Check out our events flyer for upcoming events in December!
Help Us Celebrate 30 Years of Conservation!
This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Arizona-Idaho Conservation Act of 1988 that created the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA). The SPRNCA protects almost 57,000 acres of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management adjoining 40 miles of the San Pedro River from the international border to St. David. The 30th Anniversary of the SPRNCA is a time to reflect on the success of river protection and good stewardship for the past three decades, while looking forward to the next thirty years and beyond.
To commemorate this occasion, the Friends of the San Pedro River and the Bureau of Land Management are planning a celebration at the San Pedro House on Saturday, November 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. Speakers will include former US House Representative Jim Kolbe, former BLM Arizona State Director Dean Bibles, representatives from the Bureau of Land Management, and the Friends of the San Pedro River. YOU are invited to join us!
Please click here to submit your RSVP on-line. We would appreciate your response by November 9th to help us plan for seating and parking.
Upcoming Events in November!
Check out our events flyer for events coming up in November!
List of volunteer services for VSA form
New! In order to complete the revised BLM Volunteer Service Agreement form (also available in hardcopy) for fiscal year 2019 starting October 1, 2018, volunteers should check each of the boxes listing the services they plan to provide during the course of the year. The volunteer roles associated with those services are described in the pages below:
- fspr-pd-clean-up-and-trash-removal
- fspr-pd-lead-school-groups-or-programs
- fspr-pd-admin-office-clerical
- fspr-pd-trail-maintenance
- fspr-pd-landscaping-landscape-maintenance
- fspr-pd-wildlife-surveys-and-monitoring
- fspr-pd-visitor-center-public-contact
- fspr-pd-lead-educ-interp-events
- fspr-pd-restoration-repair-of-historic-properties
- fspr-pd-wells-and-hydrological-monitoring
- fspr-pd-invasive-exotic-plant-removal-or-treatment
- fspr-pd-vegetation-surveys-and-monitoring
- fspr-pd-mapping-gps-surveys
- fspr-pd-recreation-use-monitoring
- fspr-pd-special-events-festivals-or-programs
- fspr-pd-graphic-design-interpretive-products
- fspr-pd-fence-maintenance
- fspr-pd-sign-maintenance-installation
Summer 2018 River Roundup Is Here!
Here’s what’s happening!
In this issue: President’s Report… August Work Day… Board Election & Annual Meeting… St David Birding with Tucson Audubon… 30th SPRNCA Anniversary… June Work Day… BLM Draft Resource Management Plan Comments Sought… SPH Signage… Volunteer & Staff Kudos… Service Ethic… Members… Calendar… ContactsMembers… Calendar… Contacts
–
More grazing in SPRNCA? Still time to comment on draft RMP!
How to submit comments on draft SPRNCA Resource Management Plan
Help us protect the river and celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA). Submit your substantive comments on the draft RMP to the Bureau of Land Management during the public comment period that ends September 27, 2018. [In the row for SPRNCA DRMP Vol1, click on the Comment on Document button.] Use the guide linked here to help you craft your comments.
Upcoming Events in September!
Check out our Events Flyer for events coming up in September!
Join Tucson Audubon on the San Pedro
Join Tucson Audubon Society for two events in September:
- Volunteer trail clearing along the San Pedro River on Saturday, September 15 at the St. David Monastery, if interested email Nicole Gillett at ngillett@tucsonaudubon.org
- “Bird the San Pedro” event at the Holy Trinity Monastery in St David on Saturday, September 22, 7 am–1 pm, please RSVP here.
More grazing, hunting in SPRNCA?
Attend the Public Meeting in Sierra Vista August 22!
BLM will host another public meeting on the draft RMP at 5:30pm Wednesday, August 22 at the Sierra Vista Police Department. This is an opportunity to voice your concerns about BLM’s plan to open more areas in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area to grazing and hunting.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area with a 90 day comment period. Major changes from the current management approach include increased grazing.
The Friends of the San Pedro River has reviewed the draft and shared our position on the FSPR website. To begin your own review, you can access the document online. Public input will shape the final plan.
Public meetings on the draft RMP are scheduled for:
- Aug. 8, 5:30-7 p.m., Benson Fire Department Station 71, 375 E. 7th Street, Benson, Arizona
- Aug. 22, 5:30-7 p.m., Sierra Vista Police Department, 911 N. Coronado Drive, Sierra Vista, Arizona (Meeting attendees should use the lobby entrance to access the room)
- Aug. 23, 5:30-7 p.m., Pima Community College, 401 N. Bonita Ave., Tucson, Arizona
Public input will shape the final plan, and we strongly encourage you to attend one of the public meetings to learn more about the draft RMP and voice your concerns and suggestions.
AZ Supreme Court opens door to Tribute
Thursday, August 9th, was a sad day for the Friends of the San Pedro River and everyone who cares about the continued existence of the San Pedro, a rare, functioning desert riparian area, and the wildlife it supports. By the slimmest of majorities, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled against a lawsuit that sought to force consideration of groundwater usage as part of the approval of the Tribute residential development project in the Sierra Vista area.
The Friends hoped the plaintiffs would prevail in order to require that the Arizona Department of Water Resources consider the federal water right for the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in determining whether there was 100 years of adequate and legally available water supply for Tribute. Instead, the court ruled that ADWR is under no obligation to consider the impact of additional pumping by Tribute on the San Pedro River. Owners of residential wells in the area should be concerned because this means they too have no protection for their water source from prospective deep groundwater pumping associated with Tribute.
Pumping in the Sierra Vista area is already withdrawing more groundwater from the aquifer than is replenished. The result is a cone of depression where the aquifer is being drained. This cone of depression is spreading and adversely affects the flow of groundwater to the San Pedro River. Tribute will add 7,000 new homes that will require additional groundwater withdrawals from the aquifer. The end-result is sadly easy to anticipate.