Category Archives: Kaibab National Forest

Fire crews work to secure control lines for Castle Fire’s continued growth

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FREDONIA — Wildland fire crews assigned to the Castle Fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest continued efforts yesterday to improve established control lines in advance of the wildfire’s gradual growth.

The lightning-caused wildfire that started July 12, is being allowed to fulfill its natural role in a fire-dependent ecosystem. It remains at about 200 acres within a predetermined planning area of 19,368 acres. It is located about 11 miles south of Jacob Lake, 3 miles west of Highway 67, and just east of Forest Road 761 near Oquer Canyon.

Fire managers anticipate that the Castle Fire will continue burning at a low-to-moderate intensity over at least the next several weeks as it moves naturally through mixed conifer stands that will benefit greatly from the reintroduction of fire. Over time, the stands have become overly dense and weakened by insects and disease, resulting in a significant amount of dead and downed trees.

Allowing fire to naturally move across the landscape will not only consume dense fuels on the forest floor but will also replenish nutrients in the soil. This will reduce the risk of future high-severity wildfires and make the remaining trees more resilient.

While the Castle Fire did not grow significantly yesterday, it did slowly back down nearby ridgelines and smolder through heavy fuels. Fire managers expect increased fire behavior over the next few days, as weather conditions in the area are predicted to remain warm and dry.

Tomorrow, wildland fire crews plan to continue improving roads and other designated perimeters within which the fire can move. They are currently focusing efforts along both the northeastern and southeastern boundaries of the planning area.

The Castle Fire poses no danger to structures or other local infrastructure. Smoke impacts have been minimal to date. However, visitors to the North Kaibab Ranger District may notice some localized smoke as they travel near the fire area. Smoke may become more visible over the coming days as fire activity increases.

Williams and Tusayan Ranger District offices to offer limited services May 30 – 31

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WILLIAMS – The Williams and Tusayan Ranger District offices of the Kaibab National Forest will offer limited public services on Thursday, May 30, and Friday, May 31, due to scheduled training for front desk staff members.

While both offices will remain open for general public information, services such as the issuance of permits, passes and maps will not be available on the two identified dates. Specific services and products that will not be available include firewood, cinder, and other forest product permits; interagency and other recreation passes and permits; map sales; and any transaction requiring the issuance of official permit documentation.

All normal services offered through the Williams and Tusayan Ranger District offices will resume on Monday, June 3. Forest managers recognize that the limited services on May 30 and 31 may cause inconvenience and appreciate the public’s patience as employees receive critical training.

Kaibab National Forest information is available through the following sources:

Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
Flickr: http://bit.ly/KaibabNFPhotos

Kaibab National Forest to offer firewood permits in Navajo and Hopi communities

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TUSAYAN — The Kaibab National Forest will offer free-use, paid personal-use and ceremonial firewood permits for the Tusayan Ranger District at a variety of locations in Navajo and Hopi communities over the next three months. These opportunities are part of the Kaibab National Forest’s ongoing effort to increase access to firewood for tribal members and communities.

Kaibab National Forest representatives will offer firewood permits on the specified days and times and at the following locations:

  • Friday, May 10 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Tuba City, Flea Market
  • Saturday, May 18 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Cameron, Chapter House
  • Friday, May 31 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MST – Upper Village of Moenkopi, Moenkopi administrative office
  • Friday, June 14 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Tuba City, Flea Market
  • Friday, June 28 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MST – Kykotsmovi Village, Honahnie Building
  • Saturday, July 13 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Cameron, Chapter House

A permit must be acquired by anyone harvesting firewood on the Kaibab National Forest. The 2019 firewood season runs from May 1 to Dec. 31 for the Tusayan Ranger District.

Each person, with proper identification, may obtain permits for up to 30 cords per season of combined paid-use and free-use firewood. Individuals may purchase up to two 10-cord paid-use firewood permits at a rate of $2 per cord, and may obtain one 10-cord free-use firewood permit. Ceremonial-use permits are also available, which authorize collection of two cords per individual.

