chapter 13, whetstone ecosystem management area

Sierra Vista RANGER DISTRICT

www.skyislandaction.org 13- 1 State of the Coronado Forest DRAFT 11.05.08

DRAFT 11.05.08 State of the Coronado Forest 13-2 www.skyislandaction.org

CHAPTER 13 Whetstone Ecosystem Management Areaexploration.1 Access to the mountains is limited due tolocked gates on private lands that border the Forest.The eastern slopes of the Whetstones drain into theSan Pedro River valley just north of the San PedroRiparian National Conservation Area. The westernslopes feed the upper Cienega Creek Basin, animportant regional source of groundwater rechargeand flood prevention for the community of Tucson.Cienega Creek also forms an essential part of the LasCienegas National Riparian Conservation Area whichharbors the rare vegetative communities of cienegas,cottonwood-willow riparian forests and sacatongrasslands. The riparian corridors of the San PedroRiver and Cienega Creek contain stretches ofperennial water that support endangered fish andother wildlife and are two of the most biologicallyimportant streams in southern Arizona.

Natural HistoryThe Whetstone Mountains are part of the Basin

and Range Province covering the southern half ofArizona. Over the last 30 million years, the basins havedropped thousands of feet leaving northwest-southeast trending mountain ranges isolated as SkyIslands.2 The small Whetstone range is relativelysimple and unfaulted compared to other Sky Islandsof the Basin and Range Province. What it lacks inquantity the range makes up for in quality with anisolated fault block in a limestone formation creatingthe spectacular Kartchner Caverns at the base of therange. The Caverns, now a state park, are visited for

The Whetstone Mountains are a small, isolatedrange centrally located in the Coronado NationalForest. The Whetstone Ecosystem Management Area(EMA) encompasses 45,023 acres. Elevations rangefrom approximately 4,788 feet to 7,711 feet at thesummit of Apache Peak. The range is locatedapproximately seven miles southwest of Benson,Arizona and 13 miles north of Sierra Vista, Arizona.The Whetstone EMA lies closest to the Santa Rita andHuachuca EMAs. The Santa Rita Mountains liesouthwest of the Whetstones with the Las CienegaCreek National Conservation Area located in theintervening valley. The National Conservation Area ishome to a number of Endangered species includinglesser long-nosed bat, southwest willow flycatcher andGila chub. The Huachuca EMA encompasses theCanelo Hills, Patagonia Mountains and the southernend of the Huachuca Mountains. The BabocomariRiver and Fort Huachuca Military reservation liebetween the Whetstone and Huachuca Mountains.The Babocomari River is an important corridor forwildlife movement, a flyway for migrating birds, and atributary to the San Pedro River, one of the mostbiologically diverse riparian areas in the United States.The Dragoon Mountains lie east of the Whetstonesacross the San Pedro River Valley. Kartchner CavernsState Park borders the northeast side of theManagement Area.

Current human activities in the Whetstonesinclude camping, hunting and small-scale mining



Figure 13.1 Overview of Whetstone EMA


Human Prehistory and HistoryThe first solid archeological evidence of human

habitation in this area shows Clovis hunters spearingmammoths in the San Pedro Valley by 9,000 yearsB.C.7 Next came the long occupancy of the CochiseCulture of hunter-gatherers, eventual introduction ofdomesticated crop plants, and development of moredensely settled networks of farming peoples. In theselater times, the Whetstone Mountains sat near theconfluence of ranges for the Mogollon, Salado, andHohokam peoples that populated the region, andlasting in some form through the arrival of theApache.8

The current English name of WhetstoneMountains is derived from a deposit in the range ofnovaculite, a hard, fine-grained rock used forwhetstones.9 French Joe Canyon and French Joe Peakare named for a man known as French Joe wholocated a mine and lived in the canyon near the peakfor many years.10

It is believed that Wyatt Earp shot and killed CurlyBill Brocius in a shootout at Mescal Springs. A smallmetal line shack, decaying high in one of the canyons,still has newspapers from 1939 on its floor. Otherrelics of historic ranching operations are scatteredacross the mountain range, but most were neverreached by roads and are now overgrown by shrubsand trees. The south end of the Whetstones washistorically the site of several small mining operations,and a few mining claims with their attendant roads. Aremote cave in the Whetstones which harbors animportant archeological site, has been protected by thedifficult terrain and distance from roads.

