This is the final published update concerning the status of activities with regard to saving the Haley Hills. While activities have not ceased, publication about them has for security reasons. In order for these activities to remain effective and unhindered, it is wise to follow the example of law enforcement. Details disclosed can work against an operation if they fall into the wrong hands. And so it is with saving the Haley Hills.

Let it be said and proudly known however, that we are winning and that we will prevail, thanks in large part to the single-handed efforts of some tireless volunteers who remain anonymous.

The reality of the matter is that within the next decade the area in all likelihood will become a regional park managed by the City of Maricopa. We have been assured by city officials that such a park will remain closed to motorized vehicles. In that case, our preservation efforts will not have been in vain.

While it would be ideal and preferable for the area to obtain official status as a "wilderness island," it is simply not on a scale large enough to interest or make it feasible for those who could make that ideal a reality. Therefore this blog is once again in the throes of transition. Look for it to become a new front for a more radical exploration and expression of concepts and ideas related to the connection between animal rights and global warming. Did you know that 40% of the world's greenhouse gases are directly caused by commercial animal factory/farming?

For more information about the most important issue of our time, please watch the award-winning film Earthlings. It will change your life like no other. Thank you.

Haley Hills Report (8/8/07)

It's ready! Go see at http://www.judykennedy.com/august82007.htm

Hey -- Is anybody out there?

I think it's important for the public to see my Haley Hills Report newsletters in the same format that the BLM, AZ Game & Fish, Pinal County, and the other recipients see them. Therefore, I've decided to post them "as is" on my website -- photos and all. That way the layout is preserved, and you don't have to visit a separate link for the photos.

I will continue to post general summaries here, but most of the content will be posted on my website here:

www.judykennedy.com/haleyhillsreports.htm

See ya around .... or not.

Judy

Haley Hills Report (7/11/07)

THE HALEY HILLS REPORT

for photos accompanying this report please visit

www.judykennedy.com/july102007.htm

JULY 11, 2007, Wednesday

Purpose: to keep the general public and relevant government agencies informed as to the ongoing status of the environmental degradation due to illegal off-road vehicle (ORV) activity in the BLM region known as the Haley Hills in northwestern Pinal County in the heart of the Sonoran Desert of Arizona.

Scope: biweekly and/or monthly in general

Summary: New illegal ORV tracks through sensitive areas;

LIVE DESERT TORTOISE and BURROW FOUND NEXT TO VEKOL WASH!

New report reveals solutions to ORV abuse of public lands; PEER kicks off campaign to raise awareness regarding ORV “Wreckreation” and its impact on public employees; Haley Hills campaign broadens outreach and online exposure.

June 22, 2007- June 30, 1007

June 22, Fri: We took the main road almost all the way to the west ridge. On the way back just north of the Vekol Wash, I saw Granddaddy’s tracks crossing the road for the first time this year! Granddaddy is the name of a huge rattlesnake that I see each summer in that particular vicinity. Of course I have no idea if it’s a male or female – I just chose that name to reflect its size and age. The width of his track is 3 inches in some places. June 23, Sat: Covered the west wash which parallels Ivory and the southernmost boundary of the BLM land. Saw a red-tailed hawk flying back and forth between the trees in the wash and the west side of the hill.

June 26, Tues: A fence wire was cut again and the gate was lying flat on the ground. The ORVs ran over it and just left it there. So this time I put it back together very well with the materials at hand. Added a new wire and a few wood posts to make it more secure and harder to cut.

June 27, Wed: Patrolled the first east wash and the far east Vekol. ORVs had been all over the place. June 28, Thurs: Patrolled the west Vekol and found fresh tracks there too. Saw 2 red-tailed hawks flying together around the west side of the hill and then northward into the canyon. This was the third time in recent weeks that hawks were sighted over the hill and I realized that these may have been the same two that were circling overhead when I was filming Glow the Gila Monster a few weeks earlier on the east side of the hill. I’ve found abandoned nests on both sides of the hill before. Could this be a breeding pair?

Around 10:00 a.m. we saw a huge dust cloud coming out of the Vekol heading north toward the west ridge. My friend Marshall got in his truck and went back there. He came across a group of ORV riders – 8 or 9 of them. They were riding up the road to the top of the west ridge. Two had already made it to the top and the others were on their way. The guys on the top told the guys below to go see what he wanted. Marshall warned them that if they didn’t stay on the road they could get fined. They replied that they were staying on the road, but he told them that we saw their dust cloud way to the east of the road. They said “Oh we came down the wash.” So he told them they were not supposed to be there either. They said “they didn’t know that” even though the signs are clearly posted in the middle of the wash. He also told them that someone had cut the fence and that there was a fine for that too, so if they knew who might have done it, to pass the word around. They thanked him for the information and then they all turned around, got on the road, and left the area. I filmed all of them as they rode past.

Then they turned on Ivory and headed east. We saw all of them leave except for the two on top of the hill. We don’t know where they went. According to Marshall, their ORVs were yellow, which leads me to suspect they were the same guys I had that uncomfortable encounter with a few weeks back and who frankly admitted they didn’t care what the law said. In any event, all these guys looked like they were in their early twenties. They did not return that day at least. June 30, Sat: Fence was still up although we saw where ORVs had driven up to it and turned around. A full size vehicle had come down the east Vekol. All over the road just a little north of the arroyo and south of the gate, we saw tracks in the dirt that looked like a Gila Monster’s. Could have been some other kind of lizard but I doubt it because they were pretty wide. Wasn’t a snake because the feet/claw marks were barely visible. They led to a small hole on the east edge of the road.