The Kaibab National Forest has increased the amount of wood available to each person for purchase while reducing the cost per cord by crediting firewood cutting for the contribution it provides to forest restoration goals. By removing dead and down as well as small-diameter trees, firewood cutting can help improve forest health and reduce the risk of unnaturally severe wildfire.

It is important that a permit be acquired even for free-use areas because by tracking public demand for the various kinds of permits, the amount of wood removed, and other factors, forest managers are better able to plan for the future needs of firewood collectors and provide greater opportunities for accessing these important resources. Firewood from the Kaibab National Forest is frequently used by local community and tribal members for home heating, cooking and other critical purposes.

All firewood permits issued by the Kaibab National Forest will include a map and detailed cutting regulations as well as load tags, which must be physically attached to each ¼ cord of firewood and visible from the rear of the vehicle. The goal of this load tagging system is to ensure accountability for the amount of wood removed from the forest and to inform planning for future firewood cutting areas to meet public need and forest restoration objectives.

The removal of firewood is permitted only from National Forest lands on the specific district for which the permit is issued. Firewood cutters are reminded to take note of property boundaries and cut only on National Forest lands.

Firewood cutting permits may also be obtained throughout the 2019 season at the following locations and during the specified hours Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays:

  • Williams Ranger District, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 635-5600
  • Tusayan Ranger District, 176 Lincoln Log Loop, Tusayan; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 638-2443
  • North Kaibab Ranger District, 430 S. Main St., Fredonia; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 643-7395

Public comments sought on proposed campground expansion project south of Tusayan

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TUSAYAN — The Kaibab National Forest is providing an opportunity to comment on a proposed project to remodel existing campsites and expand the current footprint of Ten X Campground, which is located south of Tusayan about 5 miles south of the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.

The comment period for the Ten X Campground Expansion project begins today and will continue through May 30. A draft environmental assessment, background documents, and other detailed project information are available for public review on the Kaibab National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.

The project is designed to increase overnight camping opportunities for visitors to the area and improve overall experience by upgrading aging facilities and adding amenities. The expansion would increase capacity from the current 70 campsites to a total of 300. The total expansion and remodel would encompass about 345 acres.

The remodeling of existing sites and the addition of new sites would increase Ten X Campground’s ability to accommodate large RVs while eliminating the current problem of parking along the Ten X roadway, which creates congestion and safety concerns. The 230 sites to be added would be a mix of RV-friendly, individual tent, and small group sites.

In order to facilitate the construction of the camping loops, a new roadway would be established as a larger loop surrounding the current campground footprint. Two egress routes would be added in order to better facilitate any future emergency evacuation.

Other proposed campground improvements include adding ramada structures with more grills, fire rings and picnic tables, as well as a new amphitheater for campfire talks. To see all proposed campground expansion features, visit the project website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.

“There is increasing public demand for recreation and overnight camping opportunities in the area, and Ten X is in the ideal location given its proximity to Grand Canyon National Park,” said Dutch Maatman, assistant recreation staff officer with the Kaibab National Forest. “We also believe this campground expansion project will reduce resource damage associated with the increase in dispersed camping we have seen on the Tusayan Ranger District.”

The Ten X Campground Expansion project would be completed in phases, with the first phase likely to include the creation of three new camping loops, the development of 4 miles of two-way main loop road, and the installation of a multilingual entrance station and centralized location to access visitor services. Other phases of the project and the specific components of each would be determined over time based on a continuing assessment of needs and opportunities.

Ten X Campground on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest was originally constructed in the early 1970s, and currently offers 70 individual sites, two large group sites, one host site, several vault toilets, and a potable drinking water system. Since the development of Ten X Campground, there have been only minor expansions and updates, leaving it vulnerable to frequent overcrowding and visitor use conflicts.

The comment period for the Ten X Campground Expansion project will continue through May 30. To submit comments, email them in an email message, plain text (.txt), rich text (.rtf), or Word document (.doc) format to comments-southwestern-kaibab-williams@fs.fed.us with the subject title of “Ten X Campground Expansion”; fax comments to (928) 635-5680; hand deliver comments Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to Victoria Tyler at the Williams Ranger Station; or, mail comments to Victoria Tyler, NEPA Planner, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams AZ, 86046. For additional information on submitting comments, visit the project website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.