The south end of the Whetstone range washistorically the site of several small mining operationsand a few mining claims remain open. Miningoccurred near Granite Peak between 1918 and 1929and primarily produced copper and lead. Sporadicmining also occurred at the Twin Peaks Mine as late as1960.11 In more recent times, these mountains havebeen explored by amateur fossil hunters thatdiscovered exposed dinosaur bones in the foothills in1994. Sonorasaurus thompsoni was the first dinosaurthat was found in southern Arizona.12

their spectacular underground formations that werecarved by slightly acidic rainwater dissolving awaylimestone rock. The caves are an important nurseryroost for cave myotis bats which feed in a variety ofhabitats in the Whetstones.3

In addition to the spectacular formations ofKartchner Caverns, smaller caves dot the limestonehills on the eastern side of the mountains. Several ofthese caves are located in French Joe Canyon. Thesereadily visible geologic formations make the canyon apopular destination for physical geology class fieldtrips from the University of Arizona, Cochise College,and for interpretive trips hosted groups such as theTucson Audubon Society. Another notable feature ofthe mountains is that they contain the most completesequence of Paleozoic and Cretaceous sedimentaryrock in southern Arizona, all in proper order.4

The limestone core of the Whetstone Mountainscreates a number of spring-fed perennial streams andisolated oases such as those found in WakefieldCanyon and French Joe Canyon. French Joe Canyon ishost to an intermittent stream lined with oak, ash,cottonwood and Arizona walnut. Located on the eastside of the mountain range, it is the most significantriparian habitat in the management area. The canyonsupports a great diversity of birds. Over 147 specieshave been cited here and a nesting pair of rufous-capped warblers has been recorded in the canyonmultiple years. French Joe Canyon has been home tonesting rufous-capped warblers for multiple years and147 different species of birds have been sited in thecanyon.5 A recent survey of the herpetofauna of theWhetstone Mountains found five species ofamphibians and 36 species of reptiles present in therange.6 The riparian habitats of the range supportcommon species such as mountain lion and blackbears, along with sensitive species such as Arizonaridge-nosed Rattlesnake and Mexican Spotted Owls.Limestone outcroppings support rare plants andanimals that specialize in that habitat. Largepopulations of whitetail deer can be found near thesouth end of the range.

Vegetation in the Whetstone Mountains climbsfrom semidesert grassland-mixed scrub andChihuahuan desert scrub to Madrean encinal,Madrean pine-oak woodland, and tops out at a smallpatch of ponderosa pine at the highest elevationsaround Apache Peak and French Joe Peak.


The Whetstone Ecosystem Management Areaharbors a unique combination of vegetation types andspecies that contribute to the biological diversity ofthe Coronado National Forest. The Forest Servicerecognizes that building a framework for ecologicalsustainability will require management of entirebiological communities combined with specialmanagement for particular species. For revision of theForest Plan the Forest Service identified species thatwill be the focus of planning efforts. Species andvegetation types of management interest found acrossthe Coronado National Forest were described andlisted in the Forest Overview (Table 1.1, page 1-11).Described here are species and vegetation types

specifically found on the Whetstone EcosystemManagement Area. The Forest Service identified 45species of plants and animals including twoThreatened or Endangered species, along with otherspecies determined to be Species of Concern orSpecies of Interest due to management issues (Table13.1).

Elements of Biological Diversity and Cultural Heritage

FishRhinichthys osculus

MammalsChoeronycteris mexicanaLasiurus blossevillii

PlantsAcacia millefoliaBouteloua parryiDraba petrophila var. viridisEriogonum arizonicumEscobaria vivipara var. bisbeeanaHexalectris spicata var. arizonicaMacromeria viridiflora var. viridifloraMammillaria heyderi var. macdougaliiPerityle dissectaPhoradendron bolleanum ssp.

pauciflorumPlagiobothrys pringleiRhamnus crocea ssp. pilosaScutellaria tessellata

Sophora arizonica

ReptilesCrotalus w. willardi

Sceloporus slevini

Speckled Dace

Mexican Long-tongued BatWestern Red Bat

Milfoil AcaciaParry's GrammaRock Whitlow-grassArizona Wild-buckwheatBisbee's Pincushion CactusCrested CoralrootGiant-trumpetsLittle Nipple CactusSlimlobe RockdaisyRough Mistletoe

Pringle's Popcorn-flowerRedberry BuckthornHuachuca Mountains

SkullcapArizona Necklace

Arizona Ridge-nosedRattlesnake

Slevin's Bunchgrass Lizard

Table 13.1 Species Identified by the ForestService to Guide Management Decisions

Table 13.2 Foundations of NativeBiological Diversity

“Potential Natural Vegetation Types” (bold) as theycorrespond with The Nature Conservancy’s “EcologicalSystems”_______________________________________

Cottonwood Willow Riparian ForestDesert Riparian Woodland and Shrubland (<4,500 ft.)