July 1, 2007 – July 9, 2007

July 2, Mon: Late morning -- a guy wearing a helmet on a red ORV puttered up on the road next to our house and then turned around, heading south on Sage. Around 7:00 pm, 2 guys without helmets with a cooler on their ORV sped out of the Vekol. After dark I heard another ORV out there somewhere but never saw it go by.

July 3, Tues: Saw where the guys with the cooler had been. They’d driven up to the very secure fence and just sat there drinking a six pack. They tossed their beer cans under a creosote bush with some other litter. But at least the fence was still intact. Behind the hill on the west Vekol plain, found recent small ORV tracks coming out of the highly vegetated west Vekol and going less than 10 feet from a large burrow – possibly tortoise. They went up the west side of the hill a ways, stopped, turned around and went back into the west Vekol. This was much to close to the hawk nests.

July 4, Wed: An ORV had crossed the Vekol at the road, veered off road to the east, and just weaved in and out of the east Vekol over a half mile or so. When crossing the first east wash it ran right over a bush. Then to my horror, it found my foot trail and followed it into the east Vekol. This is the very first time ORVs have used this entrance to the Vekol. It’s very narrow, steep, and brushy so only a smaller ORV could do this. What’s so horrific about it is that it is a highly sensitive vegetated area and exactly where I’ve sighted desert tortoise before. When the ORV got back into the Vekol they blazed a new illegal trail right across the island over some brush next to some baby Palo Verde trees into the south lane. On the south bank of the east Vekol, we found a small skull hanging from a branch. Looked canine – baby coyote or fox perhaps? Also looked like someone placed it there deliberately.

July 6, Fri: I’d planned to check out the west Vekol, but saw more ORV tracks veering off the road to the east so I followed them. Glad I did because they led me to the first east wash and the foot trail where to my delight I saw the desert tortoise! It was in the exact spot where I previously sighted one 1-2 years ago. This tortoise was about 7-8 inches in length and from what I’ve read, I believe it is a female because she didn’t have those lumps under her chin and her tail was short. Therefore I named her “Gloria” because it was glorious to find her. Gloria was peacefully grazing on dried grass. I quickly took a few close-up stills for identification purposes and then backed off quite a ways to video with zoom so as not to disturb her. After a while she started to walk and headed straight for the Vekol and into a burrow underneath a creosote bush less than 3 feet from the wash. Her grazing location was right over some old ORV tracks, and along with her burrow, less than 12 feet from the foot trail where ORV tracks were spotted for the first time a few days earlier! The whole area is less than 80 yards from the east trail that is frequently and illegally used by ORVs. The burrow was in typical half moon shape which I understand is common for tortoise burrows near dry washes.

And here’s the video: Desert Tortoise in the Wild

All my desert tortoise sightings in the Haley Hills (4) have been within a quarter mile of each other. Same with all the suspected burrows.

Gloria’s appearance calls for more immediate and effective measures for stopping ORV abuse here. The US Fish & Wildlife’s top recommendation is:

Reduce or prohibit vehicle travel off existing roads. Disturbance to desert soils increases the potential for alien plants to invade and become established, causing significant and deleterious alterations to the flora. And, although washes and washlets constitute only a small portion of desert habitats, they have a disproportionate share of the forage plants favored by tortoises and are frequented by tortoises a significantly greater amount of the time. Therefore, vehicle travel off existing highways and established roads—particularly in desert washes and washlets—in desert tortoise Critical Habitat should be minimized and, where possible, prohibited (see USFWS, 1994).

Therefore, all major vehicle access points into the Vekol Wash should be barricaded as the posted signs are having little effect.

July 7, Sat: Very hot and humid – even at 6:30 a.m. Walked down the road to the gate which was still intact fortunately. Saw 3 separate snake tracks over the ORV tracks on this road that should be closed.

Hiked down the west trail a bit and came back down the west Vekol. ORVs had made fresh tracks over some bushes and a highly vegetated island. That night we found 6 Sonoran Desert Toads all clustered around the AC drip by the side of the house.

Seeing several each morning now around sunrise.

July 9, Mon: Went back to check on Gloria. Didn’t see her anywhere but there were no new ORV tracks fortunately. I’m hoping those tracks were just a fluke and that whoever made them never goes back there again. But just in case, I disguised the narrow entrance into the Vekol with some brush so it doesn’t look so obvious. There are other places near by where people and horses can enter the Vekol but I haven’t seen evidence of others using this particular foot trail but me for the past couple of years. From what I understand, the desert tortoise in this particular part of the Sonoran Desert is not technically “threatened”, but is listed as a “sensitive” species with the BLM. Previous scientific plots have shown the tortoise population in Arizona to be stable except for in the Maricopa Mountains region which is less than 5 miles from the Haley Hills. Likewise, the flora and fauna of the Haley Hills is facing permanent damage and degradation due to ORV abuse unless effective action is taken immediately.

New Report: “Six Strategies for Success: Effective Enforcement of Off-Road Vehicle Use on Public Lands,” explores solutions in these times of limited resources and tight budgets.

What you permit, you promote.

- - Rick Lint, District Ranger, Ocala National Forest

The ORV abuse issue on public lands and the role of the responsible public agencies has been very much in the news lately. Here are just a few stories that warrant your attention:

Outdoor damage: Former land managers are right: ATVs are threat, Salt Lake Tribune.

Reckless off-roaders called scourge, LA Times, June 29, 2007.