Kaibab National Forest information is also available through the following sources:

• Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF

Kaibab National Forest to offer commercial fuelwood permits for the Williams Ranger District

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest will offer commercial fuelwood cutting permits for the 2019 season beginning May 31 for the Williams Ranger District. The 2019 commercial fuelwood cutting season will run from May 31 to December 31.

It is considered a commercial use when a permittee intends to sell the fuelwood that is collected. All commercial uses of forest products require a paid permit.

There will be a limited number of commercial units available. Assignment of these units to the permittees will be determined through an incorporated lottery system. Entry forms for the lottery will be mailed on May 10 to known prospective commercial fuelwood cutters. These forms can also be obtained on the Kaibab National Forest website at https://bit.ly/KNFCommercialUse.

The lottery forms for the 2019 season are due no later than May 24. Recipients of commercial units will then be notified on May 29. The permits will be good for 10 cords at a price of $5 per cord, for a $50 permit. These fuelwood cutting permits can then be purchased by the lottery winners at the Williams Ranger District office Mondays through Fridays, excluding federal holidays:

· Williams Ranger District, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 635-5600

The associated unit maps and additional information will be provided when the permit is purchased. All commercial fuelwood permits issued by the Kaibab National Forest will include a map and detailed cutting regulations as well as load tags, which must be physically attached to each ½ cord of fuelwood and visible from the rear of the vehicle. The goal of this load tagging system is to ensure accountability for the amount of wood removed from the forest and to contribute to future planning efforts for commercial fuelwood cutting units to meet both public need and forest restoration objectives.

The removal of commercial fuelwood on the Kaibab National Forest is permitted only from the specific unit for which the permit is issued. Fuelwood cutters are reminded to take strict note of cutting unit boundaries and to avoid cutting outside of those boundaries.

Detailed commercial fuelwood cutting information and maps will be posted on the Kaibab National Forest website at https://bit.ly/KNFCommercialUse. Those interested in these permits should check the site for updates as the commercial fuelwood season approaches.

For additional information on the commercial fuelwood program, please contact Jason Brugh on the Williams Ranger District at jason.brugh@usda.gov or (928) 635-5641.

Kaibab National Forest to offer firewood permits starting May 1

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest will offer firewood cutting permits for the 2019 season beginning May 1 for all districts. Permit holders may cut wood starting that day and continuing throughout the firewood season, which ends Nov. 30 on the North Kaibab Ranger District and Dec. 31 on the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts.

Firewood cutting permits can be obtained at the following locations and during the specified hours Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays:

· Williams Ranger District, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 635-5600
· Tusayan Ranger District, 176 Lincoln Log Loop, Tusayan; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 638-2443
· North Kaibab Ranger District, 430 S. Main St., Fredonia; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 643-7395

In 2018, the Kaibab National Forest launched a pilot program that increased the amount of wood available to each person for purchase while reducing the cost per cord by crediting firewood cutting for the contribution it provides to forest restoration goals. Due to the program’s success, these benefits will continue through the 2019 season.

Each person, with proper identification, may obtain permits for up to 30 cords per season of combined paid-use and free-use firewood on the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts, and 20 cords of paid-use firewood on the North Kaibab Ranger District. Paid-use firewood permit holders may purchase up to two 10-cord permits at a rate of $2 per cord. Free-use firewood permit holders may obtain one 10-cord permit to collect wood in designated areas on the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts.

“We wanted to recognize the valuable ecosystem service that firewood cutters provide in improving forest health by removing dead and down as well as small-diameter trees,” said Heather Provencio, forest supervisor for the Kaibab National Forest. “When we work with firewood cutters as our partners in forest restoration, we can more quickly move toward improved forest conditions and the shared goal of land stewardship.”

All firewood permits issued by the Kaibab National Forest will include a map and detailed cutting regulations as well as load tags, which must be physically attached to each ¼ cord of firewood and visible from the rear of the vehicle. The goal of this load tagging system is to ensure accountability for the amount of wood removed from the forest and to inform planning for future firewood cutting areas to meet public need and forest restoration objectives.