Desert CommunitiesChihuahuan Desert Scrub

Interior ChaparralInterior Chaparral

Madrean Encinal WoodlandMadrean Encinal

Madrean Pine-Oak WoodlandMadrean Pine-Oak Woodland

Mixed Broadleaf Deciduous Riparian ForestMontane Riparian Woodland and Shrubland

Mixed Conifer ForestMontane Mixed-Conifer Forest

Semi-desert GrasslandsApachean Grassland and SavannahApachean Shrubland

Physiographic Features______________________________

Natural caves along French Joe Canyon

Community______________________________

CienegasSacaton riparian grassland


Figure 13.2 Ecological Systems of the Whetstone EMA


AmphibiansAmbystoma tigrinum stebbinsi Rana chiricahuensis Rana pipiens Rana yavapaiensis

BirdsAimophila botterii Aimophila carpalis Ammodramus bairdii Athene cunicularia hypugaea Callipepla squamata Colaptes chrysoides Cyrtonyx montezumae Empidonax traillii extimus Pipilo aberti Vireo bellii

CrustaceansStygobromus arizonensis

InsectsAbedus herberti Adopaeoides prittwitzi Agathymus evansi Ancyloxypha arene Calephelis arizonensis Heterelmis stephani

MammalsCorynorhinus townsendii pallescens Cynomys ludovicianus Macrotus californicus Myotis ciliolabrum Myotis thysanodes Myotis velifer Panthera onca Peromyscus merriami Sciurus arizonensis Sigmodon ochrognathus Sorex arizonae

MolluskHolospira whetstonensis

PlantsAgave parviflora ssp parviflora Amoreuxia gonzalezii

Sonoran Tiger Salamander Chiricahua Leopard Frog Northern Leopard Frog Lowland Leopard Frog

Botteri's Sparrow Rufous-Winged Sparrow Baird's Sparrow Burrowing Owl Scaled Quail Gilded Flicker Montezuma Quail Southwest Willow Flycatcher Abert's TowheeBell’s Vireo

Arizona Cave Amphipod

Giant Water Bug Sunrise Skipper Huachuca Giant Skipper Tropical Least Skipper Arizona MetalmarkStephan's Heterelmis Riffle Beetle

Pale Lump-nosed Bat Black-Tailed Prairie Dog California Leaf-Nosed Bat Western Small-Footed Myotis Bat Fringed Myotis Bat Cave Myotis Bat Jaguar Mesquite Mouse Arizona Gray Squirrel Yellow-Nosed Cotton Rat Arizona Shrew

Whetstone Holospira

Small-Flowered Agave Santa Rita Yellowshow

Amsonia grandiflora Arabis tricornuta Asclepias uncialis Aster potosinusAstragalus hypoxylusBrowallia eludens Carex ultra Coryphantha scheeri var.

robustispina Dryopteris patula var. rossii Echinomastus erectocentrus var.

erectocentrus Erigeron arisolius Erigeron lemmonii Erigeron pringlei Euphorbia macropusGraptopetalum bartramii

Hedeoma dentatum Heterotheca rutteri Hexalectris revoluta Hexalectris warnockii Hieracium pringlei Hieracium rusbyi Lilaeopsis schaffneriana var. recurva Lilium parryi Lupinus huachucanus Macroptilium supinum Metastelma mexicanum

Muhlenbergia dubioides Pectis imberbis Penstemon superbus Psilactis gentryi Rumex orthoneurus Samolus vagans Senecio huachucanus Spiranthes delitescens Talinum humile

