The Weaver Mountains are a granite boulder-strewn range characterized by a mix of upland Sonoran desertscrub and chaparral. Boulders in this range provide excellent habitat for Arizona night lizard, Sonoran desert tortoise, and Gila monster. Although portions of this COA are fire adapted (i.e., chaparral), unnatural fire regimes resulting from the spread of invasive grasses threaten the desertscrub habitats. Mining for decorative granite boulders occurs in adjacent mountain ranges, and could threaten the Weaver Mountains, also.
Conservation Goals
- Remove invasive plant species in order to restore and maintain the native grassland habitats for wildlife species.
- Restore and protect habitats to maintain a broad diversity of self-sustaining game and nongame species, and for recreational activities including wildlife viewing and hiking.
- Improve connectivity by removing barriers to wildlife movement and improve habitat connectivity, thermal cover.
Map
Primary Threats
2. Biological Resource Use
6. Energy Production and Mining
8. Invasive and Other Problematic Species
9. Natural System Modifications
11. Transportation and Service Corridors
Potential Conservation Actions
2. Land and Water Management
- Control the spread of invasive and problematic species.
- Implement projects focused on improving the quality of altered systems creating suitable habitat and/or habitat features for wildlife.
- Increase connectivity by removing barriers and impediments to species movement.
3. Species Management
- Conduct research that includes surveying and monitoring species and habitats to determine status and conditions so that resources can be appropriately allocated where they are most needed.
- Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of management actions, adapting the approach as necessary.
- Augment populations of wildlife species in high quality habitats.
5. Law and Policy
- Monitoring and enforcing compliance with laws, policies and regulations, and standards and codes at all levels.
Habitats Present
Strategy Species
Amphibians
Birds
American Peregrine Falcon, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Costa's Hummingbird, Golden Eagle, American Goshawk, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Ferruginous Hawk, Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow, Cassin's Sparrow, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Black-chinned Sparrow, Common Poorwill
Mammals
Canyon Mouse, Fringed Myotis, Greater Western Mastiff Bat, Mule Deer, Pale Townsend's Big-eared Bat, Spotted Bat
Reptiles
Arizona Night Lizard, Gila Monster, Sonoran Desert Tortoise
Fish
See Associated Aquatic COAs for fish species.
Protected Areas and Other Areas of Conservation Value
- Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial Park
- Hassayampa River Canyon Wilderness
Potential Partners
- Arizona State Land Department
- Arizona State Parks
- Private Landowners
- Arizona Mule Deer Organization
- Mule Deer Foundation
- Arizona Deer Association
- Bureau of Land Management
- Quail Forever/Pheasants Forever
- The Nature Conservancy
- Arizona Department of Fire and Forestry Management
- Triangle NRDC
- US Forest Service
Relevant Conservation Plans
- USFWS White-Nose Syndrome National Plan
- BLM Instruction Memorandum (IM) 2010-181, White Nose Syndrome
- Arizona Landscape Integrity and Wildlife Connectivity Assessment
- Arizona Wildlife Linkages
- Candidate Conservation Agreement for Sonoran Desert Tortoise
- Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances for Sonoran Desert Tortoise
- MOU Between BLM and USFWS for Conservation of Migratory Birds
- Bradshow-Harquahala Approved Resource Management Plan, 2010
Associated Aquatic COAs
- No associated Aquatic COAs