To continue fostering the partnership with firewood cutters this season, the Kaibab National Forest is taking additional steps to improve the program for customers. Permit holders will receive a detailed guide that highlights the ecological impacts that collecting firewood can have on forest resources and describes best practices that will ensure the sustainability of these resources across the landscape and over time.

“Our goal is to equip our firewood cutters with the information they need to help protect the forest’s valuable resources while also meeting their personal needs for home heating, cooking and other important purposes,” said Samantha Flores, supervisory forester for the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts. “By sharing best practices and working together, every permit holder can become a steward of the land and a partner in meeting our forest restoration objectives.”

In addition to providing customers with information about forest resources and their role in protecting them, the Kaibab National Forest will also be seeking public feedback and suggestions for program improvements throughout the year. Those obtaining permits are encouraged to offer their comments, concerns and ideas.

The removal of firewood is permitted only from National Forest lands on the specific district for which the permit is issued. Firewood cutters are reminded to take note of property boundaries and cut only on National Forest lands.

Detailed firewood cutting information and maps will be updated throughout the firewood season on the Kaibab National Forest website at http://bit.ly/KNFfuelwood.

Kaibab National Forest information is also available through the following sources:

• Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
• Flickr: http://bit.ly/KaibabNFPhotos

Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts to Begin Spring Prescribed Fire Operations This Week on the Kaibab National Forest

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WILLIAMS — Fire managers on the south zone of the Kaibab National Forest will begin springtime burning on both the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts beginning Thursday of this week and will likely burn through the weekend and into the following week ahead.

Due to the higher snow and precipitation levels that were received across northern Arizona this past winter, conditions have presented ideal opportunities to implement prescribed burns in the spring months of the year. Prescribed fire is one of the many tools used to accomplish multiple forest restoration objectives. It is also beneficial as a practical method to reduce risks associated with uncharacteristic wildfires that can pose significant threats to public health and safety.On the Williams Ranger District, crews are hopeful to finish the final 5200 acres of the Sunflower project which began in 2017. The area to be treated is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Williams between County Road 73 and Whitehorse Lake. A helicopter may be used to assist with aerial ignitions on this project and up to 1000 acres a day could potentially be ignited.

On the Tusayan Ranger District managers will continue working on the Reed Prescribed Fire project and will be looking to burn approximately 500 acres 3 miles northeast of the town of Tusayan. Crews may move over the Russell Rx project located approximately 18 miles southeast of Tusayan and continue working in this project area if conditions allow.

Smoke will be highly visible at times near all of these locations. Officials understand that smoke impacts to air quality may be unpleasant at times, however they can significantly reduce the amount and limit the duration more effectively using prescribed methods as opposed to an uncontrolled wildfire situation with long term effects. Smoke will be monitored very closely with the intent to minimize impacts to rural areas.

Turkey Hunters are advised to be aware of these fire operations occurring across the southern half of the Kaibab National Forest and use caution if hunting near these areas.

During operations, fire personnel and vehicles working in these vicinities will be visible to the public. Motorists are reminded to slow down and drive with heightened awareness when passing through active project areas.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

For additional information about the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burns authorizations, please visit www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html. Additional fire information for Kaibab National Forest can be obtained through the following sources:

· Fire Information Recorded Hotline: 928-635-8311
· Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF (Text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404 to receive text messages.)
· Kaibab Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
· Kaibab website “Recent News”: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
· Kaibab South Zone Rx Fire: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/

Kaibab National Forest seeks public input on proposed expansion of Forest Service campground south of Tusayan

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TUSAYAN – The Kaibab National Forest is seeking public input and comments on a proposed project to remodel and expand the popular Ten X Campground located south of Tusayan about 5 miles south of the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.

The Ten X Campground Expansion project is designed to increase overnight camping opportunities for visitors to the area and improve overall experience by upgrading aging facilities and adding amenities. Specifically, the proposed expansion would increase capacity from the current 70 individual campsites to a total of 300. Existing sites would undergo remodeling while new sites would be added, thereby expanding the overall campground footprint.