Talinum marginatum

ReptilesCnemidophorus burti

stictogrammusPhrynosoma cornutumThamnophis eques megalops

Arizona Slimpod Rincon Mountain Rockcress Greene Milkweed Lemmon’s AsterHuachuca MilkvetchElusive New Browallia Cochise Sedge Pima Pineapple Cactus

Mexican Shield Fern Needle-spined Pineapple Cactus

Erigeron arisolius Lemmon's Fleabane Pringle's Fleabane Woodland SpurgePatagonia Mountain Leather-

Petal Arizona False Pennyroyal Rutter's Golden-Aster Chisos Coral-Root Purple-Spike Coralroot Pringle's Hawkweed Rusby's Hawkweed Affolter Lemon Lily Huachuca Mountain Lupine Supine Bean Norrowleaf Or Wiggin's Swallow

Wort Box Canyon Muhly Beardless Chinch Weed Superb Beardtongue Gentry's Bare Ray Aster Bloomer's Dock Chiricahua Mountain Brookweed Huachuca Groundsel Canelo Hills Ladies' Tresses Orchid Pinos Altos Mountains Flame

Flower Tepic Flame Flower

Canyon Spotted Whiptail

Texas Horned LizardMexican Garter Snake

Table 13.3 Additional Species that Require Special Management Consideration


Species that will need special managementattention include species that are endemic to theregion or locality, species that have a restricteddistribution within the region, and species dependenton specialized habitat. Other species that will needspecial consideration are species that area rare,vulnerable or declining throughout their ranges; arerare, imperiled or vulnerable in the U.S. portion oftheir ranges that overlap the Coronado NationalForest; or are harvested for economic interests. Thesespecies may not be adequately protected by managingfor ecological systems and may require specificmanagement actions or monitoring. Table 13.3 listsadditional species whose needs should be assessedduring plan revision.

The Whetstone Mountains contain a wealth ofprehistoric and historic influences. Visible andphysical remnants of previous human habitation ofthe area include built structures, physical sites, orobjects or assemblages of material culture. Humanuses of the land compatible with the protection ofbiological diversity, and traditional uses of the land arealso an important part of the cultural heritage of thearea (Table 13.4).

Ecological systems and the processes that sustainthem are the foundations of native biological diversity.Vegetation communities and aquatic habitats that areespecially species rich, diverse, or threatened; or areendemic to the region or locality are of particularmanagement concern. To evaluate current conditionsand management prescriptions for ecological systemsthe Forest Service is using the framework of PotentialNatural Vegetation Types. Potential Natural VegetationTypes are defined as the vegetation that woulddominate a site under natural disturbance regimesand biological processes. Using this classificationallows current vegetation to be compared effectively tovegetation under historic conditions. BecausePotential Natural Vegetation Types are relatively broadgroupings, and because the Forest contains a highdiversity of vegetation types, we present ecologicalsystems as a focus for management direction. Theseecological systems are cross-walked with the PotentialNatural Vegetation Types used by the Forest Service(Table 13.2). Although there are many fine variationsin plant communities on the Whetstone EcosystemManagement Area, ecological systems classify plantcommunities into broader groups so as to be mostuseful for management actions such as mapping, landmanagement, and monitoring. Plant communitieswere grouped based on shared characteristics such asnatural processes (e.g. fire and flood), substrates (e.g.shallow soils, limestone outcroppings), and localclimate.13 Protection of ecological systems will helpensure the protection of biological diversity in theWhetstones. Figure 13.2 shows the distribution ofecological systems in the Whetstones. Throughcontact with regional scientists and experts, and otherpeople familiar with the Whetstones, we identifiedecological systems, physiographic features, additionalspecies and cultural resources that should also beconsidered in the Forest Plan revision.

Human HistoryMescal Springs

Social ValuesOpportunities for solitude and primitive recreationOpportunities for quiet recreation

Table 13.4 Elements of Cultural Heritage


� Scenic resources, including geological features andviewsheds, do not lose value from their currentclassifications.

� Human uses on the Whetstone EMA are in bothshort-term and long-term harmony with theecological health of the land.

� The Whetstone EMA is a high quality location forprimitive recreation with opportunities to experiencequiet and solitude. Wildlife and human visitors arefree from direct disturbance and noise.

� The Whetstone EMA remains situated in alandscape in which wide-ranging species (black bear,mountain lion, deer, pronghorn, Mexican gray wolf,jaguar, coati, and others) are able to move between theWhetstone EMA and the following: Santa Rita EMA,Huachuca EMA, Santa Catalina EMA, Dragoon EMAand other surrounding wildlands.

