Monthly Archives: November 2021

Free-use fuelwood available near Schultz Pass

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FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino National Forest is currently offering free-use fuelwood in an area near Schultz Pass, as part of the leftover slash and woody material from previous timber operations.
The fuelwood piles consist of various lengths and sizes of wood, so caution is greatly advised when collecting. The staging areas consists of loosely packed dirt and may become muddy and rutted with precipitation, so high clearance 4-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended.

Free-use permits can be obtained by calling the Flagstaff Ranger Station at 928-526-0866. The free permits allow the cutting of up to five cords of down and dead wood in specified areas for no charge. A maximum of five cords per household per year is allowed under free use.

The Coconino National Forest provides firewood for personal use both on a free-use permit and paid permit basis. Both cases require a permit acquired by anyone harvesting firewood on the National Forest.

The free-use area map displays the location, which is in the Schultz Pass area on Forest Service Road 420 near the junction of FR 420 and 556.

Directions to access free-use area
There are two routes possible:

  1. From U.S. Highway 180, head east on E. Mount Elden Lookout Road (Forest Road 557) and proceed up Schultz Pass Road (FR 420) for approximately 5 miles and continue past the junction of Elden Springs Road (FR 556). Just past the junction you will see a road veering off of FR 420 toward the large piles of wood. This is the area.
  2. From U.S. Highway 89, head west on Elden Springs Road (FR 556) for approximately 4.5 miles until you reach the junction of Schultz Pass Road (FR 420). Take a right on FR 420 and follow it for approximately 100 yards, where a road veers off of FR 420 toward the large piles of wood. This is the slash area.

Kaibab National Forest Supervisor Provencio moving on

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WILLIAMS — Forest Supervisor Heather Provencio’s time on the Kaibab National Forest has come to an end. However, her story with the Forest Service Southwestern Region will continue as Heather moves to her new role: Special Assistant to the Regional Forester. Her experience and skills in natural resource management, as well as her commitment to relationships and collaboration, make Heather the perfect fit for this position where she will be leading special efforts for the region such as Infrastructure Bill implementation and regional strategic planning.

Provencio joined the Kaibab in October 2015. She has since worked diligently to improve forest health and restore fire-adapted ecosystems through efforts such as the Bill Williams Mountain Project, Four Forest Restoration Initiative, and reintroducing fire on a landscape scale. Provencio’s first job with the Forest Service was in 1985 as a firefighter on the Chevelon Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, and she has since served in many leadership roles throughout the agency.

“Although my career has taken me to wonderful locations across the country, my heart belongs to the Southwest. I am thrilled that my next adventure allows me to continue serving the communities of Region 3,” says Provencio. “At the same time, it is with a heavy heart that I move on from the Kaibab. It has been my pleasure and honor to work with so many forest staff and partners who share my passion for public lands and managing this special landscape. Although I will miss the forest, I feel comforted knowing I’m leaving it in good hands.”

A permanent Forest Supervisor is expected to be on board in early 2022. In the interim, Diane Taliaferro will serve as the Acting Forest Supervisor. Taliaferro comes to the Kaibab from the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire where she is the Deputy Forest Supervisor. Diane is no stranger to the Southwestern Region and Kaibab National Forest. She spent 10 years in the region, working on the Santa Fe and Gila National Forests as well as at the Southwestern Regional Office, during which she frequented northern Arizona for both work and pleasure.

Provencio’s last day with the Kaibab is Friday November 5 and Taliaferro will begin as Acting Forest Supervisor Monday, November 8.

AZGFD to discontinue selling Community Fishing licenses beginning January 1

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has announced it will no longer offer Community Fishing licenses for sale beginning Jan. 1, 2022.

Over roughly the last eight years, the hugely popular Community Fishing Program (CFP) has expanded from 21 waters to 49 waters, which are located in 23 communities throughout the state. All CFP waters are stocked by AZGFD with trout, catfish, or a few other species, depending on time of year.

Anglers who want to fish CFP waters in 2022 will either need to have a General Fishing license or Combination Hunt/Fish license, or purchase one once their Community Fishing license expires in 2022.

“General Fishing and Combination Hunt/Fish licenses offer greater value than the Community Fishing license alone,” said Aquatic Wildlife Branch Chief Julie Carter. “Anglers not only get the increased opportunities of the expanded CFP, but also the opportunity to fish nearly 80 other public waters in Arizona that are regularly stocked by AZGFD as well as the other streams and lakes throughout the state with self-sustaining sport fish populations.”

Community Fishing licenses can still be purchased through Dec. 31, 2021 and are valid for one year from date of purchase at designated CFP waters.

Anglers who had typically purchased Community Fishing licenses have been moving over to General or Combo licenses in recent years. Since 2014, Community Fishing license sales have declined by over 80%.

Residents pay only $37 for a General Fishing license ($55 for nonresidents) as opposed to $24 for the Community Fishing license, and have fishing privileges at all public waters in Arizona, including CFP waters. Combination Hunt/Fish licenses are $57 for residents and $160 for nonresidents.

Fishing is a great way to spend time outdoors with family and friends and can also help reduce a family’s food costs, especially now that the prices for food and other goods have increased. A $37 fishing license that is valid for 365 days costs roughly the same as 5 pounds of store-bought catfish fillets ($7.49/lb), or 3.5 pounds of trout fillets ($10.99/lb). It could easily pay for itself with a single day of fishing.

For more information about the Community Fishing Program, visit https://www.azgfd.com/fishing/community/.

2022 spring hunt draw results now available

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has released the draw results for 2022 spring hunts for turkey, javelina, bison and bear, and raptor capture.

AZGFD portal accounts now are the sole source for finding out draw results and viewing bonus points. Customers can create a free portal account (family account features are now available) at accounts.azgfd.com/Account/Register. Draw results no longer will be provided through the automated phone system.

A portal account allows customers to create a secure account where they can view and manage their contact information, as well as their licenses, draw results history and bonus points in their personal “My AZGFD Dashboard” section. For questions about creating a portal account, call the department at 602-942-3000 and press “7.”

By the numbers:

  • 31,789: The total number of hunt permit-tags issued.
  • 63,918: The total number of those who applied for hunts or bonus points.
  • 45,460: The total number of applications submitted.

All hunt permit-tags are expected to be mailed by December 3.