Off-Road Vehicles Rev Up Controversy, CBS News, July 3, 2007.

Driven to fight: A retired BLM special agent finds herself battling the very agency she once worked for, High Country News, March 19, 2007.

Finally, published in full for your convenience, a copy of the press release regarding the new report revealing solutions to ORV abuse on public lands. I’ve read this report and it contains excellent remedies that are particularly relevant to our problems. For instance, in remote locations like the Haley Hills where live law enforcement may not be practical or realistic – closing off an access road that is no longer used except by ORVs to illegally access the rest of the area can have a powerful impact. Check it out:

New Report Reveals Solutions to Off-Road Vehicle Abuse of Public Land

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact:

May 24, 2007 Jason Kiely, Wildlands CPR, 406-543-9551, 406-239-9432 (cell)

Jim Furnish, former deputy chief, Forest Service, 240-271-1650

For Forest Service response: Joe Gallagher, Acting Off-Highway Vehicle Program Manager, 202-205-0931.

MISSOULA, Mont. – Motorized vehicle abuse has been called one of the biggest problems facing public lands – but many solutions are within reach, a new report says.

Public interest groups released a report today on successful strategies for enforcing the law on public lands to stop off-road vehicle abuse. Five case studies illustrate how authorities have combined six strategies to protect safety, recreation opportunities, wildlife habitat, water quality, and private property.

“Everyone has a right to access our public lands, but no one has the right to abuse these lands or ruin the experience of others enjoying America’s Great Outdoors,” said Jason Kiely of Wildlands CPR, a Montana-based group who commissioned the report. “Fair and effective law enforcement helps everyone who values public land, whether you ride a machine, mount a horse or rely on your own two feet.”

The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have struggled to prevent environmental damage, conflicts, and even violence sometimes associated with the abuse of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), dirt bikes, and other powerful off-road vehicles. Former Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth called unmanaged motorized recreation one of the greatest threats to public land.

The report, “Six Strategies for Success: Effective Enforcement of Off-Road Vehicle Use on Public Lands,” explores what can be done to solve this problem, in these times of limited resources and tight budgets. Read the report and related materials at http://www.wildlandscpr.org/Reports/EnforcementReport.html.

The report is based on more than 50 interviews with public land managers, law enforcement officials, and community leaders, landowners and volunteers. Joe Gallagher, Acting OHV Program Manager for the Forest Service called the report “thoughtful and insightful” and is concerned that funding is not adequately prioritized to enable the use of many of the strategies detailed in the report.

Nonetheless, the report highlights case studies where officials and citizen groups have succeeded after making enforcement a priority. Rick Lint, a District Ranger on the Ocala National Forest in Florida requested additional officers and trained 15 existing field staff to make contact with riders. He said, “What you permit, you promote. We’ve permitted largely uninhibited access to public lands for so long that it’s come to be seen as a right. We’re putting in a structure to manage motorized use to sustain the quality of the land over time.”

In most cases, however, public lands agencies are overwhelmed by enforcement challenges. Lawbreakers too often scar the land, muddy streams and wetlands, damage habitat and create conflicts with law-abiding forest visitors. In the worst cases, these conflicts have erupted into violence and injury. (Visit http://www.wildlandscpr.org/Reports/EnforcementReport.html to read recent news of off-road vehicle abuse and a western Montana case study.)

Jim Furnish, former deputy chief of the Forest Service, tackled the issue in the early 1990s when he developed the management plan for the Oregon Dunes (see update on page 30 of the report). Furnish recently said, “What’s been lacking is the assurance of tough enforcement and the backbone needed to bring the runaway problem under control. Folks visiting our public lands expect enforcement that protects natural resources, ensures visitor safety, and reclaims a family-friendly atmosphere.”

-- 30 --

PEER reports Off-Road “Wreckreation” Plagues Public Lands

The brave folks at PEER.ORG -– Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility whose slogan is “Protecting Employees Who Protect Our Environment” – have adopted the ORV issue as one of their most urgent and important. PEER protects and gives voice to public employees with a conscience who dare to tell the truth about where our taxpayer dollars are really going or not going as the case may be. Whistle-blowers and undercover activists find them an excellent resource and support system. PEER and Rangers for Responsible Recreation are campaigning to draw attention to the growing threat posed by ORV misuse and to assist overmatched state and federal land managers. For more information, please visit http://www.peer.org/campaigns/publiclands/orv/index.php.

Our public campaign is revving up as well. We are broadening outreach and exposure in many venues. For instance, my Sonoran Desert wildlife videos are in the process of cross-posting to several other video hosting sites across the Web: Revver, Magnify.net, Google, AOL, and MySpace.TV to name a few. Our YouTube audience has grown to over 3000 viewers a month. That number is expected to increase exponentially very soon as a result of these multiple postings. For instance, a video that would take a couple of days to get 30 hits on YouTube only takes a couple of hours on Revver and other sites due to better promotion, selectivity, and quality of resolution. So take care, enjoy, and stay tuned for more news about Gloria and her fellow reptilians in the Haley Hills.

For the Haley Hills,

Judy Kennedy

www.judykennedy.com
www.waywardmuse.com

P.S. CORRECTION TO A POSTING IN THE 6/21/07 HALEY HILLS REPORT: THE RATTLESNAKE IN THE VIDEO IS NOT A WESTERN DIAMONDBACK. IT’S A MOHAVE! VIDEO DETAILS HAVE BEEN UPDATED ACCORDINGLY.

