIA office at 3127 N Cherry Ave. to caravan or carpool to the field site at 6:45 a.m. on Saturday. We will head down to our camera sites near the border in the San Rafael Valley. Option 2 Meet at Ovens of Patagonia Coffee Shop in Patagonia, Arizona, to carpool/caravan to the field sites. We will meet at 8:15 a.m. From Tucson: (88ish miles) Take I-10 east to Vail exit 281 for AZ-83 South. Follow 83 South to Sonoita. Turn south on AZ-82 for Patagonia. From Patagonia, take Harshaw Rd to San Rafael Valley Rd (which eventually becomes FS d58). Turn right on Christian Ln/FS 58 and follow this road for 8 miles to the intersection with FS 61. Park in the parking area on the south side of the road. Trip Logistics Saturday, 6:45 a.m. — meet with SIA staff at our office to carpool to the field sites near the border. Saturday, 8:15 a.m. — meet at Ovens of Patagonia Coffee Shop in Patagonia, Arizona, to carpool/caravan to the field sites. We will work throughout the day with breaks for meals. Saturday, 4 p.m. (or earlier)— finish up for the afternoon and then head back to Tucson. Saturday, 6 p.m. — we will be back to our Tucson office by 6 p.m. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed on this trip. f you have further questions, please email Eamon Harrity at [email protected]