Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy

Grasslands Wildlife Area COA

The Grassland Wildlife Area COA incorporates the AZGFD-owned White Mountains Grasslands Wildlife Area (WMGWA), Arizona State Land Department leased lands, as well as lands to the southwest of the WMGWA which are an important wildlife movement corridor across Highway 260, and serve to connect the Grassland Wildlife Area COA with the White Mountains COA. Elevation ranges from approximately 8,980 feet atop Antelope Mountain within the Petran Montane conifer forest habitat type, to approximately 7,100 feet within the Plains and Great Basin grassland habitat type. This COA provides quality grassland winter range and fawning habitat for pronghorn antelope, as well as relatively undisturbed habitat for other game and nongame species alike. In addition, the WMGWA contains refugia habitat for the Little Colorado spinedace, and leopard frog release sites. Wiltbank Reservoir, Carnero Canyon, and the many volcanic cinder cones which rise abruptly from the surrounding landscape add topographic diversity and habitat complexity to this COA.

Conservation Goals

  • Improve maintain forest, woodland, and grassland vegetation communities within their range of natural variability for wildlife habitat, and make these communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
  • Improve and maintain the hydrologic and ecological function of the watershed conditions, streams, riparian, and wetland areas and the habitats they support.
  • Maintain and enhance travel corridors and hiding cover for a wide variety of species.
  • Improve water distribution, and pond habitats for Little Colorado spinedace and leopard frogs.

Map

Primary Threats

3. Climate Change and Severe Weather

3.1: Habitat shifting and alteration
3.2: Droughts
3.3: Temperature extremes

7. Human Intrusions and Disturbance

7.1: Recreational activities

8. Invasive and Other Problematic Species

8.1: Invasive non-native species
8.2: Problematic native species

9. Natural System Modifications

9.2: Dams and water management

11. Transportation and Service Corridors

11.1: Roads and railroads

Potential Conservation Actions

1. Land and Water Protection

1.1: Site/area protection
  • Conserve a variety of habitats that support healthy populations of fish and wildlife as climate changes.

2. Land and Water Management

2.1: Site/area management
  • Restore and maintain diverse habitats to support broad species assemblages that account for range shifts.
  • Improve the connectivity of natural landscapes to better link wildlife populations and allow for range shifts.
  • Develop and enhance artificial waters on the landscape.
2.3: Habitat and natural process restoration
  • Identify and protect key wildlife corridors for landscape connectivity.
  • Implement projects focused on improving the quality of altered systems creating suitable habitat and/or habitat features for wildlife.

3. Species Management

3.1: Management of specific species of concern
  • Implement long-term monitoring protocols for vulnerable species and habitats to inform adaptive management.
  • Conduct research targeting species and habitat types likely to be vulnerable to climate change impacts.
  • Collect specimens or samples for taxonomic analysis, genetics, research, and/or disease testing.

Habitats Present

Strategy Species

Amphibians

Chiricahua Leopard Frog, Northern Leopard Frog

Birds

Bald Eagle, Flammulated Owl, Mexican Spotted Owl, American Goshawk, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Red-faced Warbler

Mammals

Allen's Lappet-browed Bat, American Pronghorn, Arizona Montane Vole, Arizona Shrew, Big Free-tailed Bat, Black-footed Ferret, Colorado Chipmunk, Dwarf Shrew, Gray-collared Chipmunk, Gunnison's Prairie Dog, Hoary Bat, Least Chipmunk, White-bellied Long-tailed Vole, Long-tailed Weasel, Merriam's Shrew, Mexican Gray Wolf, Mexican Vole, Pale Townsend's Big-eared Bat, Southern Red-backed Vole, Southwestern Cottontail, Southwestern Myotis, Uinta Chipmunk, Western Water Shrew, Arizona Myotis, Long-eared Myotis, Silver-haired Bat, Greater Western Mastiff Bat

Fish

See Associated Aquatic COAs for fish species.

Protected Areas and Other Areas of Conservation Value

  • White Mountains Grasslands Wildlife Area

Potential Partners

  • Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
  • Arizona State Land Department
  • Arizona Department of Fire and Forestry Management
  • Arizona Elk Society
  • Arizona Antelope Foundation
  • Arizona Mule Deer Organization
  • Arizona Deer Association
  • Quail Forever/Pheasants Forever
  • Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society
  • Audubon Southwest
  • Private Landowners

Relevant Conservation Plans

  • No associated Conservation Plans

Associated Aquatic COAs