� Development around the Whetstone EMA does notprevent the continued use of prescribed fire andwildland fire as management tools.

� The Whetstone EMA contributes to the health andrecharge of the San Pedro Watershed and the CienegaCreek watershed.

Desired Conditions

type of development along foothills and floodplainsinclude:

� Fragmentation of wildlife corridors

� Restriction of movement of wide rangingvertebrates

� Alteration of riparian vegetation through increasedgroundwater pumping

� Increased visitation

� Motorized access from adjoiningsubdivisions/private land

� Proliferation of user-created roads

� Increased threat from invasive species

� Changes in disturbance regimes (e.g. fire)

DEMOGRAPHICSThreats arising off the Forest include demographic

pressures for increased human use of the Whetstones.The surrounding towns of Vail, Benson, and SierraVista are growing rapidly. In combination with slatedhousing developments to the north and northeast ofthe range, and the added attraction of neighboringKartchner Caverns State Park, this growth willcontribute to increased visitor use of the Whetstone

The Coronado National Forest and surroundinglands have experienced a variety of changes in thetwenty years since the current Forest Plan was written.Management concerns and threats exist in theWhetstones that are not addressed in the Forest Plan,or have not been adequately dealt throughmanagement. The plan revision will update existingmanagement direction and add new managementdirection, both of which should address theseconcerns. The following issues present challenges toecological sustainability on the Whetstone EcosystemManagement Area.

In order to manage for ecological sustainability onthe Whetstone Ecosystem Management Area, thefollowing threats will need to be addressed in therevised Forest plan.

ADJACENT LAND USESMajor residential development is occurring to the

northeast of the Whetstone EMA. Most notable is theWhetstone Ranch development. In 2006 thisdevelopment was slated to eventually bring 20,000new homes to the San Pedro Valley. Large-lotsuburban housing developments are being built to thenorth of the Whetstones and second-homedevelopment is spreading out from the town of Elginlocated southwest of the mountains. Impacts from this

Threats to the Forest: A Need for Change


� Increased potential for stand-replacing fires

� Decreases in overall water infiltration in uplandareas

� Lowering of local water tables

� Downcut streambeds

Affected resources include: Chihuahua pine standsand associated species (Northern Goshawk, MexicanSpotted Owl), riparian-dependent species, native fish,northern Mexican gartersnake, Sonoran mud turtle,Chiricahua leopard frog, and neotropical migrantbirds.

NONEXTRACTIVE USESFollowing the opening of Kartchner Caverns State

Park, the widening of highway 90 and the continueddevelopment of surrounding areas, visitor use of theWhetstone Ecosystem Management Area is expectedto increase. Potential threats from unmanaged orpoorly managed visitor use include creation ofindiscriminate foot-paths and off-road vehicle tracksleading to the damage of resources.

ROADS/TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMThe limited set of rough Forest roads within the

Whetstones has been expanding in some canyons dueto off-road vehicles pushing past barriers and pastsigns marking the end of roads.14

Affected resources include: springs; ephemeralwatercourses; seeps; scenic resources, all ecologicalsystems, all native vegetation types and theirassociated flora and fauna, riparian plant and animalspecies, species especially sensitive to directdisturbance, wide-ranging species of terrestrialanimals, game species; prehistoric and historical sites,structures, and artifacts.

Ecosystem Management Area. The nearby Highway 90was expanded to 4 lanes and will allow for increasedtraffic flow to the area.

Resources likely affected include: wide-rangingspecies (mountain lion, black bear, coatimundi,pronghorn and deer); species sensitive to humandisturbance (e.g., bats, lizards, desert box turtle,jaguar, ocelot, Mexican spotted owl, and Coues’ white-tailed deer); species vulnerable to trampling; deserttortoise; and all native vegetation types and theirassociated flora and fauna.