The proposed remodeling of existing sites and the addition of new sites would increase Ten X Campground’s ability to accommodate large RVs, which have become increasingly popular since the campground’s original construction in the early 1970s. The campground would also provide additional small group sites as well as individual tent sites. In order to facilitate the construction of the new camping loops, a new roadway would be established as a larger loop surrounding the current campground. Two egress routes are also being proposed in order to better facilitate any future emergency evacuation.

Proposed campground remodeling would include the installation of a new multilingual entrance station; the development of visitor common areas with ramada structures, grills, fire rings, and picnic tables; and, the addition of an amphitheater for campfire talks. Included with the proposed expansion is the possibility of modernizing the existing utilities.

In order to enhance the visitor experience and provide conservation education venues, the Kaibab National Forest is proposing the development of new nature and interpretive trails, including a trail connecting Ten X Campground to Tusayan and the Arizona National Scenic Trail, as well as an opportunity to site a future interagency visitor center at the location.

“Ten X Campground is frequently filled to capacity due to its popular location,” said Dutch Maatman, assistant recreation staff officer with the Kaibab National Forest. “We are excited about the opportunity to not only support the increased number of visitors to the area but also to provide them with a better overall camping experience.”

Ten X Campground on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest was originally constructed in the early 1970s, and currently offers 70 individual sites, two large group sites, one host site, several vault toilets, paved roads, and a potable drinking water system. Since the development of Ten X Campground, there have been only minor expansions and updates, leaving it vulnerable to overcrowding and visitor use conflicts.

The Kaibab National Forest encourages public participation in the development of proposed projects and is seeking input and comments on the Ten X Campground Expansion project. Specific, written comments should be received no later than March 29.

Comments must be in writing and may be delivered electronically, in person, or by mail or facsimile. Electronic comments, including attachments, may be emailed to comments-southwestern-kaibab-williams@fs.fed.us. Comments may be submitted electronically in Word (.doc or .docx), rich text format (.rtf), text (.txt), Adobe portable document formats (PDF), or HyperText Markup Language (.html). Submit comments via hand delivery (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays) or mail to: Kaibab National Forest, Williams Ranger District, 742 South Clover Road, Williams, Arizona 86046. Please marks comments “Attention: Ten X Campground Expansion.”

To view the full proposed action and other information related to the Ten X Campground Expansion project, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626. For questions, please contact Dutch Maatman at (928) 635-5661 or jmaatman@fs.fed.us.

Kaibab National Forest information is also available through the following sources:

• Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
• Flickr: http://bit.ly/KaibabNFPhotos

Kaibab National Forest announces March archaeology month events

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WILLIAMS — This March, the Kaibab National Forest will continue its more than decade-long tradition of offering stimulating presentations and outdoor excursions in the Williams area as part of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month.

On Wednesday evenings throughout March, experts will present a series of lectures starting at 6 p.m. at the Sultana Theatre in Williams covering topics such as the preservation and rehabilitation of the historic 1911 Kendrick Mountain Lookout Cabin, the history of railroads in the Williams area, historic aircraft navigation arrows in northern Arizona, and a film recognizing the Arizona heroes of World War I.

On all five Saturdays in March, Kaibab National Forest archaeologists will lead fun and educational hikes to the Keyhole Sink petroglyph site near the Parks community starting at 2 p.m. The Keyhole Sink Trail offers a short, relatively flat hike to a scenic box canyon where prehistoric residents left their mark carved into the canyon’s gray volcanic walls. Those wishing to participate in the hikes should call in advance for reservations to (928) 635-5600.

“Archaeology month is one of my favorite times of the year because it gives us the opportunity to share the historic and cultural treasures of the Kaibab National Forest with so many people,” said archaeologist Neil Weintraub. “Those who get to experience these special places and resources end up being some of our greatest partners in preserving them.”

Archaeology month is intended to generate understanding of and support for the state’s archaeological heritage. Celebrations and events focus on promoting the preservation of archaeological resources and illustrating ways the public can help in protecting and appreciating them.