____________________________________________________________________

This report is published online at Judy Kennedy’s Haley Hills Blog

For more info: Save the Haley Hills

*NEW VIDEOS* Gila Monster’s Return and Desert Tortoise in the Wild

More Haley Hills Wildlife Videos on the Waywardmuse Channel

Contact:

Judy Kennedy
PO Box 1211
Maricopa, AZ 85239

E-Mail

Haley Hills Report (6/21/07)

For photos that accompany this report, please go to my AOL PHOTO GALLERY.

May 20, 2007 – June 2, 2007

May 21, Mon: Saw small ORV tracks along the east Vekol. May 22, Tues: On the far east side, the broken AZ Game & Fish sign was hanging down so I propped it up again. Fresh ORV tracks prominent everywhere. Found two additional entrances to the Vekol on the south bank further east. May 23, Wed: West trail -- for the first time in a long time, saw small ORV tracks there. It’s a shame because it was starting to see some recovery. Also, it is still evident that ORVs are ignoring the AZG&F signs. They are actually making a new trail around the one that says “No Vehicular Travel – Restoration in Process.”

May 24, Thurs: Man on a horse rode by into the Vekol. Later a man on a blue ORV sped past and into the Vekol. By the dust cloud, it appeared that he went straight back and then turned around but he never emerged from the Vekol on to the road. So I’m certain he exited the area illegally off-road somewhere. May 25, Fri: Saw where the blue ORV headed east down the Vekol as suspected, cutting across some of the islands. May 26, Sat: At least two ORVs and a motorcycle were riding around north of the Vekol. May 28, Mon: Man on a horse rode by again. May 30, Wed: Two red ORVs emerged from the Vekol – an adult and a child. May 31, Thurs: Received an email from BLM’s Patrick Brasington asking for license plate numbers on the vehicles involved in the suspicious activity as it might relate to illegal immigration and/or smuggling. Though I did not have the numbers, I sent him what video footage I had. I also asked him what he thought the chances were of getting the road closed and his recommendation on how to proceed. Have yet to hear back from him on that one.

June 3, 2007 – June 21, 2007

June 6, Wed: Saw 4-5 cattle grazing on the west side of the fence just north of the Vekol. One of them was the big black bull previously seen at the Mesquite Bosque a few weeks ago – had a green tag in his ear but couldn’t get close enough to see any other identifying marks.

Followed some new wide vehicle tracks down the middle trail. They crossed the first east wash and continued down to the second east wash after riding around in circles on the plain. Same tracks were also in the east Vekol. At one point they exited the Vekol on the north bank just west of the 1^st east wash and traveled through a very densely vegetated area and uneven terrain through a deep arroyo. Looked like they got stuck and then got out after making some large ruts. Then they kept going north over vegetation and small arroyos back toward the middle trail.

June 7, Thurs: Small ORV tracks all over the west Vekol – north and south lanes, and through the densely vegetated island.

Saw man on horse again. June 8, Fri: Saw a huge rock squirrel run across the west Vekol up on to the south bank next to the hill. June 10, Wed: A man in a baseball cap came driving out of the Vekol in what looked like a green Subaru station wagon. June 11, Mon: New illegal trail forming across the island in the east Vekol just west of where our small wash merges with the Vekol.

Man rode by on his horse again, but this time it was in the afternoon – not in the morning like usually. June 12, Tues: Late afternoon – 5^th Gila Monster sighting this year!

It was traveling northwest across the front of our property. It went into our backyard and parked under a creosote bush while I proceeded to film it. When I compared the photos to the other sightings, I confirmed it was Glow – the Gila Monster that I sighted on May 17, Thursday morning, on the west side of the fence. I named him or her Glow for identification purposes since this was not this lizard’s first appearance. While I was videotaping, I heard two noisy ORVs in the distance north of the Vekol. At one point they were coming our way but stopped at the wash. I heard one of them yell something about “barbed wire” and then they turned around. By the noise and the dust cloud, it appeared that they went north again and then west. June 13, Wed: Sure enough, those ORVs had cut the fence in two places. They cut the bottom wire of the fence in the portion that crosses the Vekol, leaving a gap just big enough for them to go under. On the other side their tracks continued west and directly up on to the north bank through a densely vegetated area on the west side of the fence. They also cut, tore down, and ran over the gate going west. Before that, they veered off the dirt road and made loops around some creosote bushes. I notified AZ Game & Fish so they could locate the cattle owner and get someone out to repair the fence.

June 14, Thurs: Saw where the ORVs on Tuesday had traveled all over the east Vekol as well, up on to the banks, and slicing through the islands. Found a discarded cigarette pack on the ground in the middle of the Vekol. June 15, Fri: Did the lower ridge trail. Found a full water bottle directly east of the location in the first east wash where the illegal immigrants previously camped. Saw my first Desert Toad of the season. Our puppy chased it off the deck and it disappeared before I could film it. June 16, Sat: Starting to really heat up now. Did the south lane of the west Vekol, checking out likely desert tortoise burrows. One of my dogs smelled the 2^nd one obsessively but I did not see any scat or tracks.

Found some strange dig marks in the dirt on the steep south bank just across the arroyo near the Saguaro strand. Looks like they were done with a shovel. The dogs smelled something there as well but the dirt did not look freshly dug. This is very near where I found the abandoned blue backpack and recorded moving dolly tracks some time ago.

