FRIENDS OF THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS
SPRING 2024 NEWSLETTER
Message From the President
It seems like we were just wrapping up the 2023 season and here we are two weeks out from opening. It has been a busy winter for the Board. Lots of activities and coordination have been accomplished. Let me try and capture what has occurred and is ongoing.
First off, opening weekend is 6-7 April. We are glad to have Mike Foster and John Broz returning as the Carr House hosts for another season. Jane Chambers has finalized the Sunday afternoon speaker programs starting 5 May with a presentation from Cochise College students field trip/work to Kino Bay this past March. The programs for the rest of the season will be: May19, Jaguars, by Mark Hart AZ Game and Fish; June 2, Trevor Lauber, Rainwater Harvesting; June 16, Tom Miscione, Herps-Snakes, Lizards and More; June 30, Doug Danforth, Dragonflies and Damselflies; July 14, Ron Stewart San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area and Resources; July 28, Ted Mouras, Desert Landscaping; August 11, Steven Prager, History and Mission of the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch; August 25, Kathe Anderson, Raptor ID; September 8, Perin McNelis, Ecological Restoration with Native Plants; September 22, James Mustard, Chili Peppers: Past to Present; October 6, Karen Flynn, Trails of the Huachuca Mts.; October 27 Mike Foster Day of the Dead. All programs will start at 1:30 pm. Be sure to save these dates!
You will see a fresh look when you visit the Carr House. We had several work maintenance sessions with the Board and an awesome number of FOHM member volunteers. The front room and meeting room were cleaned, holes caulked, and two coats of fresh paint were added. The carpets were professionally cleaned. Several exhibits have been rearranged. We are still waiting for bids on adding a couple of security railings for the steps. The Forest Service has provided several emblems that are now on the inside and outside on the stone wall. We could not have done this without the generous volunteer support.
Last summer we finalized the five-year operations agreement with the FOHM and Forest Service. During the discussions Zac Ribbing, our Forest Service liaison, brought up the idea of doing a Site Plan for the Carr House and adjacent area. After several sessions, the Board developed a “draft” proposal consisting of eight components that are as follows:
1. Improve site parking.
2. Enhance the current trail system.
3. Improvements to the Carr House.
4. Improvements adjacent to the Carr House.
5. Improvements to the outbuildings.
6. Amphitheater/Outdoor gathering area.
7. Adjacent area up Carr Canyon from the Carr House.
8. Expanded availability of the Carr House area facilities.
This is a long-term plan and will take considerable planning and resourcing, however, it is the first step in a potentially exciting journey for the Carr House. Along the same vein, the Forest Service is developing a recreation sensing/mapping project that is kicking off 25 March with an online platform. This will allow the public to pinpoint where they would like to see their interests met on the Forest. I highly encourage everyone to participate in this and make your thoughts known.
We are still looking for a new Board Member to be the Secretary. If you are interested, please send an email to info@huachucamountains.org.
Finally, your trip to the Carr House may not be so rattling and jarring this year. The Forest Service has graded, shaped, and hauled in a lot of rock. The Carr Canyon Road has been greatly improved. I look forward to seeing many of you this season.
Respectfully,
Eric Andersen, President
Friends of the Huachuca Mountains
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