For detailed information about the Kaibab National Forest archaeology month offerings in the Williams area, visit the March 2019 Archaeology Event Calendar. To reserve a spot for either a lecture or hike, contact the Williams Ranger District at (928) 635-5600 or email Weintraub at nweintraub@fs.fed.us.

Kaibab National Forest kicks off third year of citizen science project

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Photo of a burrowing owl that was submitted as part of the Kaibab National Forest’s iNaturalist citizen science project. – Kaibab Forest Photo

WILLIAMS — Forest Service biologists are inviting eager naturalists, outdoor enthusiasts, and amateur scientists to join the citizen science team and help in documenting the plants and animals that inhabit the Kaibab National Forest. At the beginning of the year, forest specialists launched the Kaibab NF 2019 Citizen Science Project through the free online iNaturalist platform so that visitors can share pictures of flora and fauna they’ve discovered on the forest.

This is the third year that the Kaibab National Forest has promoted an iNaturalist citizen science project, and the observations recorded are helping to improve forest managers’ understanding of the abundance and distribution of species.

Photo of the Typocerus gloriosus beetle that was submitted as part of the Kaibab National Forest’s iNaturalist citizen science project. – Kaibab Forest Photo

“iNaturalist is an amazing platform that was created to document biodiversity throughout the world,” said Natasha Kline, forest biologist on the Kaibab National Forest. “While we’ve scaled it down to the forest level for our project, these observations are both improving forest management practices and wider scientific knowledge.”

When Kaibab National Forest visitors capture photos of plants or animals and share them through iNaturalist, they are contributing to a global biodiversity database. The iNaturalist platform shares findings with scientific repositories to help scientists around the world find and use data. They are also contributing to understanding species closer to home, as Kaibab National Forests biologists are monitoring project-specific findings and participating in helping to identify and confirm local discoveries.

Since the start of this citizen science effort, visitors and employees have made more than 5,000 observations across the Kaibab National Forest. This has included more than 800 different species of plants, birds, insects, mammals, reptiles, fishes and more. Unsurprisingly, due to its abundance in northern Arizona, ponderosa pine holds the top spot for most observations. Other discoveries, however, have proven much more telling about current forest conditions, leading to the potential to help inform future management approaches.

“We didn’t have any physical documentation regarding burrowing owls in the forest,” Kline said. “We’ve had verbal reports of people seeing them but not much else. Over the course of our citizen science projects, though, we have now received two photos of burrowing owls near the end of the breeding season. These kinds of unique observations, when verified, can lead to important scientific documentation.”

The Kaibab National Forest’s citizen science effort has also led to at least one rather remarkable discovery. In 2017, iNaturalist user “birding4fun” posted images of a distinct-looking beetle that turned out to not only be rare but also have no previous photographic evidence in the scientific literature. The insect was identified by a beetle expert on the platform as a Typocerus gloriosus beetle, one of the rarest longhorn beetles in the United States. The observation earned iNaturalist’s “Observation of the Week” title and caught the attention of a variety of media outlets.

Whether rare or common, observations shared as part of the Kaibab NF 2019 Citizen Science Project can help inform forest and wildlife management and provide information about species that might not have previously been known. The iNaturalist platform assists managers by documenting the presence of rare or introduced species so that actions can then be taken to help protect or eradicate them.

Forest managers encourage those interested to “See, Snap, and Share” their Kaibab National Forest discoveries through iNaturalist as part of the citizen science effort. iNaturalist offers the free app for both the iPhone and Android, which makes uploading observations easy. Through the platform, forest visitors can record and organize nature findings, meet other nature enthusiasts, and learn about the natural world.

“These citizen science projects enhance the visitor experience while providing the Kaibab with valuable information about our resources,” said Mark Christiano, GIS coordinator for the Kaibab National Forest. “In 2019, I’m looking forward to creating more educational and outreach opportunities for forest visitors, showing them how they can use iNaturalist to learn more about our forest’s amazing plants and wildlife. I’m hoping to encourage visitors to explore trails and document their fantastic observations.”

Through connecting different perceptions and expertise of the natural world, iNaturalist seeks to create extensive community awareness of local biodiversity and promote further exploration of local environments.