June 18, Mon: Saw more tracks where the little ORVs are going northwest off the trail around the signs in the west Vekol. Saw interesting animal tracks in the south lane near the Saguaro strand – looked like something jumping. June 19, Tues: Noticed the little ORV tracks going right past and around the bush where one of the sighted Gila Monsters took refuge on May 17, 2007. This particular lizard is featured in my Gila Monster’s Journey video, in which I include educational information about the ORVs and what’s happening out here. (I filmed this threatened species crossing the road TWICE.) This bush is on the south bank of the east Vekol not far from the main access road. Also noticed more tracks through the island and coming from the south bank of the east Vekol a little further east of the road as if they’re trying to avoid going down it.

June 21, Thurs: Saw a huge hawk (possibly Ferruginous) flying low right over my head. Walked down to where the fence was cut and wired it back together as best as I could with the existing materials laying on the ground out there – old rusty barbed wire previously discarded. Not a permanent solution but at least the gate is standing up now so that the cows can’t get out. After I returned I got an email from Dan Urquidez with the information regarding possible cattle owners. He also forwarded the info to the BLM’s rancher/cattle grazing coordinator. I replied with a thank you note and let him know that I got the fence temporarily wired for now. Update on the Pinal County Open Space and Trails Master Plan: They got a draft out and it’s up for more committee review and public commentary. No specific action is proposed concerning the Haley Hills. Only reference to the area is regarding the City of Maricopa’s plans to convert it into a regional park. I contacted Marty McDonald, the City’s Director of Parks & Recreation to find out more about that. Evidently, the plans are still in the conceptual phase and he reported that dialogue with the BLM has yet to take place. But he assured me that in the event of a regional park, the City wants to “preserve the area and create regulations that prevent ATV use on the trails, which will ultimate destroy the terrain.” I brought him up to date with what’s happening and asked for his feedback and participation in this process, especially since the City of Maricopa has a vested interest now in preventing future harm to the area. I let him know that while our preference is for the Haley Hills to receive a formal designation of natural open space with restricted usage – nonmotorized and nonfunctional, we would be receptive to the formation of a regional park similar to South Mountain or San Tan, especially if it is the only way to stop the ORVs from destroying this fragile ecosystem. Meanwhile we’re doing more outreach and seeking guidance from conservation groups and wildlife experts, especially in light of the extraordinarily frequent Gila Monster sightings.

For the Haley Hills,

Judy Kennedy

www.judykennedy.com/haleyhills.htm

www.waywardmuse.com

Haley Hills Report (6/21/07)

Haley Hills Report (5/23/07)

For photos that accompany this report, please go to my AOL Public Photo Gallery.

Week of May 3, 2007 - May 10, 2007

May 4, 2007, Friday: We did the west Vekol route. The gallon of water remains untouched. Picked up a brown Budweiser beer bottle discarded at the foot of the gate. Found vehicle debris in the west Vekol at the first major crossover between the north and south lanes.

In the south lane near the steep bank of the southernmost hill with the large Saguaro strand was an abandoned blue backpack.

Around noon a newer model white passenger van drove down the road past our house and parked at the entrance to the Vekol. They sat there for about 45 minutes before they turned around and came back, crossing Ivory and continuing southbound on Sage. The driver was a dark-skinned man with shoulder-length black hair, wearing a mustard yellow sleeveless shirt. I got him and the van on video.

May 5, 2007, Saturday: We went down to the Vekol to see if we could determine the white van’s activity. Saw nothing except for some vehicle debris (a gray plastic bumper with red paint on it) on the west side of the road north of the Vekol. We walked up and around the west hill just south of the Vekol. On the west side about midway up I could see some recovery over the creosote plain. No ORVs had been back there lately.

Later that afternoon what looked like an old Chevy Blazer followed by a guy on a yellow ORV rode northbound past our house and into the Vekol. By the dust cloud that followed them it appeared that they stayed on the road heading straight back to the canyon rather than turning eastward on the Vekol. In about an hour they returned. The yellow ORV guy was wearing a black cowboy hat. He went by first and then waited for his friends in the Blazer to catch up before they both turned left on Ivory heading east. Around 6:00 p.m. another yellow ORV with a helmetless driver recklessly sped past our house and into the Vekol. He was going too fast for me to capture on video but I got his enormous dirty dust cloud. By the deafening noise of his engine and the direction of his obnoxious pollution he headed east down the Vekol.

Motorcycle tracks and smaller ORV tracks were also visible near the gate, down the middle trail, and across the first east wash. The ORV tracks continued down the east trail. The motorcycle tracks veered south past a prominent desert tortoise sighting location and down into the north lane of the east Vekol right through a fragile area of the bank I call the swimming hole. It’s where the first east wash empties into the Vekol down a cascading series of mud steps. The lowest one fills up with water when it rains making a great play pool for the dogs. The motorcycle tracks weaved in and out of the Vekol along the north bank near an empty cigarette pack and beer bottle.

Saw many musical Phainopeplas and beautiful bouncing cottontails.

May 9, 2007, Wednesday: Discovered a new ORV entrance to the east Vekol on the north bank not far from the location of my desert tortoise sighting. This illegal, ugly, and destructive activity has got to stop.

May 10, 2007, Thursday: Pleasantly surprised to spy another Gila Monster crossing the road on the north bank of the Vekol toward the gate, but my camera battery was dead! After taking the dogs home I went back to track it but it was gone. Discovered an interesting mushroom, however.

Afterwards I went down to the far east area of the Haley Hills range. The AZ Game & Fish “no motor vehicles” sign on the southernmost leg of the east trail was still down so I propped it up between some dead branches. Lots of litter and vehicle debris still lying around and absolutely no recovery in sight.

