The White Mountains COA captures much of Arizona’s limited subalpine grassland and subalpine conifer forest habitat types. The elevation of this COA ranges from approximately 7,300 feet near South Fork of the Little Colorado River, to more than 10,000 feet atop Green’s Peak. This diversity in elevation, combined with diverse topography, vegetation, and the highest density of perennial streams, lakes, and ponds in the state, provides habitat for numerous native wildlife and plant species. In addition, this COA is adjacent to the Mount Baldy Wilderness Area and the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, and serves to connect the Grassland Wildlife Area, Nutrioso Rudd, and Black River COAs. Numerous lakes, perennial rivers, and other aquatic habitats important to wildlife and anglers alike occur within this COA.
Conservation Goals
- Improve and maintain forest and grassland vegetation communities within their range of natural variability for wildlife habitat, and to 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.
- Promote native riparian vegetation and native fish recovery.
- Maintain and enhance travel corridors, and travel, hiding, and thermal cover for a wide variety of wildlife species.
Map
Primary Threats
1. Agriculture
3. Climate Change and Severe Weather
7. Human Intrusions and Disturbance
8. Invasive and Other Problematic Species
11. Transportation and Service Corridors
Potential Conservation Actions
1. Land and Water Protection
- Conserve a variety of habitats that support healthy populations of fish and wildlife as climate changes.
2. Land and Water Management
- Restore and maintain diverse habitats to support broad species assemblages that account for range shifts.
- Identify and protect key wildlife corridors for landscape connectivity.
- Maintain natural fire regimes on the landscape through prescribed burns and natural fire management.
3. Species Management
- 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.
Habitats Present
Strategy Species
Amphibians
Chiricahua Leopard Frog, Northern Leopard Frog, Arizona Tiger Salamander
Birds
American Three-toed Woodpecker, Bald Eagle, Band-tailed Pigeon, Clark's Nutcracker, Dusky Grouse, Eared Grebe, Flammulated Owl, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Grace's Warbler, Hermit Thrush, Horned Lark, Long-eared Owl, Mexican Spotted Owl, Mountain Bluebird, Mountain Chickadee, American Goshawk (Northern Goshawk), Pine Grosbeak, Pine Siskin, Pinyon Jay, Prairie Falcon, Red Crossbill, Townsend's Solitaire, Western Wood-Pewee
Invertebrates
Three Forks Springsnail, California Floater
Mammals
Allen's Lappet-browed Bat, American Pronghorn, Fringed Myotis, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Hoary Bat, White-bellied Long-tailed Vole, Long-tailed Weasel, Mexican Free-tailed Bat, Mexican Vole, Mexican Gray Wolf, Arizona Montane Vole, New Mexican Jumping Mouse, Southwestern Myotis, Arizona Myotis, Long-legged Myotis, Long-eared Myotis
Reptiles
Arizona Black Rattlesnake, Narrow-headed Gartersnake
Fish
See Associated Aquatic COAs for fish species.
Protected Areas and Other Areas of Conservation Value
- Fish Creek
- East Fork Black River
- West Fork Black River
- South Fork Little Colorado River
- West Fork Little Colorado River
- Phelps Canyon Botanical Research Natural Area
- Three Forks RNA
- Open Draw
- Upper Coyote Wildlife Quiet Area
- Black River Conservation Area
- Black River Lands (AZGFD)
Potential Partners
- Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
- White Mountain Apache Tribe
- Private Landowners
- Northern Arizona University
- Arizona Elk Society
- Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
- Arizona Antelope Foundation
- Mule Deer Foundation
- Arizona Mule Deer Organization
- Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society
- Quail Forever/Pheasants Forever
- National Wild Turkey Federation
- Audubon Southwest
Relevant Conservation Plans
- Land Management Plan for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (Revised October 2017)
- New Mexico Jumping Mouse Recovery Plan
- Four-Forest Restoration Initiative
- Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan
Associated Aquatic COAs
- Beaver Creek (Upper Black River)
- Black River (Upper Black River)
- Boggy Creek (Upper Black River)
- Boneyard Creek (Upper Black River)
- Burro Creek (Upper Black River)
- Campbell Blue Creek Drainage Below Waterfalls (Upper Blue River)
- Centerfire Creek (Upper Black River)
- Coleman Creek (Upper Blue River)
- Colter Creek
- Coyote Creek (Upper Black River)
- Deer Creek (Upper Black River)
- East Fork Black River (Upper Black River)
- East Fork Little Colorado River - Fish barrier to headwaters
- East Fork Little Colorado River - Little Colorado River to fish barrier
- Hay Creek (Upper Black River)
- Head Tank (Upper Black River)
- Home Creek (Upper Black River)
- Lake Sierra Blanca (Upper Black River)
- North Fork East Fork Black River (Upper Black River)
- Nutrioso Creek upper - Hulsey Creek confluence to headwaters and tributaries
- Open Draw Creek (Upper Black River)
- Rudd Creek
- San Francisco River AZ-NM Border to Gila Confluence (Mule Creek and Chase Creek-San Francisco River)
- South Fork Little Colorado River - upstream of fish barrier
- Stinky Creek (Upper Black River)
- Thompson Creek (Upper Black River)
- Unnamed tributary to East Fork Black at Three Forks
- West Fork Black River (Upper Black River)