ECOLOGICAL RESTORATIONThreats include the suppression of historical fire

regimes, and changes in natural watershed function/flow regimes. Direct impacts include:

� Changes in overstory and understory structure offire adapted vegetation types

� Encroachment of woody species

� Structurally denser vegetation with higher fuel loads

Figure 13.3 Overall population growth ofCochise County from 1990 to 2000

PercentTown/City 1990 2000 growthBenson 3,824 4,711 23%Bisbee 6,288 6,090 -03%Huachuca City 1,782 1,751 -02%Sierra Vista City 32,983 37,775 15%Sierra Vista Southeast 9,237 14,348 55%St. David 1,468 1,744 19%Tombstone 1,220 1,504 23%Whole Cochise County 97,624 117,755 21%

term ecological health and sustainability in theWhetstone EMA. To confront threats and capitalize onconservation assets, we recommend the followingobjectives and management actions to beincorporated into the revision of the CoronadoNational Forest Plan and subsequent project levelactivities.

The Whetstone Ecosystem Management Area(EMA) offers great opportunities for primitiverecreation where quiet and solitude can beexperienced. This should be a major focus and driverfor future management of this area. New managementdirection that shows foresight and proactivelyaddresses threats will create a framework for long-


Recommended Objectives and Management Actions

Maintain wildlife corridors between the Whetstone Ecosystem ManagementArea and the Santa Rita, Huachuca, Dragoon, and the Santa Catalina EcosystemManagement Area, and other surrounding natural areas.

Minimize user impacts from private developments adjoining the Whetstonesand from visitors to the Kartchner Caverns.

Minimize negative impacts of nearby private-land development onecological and cultural elements.

Maintain extant species on the Whetstone EMA that are sensitive to humandisturbance and impacts of increased recreational use of the area.

Establish a clearly defined Transportation System for both Forest users and theBorder Patrol.

Ensure that closed roads in the north part of the Whetstone EMA are notreopened. Monitor closures and restoration efforts. Upgrade barriers wherenecessary to insure restoration success.

Do not allow any further creation of roads in the Whetstone EMA.

Mitigate impacts of the official transportation system and of motorizedrecreation on all physiographic features, species, and ecological systems onthe EMA.

Maintain opportunities for high-quality primitive recreation and quietrecreation.

Correct existing maps of boundaries of inventoried roadless areas to reflect thetrue boundaries on the ground.

Manage 38,585 acres of the Whetstone EMA to maintain their currentwilderness suitability. (See Figure 13.4 for a map of the area to be managed forwilderness suitability.)

Protect Roadless area values and characteristics.

Minimize habitat fragmentation and degradation, and maintain biologicalcorridors and essential habitat for species through the exclusion of roads.

Adequately consider the suitability of National Forest system lands forinclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Provide opportunities for quiet recreation on the Whetstone EMA.

Adjacent Land Uses

Objectives Actions

Roads/Transportation System

Objectives Actions

Special Management Areas

Objectives Actions


Figure 13.3 Travel Management Plan and Route Recommendations for the Whetstone EMA


and isolated pine groves form islands of rare life formsand ancient fossils bear evidence of life long past. TheWhetstone Mountains reach their high point of 7,711ft on Apache Peak, rising from approximately 4,800 ftat their edges.

The Whetstones serve as an eastern boundary forthe Sonoita Plains and Las Cienegas NationalConservation Area. The limited set of rough Forestroads within the Whetstones has been graduallyexpanding in some of the canyons, as off-road driverstake signs and barriers at road ends as points ofdeparture, pushing steadily deeper into theunprotected wilderness.

A broad band of limestone forms the surface rocksthrough much of the Whetstones. It provides thestructure for several important cave features,including Kartchner Caverns. Metamorphic rocksform the southeastern corner of the mountains.

Throughout this roadless area, outstandingopportunities for solitude and primitive recreationexist. The entirety of this area meets the criteriaidentified in the 1964 Wilderness Act. As such, theroadless area described below is suitable for additionto the Wilderness system of the Coronado NationalForest.

Inventoried Roadless AreaThe existing Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA) as

identified by the Coronado National Forest, via acomputer model (Recreation Opportunity Spectrum)not designed to identify roadless areas, and using anoutdated transportation system map, identified 20,713acres in the Whetstone IRA, while the earlier RARE IIsurvey identified 36,610 acres. On-the-ground fieldanalysis by Sky Island Alliance has determined that theroadless acreage in the Whetstone EMA is 38,833.