Around noon we saw two Mexican men walking southbound from the Vekol each carrying a gallon of water. Then a compact silver pickup truck with a hard-shell bedcover suddenly emerged from the Vekol and they turned around to walk toward it. The truck stopped and they got in. The truck then continued south across our wash and then east on Ivory. I got it all (including their footprints) on video. It was almost exactly a week ago around the same time of day when I spotted the white passenger van back there. Is a pattern beginning to emerge? Is this becoming a popular pick up spot for illegal immigrants?

Week of May 11, 2007 – May 18, 2007

May 11, 2007, Friday: Photographed some new illegal ORV tracks in and out of the first east wash just north of the Vekol including some beer litter they left behind.

That evening around 11:30 p.m., the sounds of two vehicles going past our house and into the Vekol woke us up. I went outside to keep an eye on them. It sounded like they stopped in the Vekol, got out, and slammed their doors. We heard male voices but couldn’t distinguish words. Then they walked around flashing lights here and there for about 45 minutes. Finally, both vehicles emerged from the Vekol and returned to Ivory where they stopped again. After a few minutes, one went back to the Vekol. Then after a while it came back out followed by two more vehicles. They all stopped on the other side of our wash at the corner of Sage and Ivory. By that time I’d made out that one of the trucks was a Pinal County Sheriff vehicle. Around 1:00 a.m. a tow truck appeared. I could only catch fragments of their conversation from my front steps, but from what little I heard I ascertained that all the fuss was over another abandoned vehicle. The neighbor must have reported it and the cops thought maybe the suspects might still be on the BLM land across the Vekol assuming that’s where they came from. Finally, they all left around 1:30 a.m. and we could finally get back to sleep. I got as much of the event as I could on video – lights and voices mostly – as it was much too dark for anything else. May 14, 2007, Monday: When we went back to survey the weekend damage, we saw no visible evidence of ORVs, but the Sheriff vehicle’s tracks were everywhere. It had to have been their oversized back country truck because the tracks were deep, wide, and ugly. To my horror, they actually drove down the middle trail, ignoring the AZ Game & Fish sign banning vehicular activity due to restoration efforts. At one point when the trail got too narrow, they went around some creosote bushes until they could get back on it. When they arrived at the first east wash, they veered to the south toward the Vekol and then stopped. They must have gotten out there to look around. Then they backed up, turned around, and proceeded northwest across the creosote plain until they met up with the road again. Fortunately, they missed most of the bushes but regrettably left some very disfiguring scars. They had also driven over some freshly made animal burrows. In my opinion they did not have to do this. If this were a rescue effort, then perhaps understandably. But for chasing suspects, they could have covered the area just as well on foot in just a few minutes. It’s not that large. I do it all the time almost every day.

May 15, 2007, Tuesday: Went almost all the way to the back of the canyon on the road, then hopped into the northernmost end of the first east wash (otherwise known as the ridge trail) and headed south. It is one of my favorite hikes – very secluded and shady. Lo and behold we came across footprints in the wash identical to those I photographed on the road belonging to the Mexican men. Sure enough, we came upon their abandoned camp where we found the discarded evidence of various prepared food items from Mexico and a really nice backpack. An inventory:

• Tuny Pavo: Ensalada de Pavo con Verduras
• Tierra Grande Salsa Casera Mexicana
• La Costeña: Elote Dorado Entero
• 3 Barritas Marinela Fresca con Salvado (galletas con salvado mermelada de fresa adicionales con vitaminas y minerales)
• Tortilleria “Chela” de Sonoyta Sonora
• Black Jio Backpack
• 2 limes
• label from Wrangler size 32 (largo) Mexican jeans, boot cut, western fit
• used toilet tissue

Got it all on video as we found it. Then gathered it all up (except for the toilet tissue) and took it home for a group photo.

May 17, 2007, Thursday: Visited the west Vekol again. No changes. On the way back the dogs had gone up ahead and cornered something because they were doing their alarm bark. It was another Gila Monster on the west side of the fence in front of the hill just south of the Vekol. John took the dogs home while I proceeded to film it. While doing so, two hawks flew by overhead – a male Northern Harrier and a Red Tail. Got them both on video. Wow! Another Gila Monster and two hawks in the same video! Yes, it will be on YouTube shortly.

My tape ran out so I took some additional stills and headed for the house. While I was inside getting a new tape, John and the dogs spotted yet another Gila Monster in our backyard! He brought the dogs in and I spent the next several hours tracking and filming this second one. It crossed the road, and at one time looked as if it were headed straight for where the other Monster was. Excitedly I thought, could this be a mating pair? The first one had already disappeared however. Then this second one crossed the road again and eventually slipped into a dense bush on the south bank of the east Vekol where I suspect it has a burrow. I waited for about a half hour but it never resurfaced.

