Dragoon Mountains | Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy

Most of this COA is managed by the USFS - Coronado Ranger District. The Dragoons consist of more than 52,000 acres of semidesert grasslands and Madrean woodlands. The area is rich in cultural history as it was the ancestral home of the Chiricahua Apache, among others. Today, the areas around Cochise Stronghold are especially popular for recreational opportunities, including camping and climbing. Off-road vehicles have potential to damage the COA’s fragile soils and habitats.

Conservation Goals

Implement prescribed burns to create more resilient landscapes to disturbance.
Improve recreation management to maintain the integrity of wild areas.

Map

Primary Threats

7. Human Intrusions and Disturbance

7.1: Recreational activities

9. Natural System Modifications

9.1: Fire and fire suppression

Potential Conservation Actions

2. Land and Water Management

2.3: Habitat and natural process restoration

Implement prescribed burns to restore natural systems, fight invasive species, and create ecosystem resiliency.
Protect and restore areas adversely affected by off-road vehicles and other recreational activities.

3. Species Management

3.1: Management of specific species of concern

Implement Chiracahua leopard frog recovery efforts, including monitoring for invasive species such as American bullfrog.
Improve management and restoration of agave species to provide resources and migration corridors for lesser long-nosed bat and other pollinator species.

5. Law and Policy

5.4: Compliance and enforcement

Monitor and enforce compliance with management practices to reduce impacts of recreational activities.

7. External Capacity Building

7.2: Alliance and partnership development

Develop partnerships with local recreation groups regarding American peregrine falcon and golden eagle nesting and other SGCN.
Maintain partnerships and working groups for Chiricahua leopard recovery.