Archaeological/Cultural Values It is believed that Wyatt Earp shot and killed Curly

Bill in a shootout in Mescal Springs. A small metal lineshack, decaying high in one of the canyons, still hasnewspapers from 1939 on its floor. Other relics ofhistorical ranching operations are scattered across themountain range, but most were never reached byroads and are now overgrown by shrubs and trees. Thesouth end of the Whetstones was historically the site

Wilderness is a cornerstone for protectingbiological diversity and ecological sustainability on theForest. Whether designated, or proposed, these areasprovide a refuge for many species from largecarnivores to small invertebrates. They also provideopportunities for the highest quality primitiverecreation including activities such as hiking,backpacking, horsepacking and hunting. As roadlessareas become increasingly scarce in the United States,remaining roadless areas on the National Forest thatmeet wilderness criteria deserve protection.

The Coronado National Forest is required toanalyze potential Wilderness Areas during Forest PlanRevision. It is mandated by both statute andregulation that the Forest Plan revisions includewilderness suitability analyses. In this document, areassuitable for wilderness are mapped and described foreach Ecosystem Management Area. Lands withwilderness characteristics must be considered forrecommendation as potential wilderness areas duringplan revision. These areas should be designated asWilderness Study Areas in recognition of theiroutstanding qualities and managed to protect theirwilderness characteristics. Identification of areassuitable for wilderness should not be influenced bynonwilderness activities or uses that can be seen orheard from areas within the potential wilderness.Protection of wilderness-quality roadless areasthrough designation as Wilderness Study Areas is keyto ensuring the ecological integrity of the CoronadoNational Forest. Remaining roadless areas withwilderness characteristics are essential tools for theCoronado National Forest to be able to maintainecological sustainability on each EcosystemManagement Area and across the Forest.

WILDERNESS SUITABILITYThe Whetstone Roadless Area is nestled in the

southern portion on the Coronado National Forest inCochise County, Arizona between Benson and SierraVista. Rugged, remote, and largely unknown, theWhetstone Mountains Roadless Complex forms aclassic southwestern wilderness. Few have ever visitedits steep canyons or seen the sweeping grassland vistasavailable from its ridge-tops, but treasures await thosesufficiently strong and adventurous. Wooded streams

Wilderness


Figure 13.4 Area Suitable for Wilderness and to be Managed for Wilderness Characteristics


Wildlife: Common and Sensitive SpeciesThe Whetstone Mountains form a critical linkage

in the chain of Arizona’s Sky Islands, connecting theRincon and Santa Catalina Mountains in the north tothe Huachuca Mountains and the Sierra Madrefurther to the south. This may allow large mammalssuch as jaguar to move northward unimpeded, andprovides rest stops for migrating songbirds. Limestoneformations in the Huachuca Mountains to the southsupport the rarest amphibian in Arizona, the Westernbarking frog; this species may live in the Whetstonesas well. A recent inventory of the Whetstones found 5amphibian and 37 reptile species, including at least 5species which reach the northern limits of theirdistribution here. This abundance reflects the highdiversity found at this overlap between the fauna ofthe Sierra Madre Occidental and the RockyMountains, and between the Sonoran andChihuahuan Deserts. The spring-fed perennialstreams in Wakefield and French Joe Canyons, amongothers, support rich riparian communities with frogs,turtles, and cottonwood and willow trees, along with agreat diversity of birds. Black bears and mountainlions come down to drink, along with the densepopulation of white-tailed deer that attracts hunters,both human and feline.

ARIZONA RIDGE-NOSED RATTLESNAKE (Crotaluswillardi willardi): The Arizona Ridge-nosedRattlesnake occurs in the Whetstone RoadlessComplex and is listed as a Sensitive Species by theUnited States Forest Service (USFS) and as Wildlife ofSpecial Concern by the Arizona Game and FishDepartment (AZGFD). It inhabits oak woodland topine-fir forests near rock crevices on the floors ofsouthern Arizona’s mountains. As a species thatsuffers from illegal collection pressures throughout itsdistribution, the Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake has beenprotected by the rugged and roadless character of theWhetstones.

MEXICAN SPOTTED OWL (Strix occidentalis lucida):The Mexican Spotted Owl occurs in the Whetstonesand is listed as a Threatened Species under theEndangered Species Act, as a Sensitive Species by theUSFS, and as Wildlife of Special Concern by theAZGFD. It inhabits dense old-growth mixed-coniferforests and mature riparian deciduous forest on steepslopes and is found in such forested mountainsthroughout Arizona.

of several small mining operations, and a few miningclaims with their attendant roads remain active. Aremote cave in the Whetstones, which is an importantarcheological site, has been protected by the difficultterrain and distance from roads.