Later I compared the stills of all three Gila Monsters recently sighted – the one in my initial video and these two. All are three separate and distinct individuals! What I don’t know is if the one I sighted the previous week on the north bank of the Vekol was one of these or again a fourth individual. Four sightings of Gila Monsters in less than four weeks is incredibly rare. What’s going on here? Now that I have evidence that this is a high traffic area and that they are indeed crossing the road and probably frequently, the BLM should do the right thing and SHUT THE ROAD DOWN – whether it’s on their inventory or not. This could be a highly significant reproductive clutch. May 18, 2007, Friday: We decided to do something different for a change. First we went to the far west end of the area to check the AZ Game & Fish signs and their fence repair. While there were plenty of ORV tracks going on and off Power Line Road and into the west Vekol, the signs were still up and the fence in place. We spotted small hoof prints to the right of the road – possibly mule deer, and free ranging cattle in the Bosque separating the Haley Hills from the Booth Hills. Then we headed down Vekol Road through the Vekol Valley toward the South Maricopa Mountains and hiked the Vekol in that general area. Plenty of ORV tracks in the wash. Spent some time in the old reservoir which is an entirely different ecosystem this time of year – a greenbelt surrounded by a humid little forest. There were many bunnies, bugs, and cow pies. Also saw some Javelina tracks and one of the largest funnel spider’s webs I’ve ever seen. Then we drove through part of the Sonoran Desert National Monument, followed the Vekol Road south to IH-8 and headed home.

After traveling through the Vekol Valley and across part of the Monument, I have a better appreciation for the vastness of the area and for just how difficult it must be for the public officials assigned to police it to do so in a thoroughly efficient manner given their limited resources in the socio-ecological drought of the Bush administration. It must be overwhelming and so frustrating. And while the Haley Hills range comprises an area that is so much smaller, comparatively speaking (about 3 miles lengthwise), it is still only 2.5 miles from the boundary of the Monument and its wilderness areas. Given the unique richness and diversity of its biological and ecological resources, its significance as a major wildlife corridor to those areas, and its proximity to a populated area that only continues to grow, it is imperative that it be given priority in these efforts. Its northern boundaries will soon see incorporation into the City of Maricopa.That fact alone should be setting off an alarm bell for those who genuinely care about the threatened plant and animal species that inhabit this area. They were here first – this is their home. We are merely guests, uninvited and unwelcome. The least we can do is to do no further harm than we already have.

For the Haley Hills,

Judy Kennedy

www.judykennedy.com
www.waywardmuse.com

The Haley Hills Report 5/2/07

For photos that accompany this report, please go to my AOL Public Photo Gallery.


Week of April 21, 2007 – April 26, 2007

The day after the last report, Saturday, 4/21, was a very active day for the ORVs on account of the great spring weather. What looked like 2 brand new ones – red & blue -- whizzed passed our property and into the Vekol Wash. Later on, while John was standing outside, 2 ORVs departed the Vekol heading toward our house, then stopped. They were yelling at each other. One of them didn’t want to ride past our property, but the other one did. The bold one finally convinced his friend to follow him and as they rode by he waved at John. John did not wave back. Later, a blue ORV sped past followed by a dirt motorcycle. Both riders were helmeted and suited up like racers, each with a number on the back of his uniform. I carry my video camera with me practically all the time now so I try to catch them on film as they pass by, but sometimes they’re just too fast. The next day, Sunday, was much quieter fortunately. Saw a Red Tail Hawk circling over the hill. Monday morning I noticed that several different ORVs had gone up and down the Vekol. Also, a full size pickup truck had been in the north bank of the East Vekol. It made a u-turn where the north lane merges with the south and headed back in the other direction. Looked like most of the ORVs kept to the old rancher access road and the middle and east trail where the Arizona Game & Fish “no motorized vehicles” signs are posted. In fact, there were new ORV tracks through the first east wash just north of the Vekol. Also someone dumped an ashtray in the middle of the east Vekol. Gross!

Saw a Curved-Bill Thrasher next to the Vekol just singing away. A wide assortment of wild birds (including Orioles, Gila Woodpeckers, Cardinals, and Finches) visit my feeder now regularly.

John saw two Mexican men – probably illegal immigrants – walking eastward through the wash on the south side of our property. The dogs saw them and started barking. Think that scared them because they exited the wash and started running.

Friday morning, 4/27, we went through the cattle gate and hiked down the west trail, through the Vekol, then around the hill next to our property. Hop Bush and Creosote are blooming everywhere now.

The beginning of the west trail had no recent ORV tracks. A gallon of water was lying on the ground near the west gate. It looked like it had been deliberately placed there so we left it. Might save a life.

Week of April 28, 2007 – May 2, 2007

Sunday morning, 4/29, the dogs & I took a nice long stroll through the west wash – the southernmost boundary of the BLM land where ORVs hardly ever go. A couple crows flew over and several buzzards were flying low, riding the thermals. The Saguaro crowns are blooming.
I was extremely fortunate to witness one of our resident Gila Monsters out and about. Got some great film footage -- lots of action shots and close-ups in its natural setting.

Gila Monster in the Wild at YouTube !

This sighting was less than fifty feet from the main access road to the BLM land. In fact, at one time, the lizard was walking in that direction. The Gila Monster is a threatened species in Arizona and it is against state law to harass, harm, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, and trap or collect this gorgeous reptile. Yet that is precisely what ORVs regularly do when they’re driving off-road over burrows and other critical habitat. I’ve informed the authorities more than once of the likelihood of a healthier than normal population in this area on the basis of my frequent sightings. This amplifies the issue; as such sightings are reported to be rare.

On Monday morning, 4/30, we checked out the west trail and west Vekol again. Two huge piles of horse manure were on the west side of the cattle gate. The good news is that the westward trail north of the Vekol has not seen any ORVs in quite a while (probably due to the fine fence repair that Troy Christensen of Arizona Game & Fish did) and is beginning to see some recovery. Did not see any new ORV tracks in the West Vekol but did see new full-size pickup tracks again. Looked like they had come down the south lane of the west Vekol, cut across the island when they got near the fence, and made a U-turn at the gate, went back across the island and back into the Vekol. They had actually gone up onto the south bank of the Vekol at one time across a heavily vegetated area before returning to the south lane. When they cut across the island they left a lot of unsightly tracks. This is also near the location of the mountain lion tracks.