Recreational/Scenic ValuesThe steep, rugged, brush-covered terrain of the

Whetstones provides a daunting challenge to all butthe hardiest hikers. Only a few old pack trails cross itsridges, relics of ranching efforts many decades ago.Not even foot trails reach the highest peaks; theirabsence is evidence of the limited visitation this rangehas received. Many human users of the Whetstones aredeer hunters, who visit every fall to engage in awilderness hunting experience. Birdwatchers andcampers are familiar with French Joe Canyon, whichhas easy access to a scenic canyon setting. A shorthiking trail loops out of Kartchner Caverns State Park,and rockhounds occasionally visit the old mine sites inMine Canyon.

WatershedsThe Whetstones form a significant part of the

watershed for Cienega Creek, the centerpiece of LasCienegas National Conservation Area and one of themost important streams in southeastern Arizona.With their limestone beds sloping down to the west,they supply the aquifer beneath Cienega Creek andseveral important springs. Canyons on the eastern sidedrain into the San Pedro River, while those on thewestern side feed Cienega Creek and thus flow into theTucson basin.

Vegetation The botanical treasures of the Whetstones have

never been surveyed, and relatively few biologists havevisited the range. Botanically, the WhetstoneMountains include and are surrounded by plainsgrassland and semidesert grassland, the former beingone of the rarest vegetation zones in Arizona. Abovethe grasslands, Madrean evergreen woodland coversmost of the mountain range, with the highestelevations supporting small stands of ponderosa pine.Several major canyons contain stretches of deciduousriparian forest, with galleries of sycamore and oak.The Whetstones feature limestone outcrops in a bandcovering approximately 20 square miles. Suchlimestone often supports a variety of rare plants, eitherglobally rare species or species far outside their usualdistribution.

1 Turner, D.S., P.A. Holm, E.B. Wirt, and C. R. Schwalbe.2003. Amphibians and reptiles of the WhetstoneMountains, Arizona. The Southwestern Naturalist 48: 347-355.

2 Warshall, Peter. 1994. Southwestern Sky IslandEcosystems.

3 Jagnow, D.H. 1999. Geology of Kartchner Caverns SatePark, Arizona. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies (61): 49-58.

4 USDA Forest Service. 2007. Geology and Minerals:National Forests.http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/resources/geology/forests/coronado/sv-poi.shtml. Accesses 2 October, 2007.

5 Healy, Stuart. Species list for French Joe Canyon.http://www.aztrogon.com/AZInfo/Location%20Details/SEAZ/Main.htm. Accessed 2 October, 2007.

6 Turner, D.S., P.A. Holm, E.B. Wirt, and C. R. Schwalbe.2003. Amphibians and reptiles of the WhetstoneMountains, Arizona. The Southwestern Naturalist 48: 347-355.

7 Reid, J., and S. Whittlesey. 1997. The Archeology ofAncient Arizona. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.

8 Reid and Whittlesey. 1997.

9 Wilson, John P. 1955. Islands in the Desert A History ofthe Uplands of Southeastern Arizona. University of NewMexico Press, Albuquerque.

10 Barnes, Will C. 1998. Arizona Place Names. TheUniversity of Arizona Press, Tucson.

11 Wilson, 1955.

12 Ratkevich, R. 1998. New Cretaceous brachiosauriddinosaur, Sonorasaurus thompsoni gen et sp. nov, fromArizona. Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 31: 71-82.

13 Marshall, R.M., D. Turner, A. Gondor, D. Gori, C.Enquist, G. Luna, R. Paredes Aguilar, S. Anderson, S.Schwartz, C. Watts, E. Lopez, P.Comer. 2004. An EcologicalAnalysis of Conservation Priorities in the Apache HighlandsEcoregion. Prepared by The Nature Conservancy ofArizona, Instituto del Medio Ambiente y el DesarrolloSustentable del Estado de Sonora, agency and institutionalpartners. 152 pp.

14 All of the impacts listed for this threat come fromTrombulak, S. C., and C. Frissell. 2000. Review of ecologicaleffects of roads on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.Conservation Biology 14; 18-30.


chapter 13, whetstone ecosystem management area

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