Since it did not appear that they went through the gate, I wonder if they were the ones who left the water and perhaps that was their sole purpose for going back there.

We had a nice little rain storm last evening (5/1). I love it when it rains because it softens and smears the ORV tracks in the dirt making it easier to spot and monitor new tracks. Saw some this morning (5/2) on the middle trail just east of the old access road, but they did not look like ATV or full-size pickup tracks. More like a jeep or dunebuggy. They crossed the first east wash and kept on going.

A few minutes ago, the little Latino boy that lives on Miller Road flew past our house on his red ATV coming from the Vekol Wash. He never wears a helmet and he was bouncing all over the place. Someone should talk to his parents. Got him on video again for whatever it’s worth. While Kevin Harper and Melinda Mahoney of the Bureau of Land Management promised additional signage almost two months ago and are receiving these reports, no action on their part yet is evident. That’s it for now.

For the Haley Hills,

Judy Kennedy

www.judykennedy.com

www.waywardmuse.com

Haley Hills Report 4/20/07

Springtime in the Haley Hills is fully present and exquisitely radiant. The few rains of recent weeks have finally coaxed the red-orange blooms of the Ocotillo, and the Saguaro flowers are just about ready to open. The Palo Verde are as beautifully golden as the little flowers on the Red Barrel Cactus. Buzzards are riding the thermals, and I'm still seeing quite a few hawks out and about. Officer Dan Urquidez of Arizona Game & Fish was out there not long ago at the very back west ridge and spotted a mule deer doe and her fawn. That's a first in my books. I've seen Javelina hoof prints and heard strange rustling sounds in the brush at night, but never seen any deer. But that may very well explain the recent mountain lion sightings.

The nice weather also brings out the ORV riders in full force. Today I had a not too pleasant encounter with two of them. To make a long story short, though they acknowledged the signs, they admitted to ignoring them. Reason? Because as long as they've lived out here, they've always ridden out there. I politely explained that the law states that ORVs must stay on "existing roads" with violations subject to fine. They did not believe me. Therefore, I've requested additional signage from Arizona Game and Fish to that effect. Confronted with the reality of getting a ticket and having to pay a $200+ fine might be just the incentive they need to avoid the area. Maybe not, but it's worth a try. Meanwhile I will continue to do my part in monitoring the situation, and trying to get the BLM to speed up their efforts, which so far, have only amounted to words. We need some action out here and soon.

Got a few more videos posted at YouTube. The "Hackberry Tree of Life" has provided us with some remarkable footage of several different species of moths and butterflies, in addition to some beautiful little ladybugs. Enjoy at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=waywardmuse.

For the Haley Hills,

Judy

Intro -- Bringing Everyone Up to Date

The Haley Hills -- a small mountain range and box canyon -- is located in northwestern Pinal County in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. While not as large or well known as some of the surrounding ranges such as the Sierra Estrella and the Superstitions, it is still an ecologically significant area of public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a subdivision of the United States Department of Interior. Rural mini-ranches and a few small farms skirt its outlying fringes to the north, east, and south. The Vekol Wash -- a historically and ecologically significant xeroriparian habitat -- runs along its southern border. The area is about 7 miles southwest from the Ak Chin Indian Reservation, host to Harrah's Casino, and 14 miles southwest of the burgeoning bedroom community of Maricopa. Maricopa is about 30 miles south of the greater metropolitan area of Phoenix. To the west the Haley Hills meets up with the Sonoran Desert National Monument, a protected wilderness area. If it were not for this pure desert wilderness, it might be one of the last "wilderness islands" in an area that is rapidly succumbing to unchecked development and urban sprawl.

We consider ourselves very fortunate to live at the foot of these hills. When we first moved out here in January of 2000, Maricopa was not incorporated and the nearest grocery store was over 40 miles away. There were no subdivisions, no cable television, and no fast food restaurants. Feed stores outnumbered convenience stores, and there was no public transportation. We still have to haul our own water and the only high speed Internet access is by satellite.

In 2003, the town of Maricopa incorporated. Housing developers had a field day, and while the booming has slowed some, new cookie cutter boxes continue to clutter the horizon, along with proliferating strip malls and fast food chains. The highway connecting Phoenix to Maricopa that was once mostly used by ranchers and farmers and as a short cut to Interstate 8 for folks on the way to San Diego, is now a crowded commute and a traffic nightmare for all but the crazy speed demons. For those of us who moved out here to get away from all that, it is especially disheartening.

This explosion in development also triggered an invasion of "city slickers" who view the surrounding wilderness areas as their personal playground. Their recreational area is not just our backyard now -- it is also the home for many unique, rare, and threatened plant and animal species, such as the Desert Tortoise, the Pygmy Owl, and Willow Flycatcher.

While the growth in the area has tripled property values for existing residents, it is not without a price. The rural ranchette area just south of the Haley Hills is called "Hidden Valley." Indeed several years ago, the hills at night were also invisible, cloaked under ink-black skies filled with the brightest stars imaginable and punctuated with coyote choruses that could put any wolf pack to shame. Now the northern outline of the hills is always visible at night with the backdrop of light pollution from the neighboring housing developments. We hardly ever hear the coyotes anymore, though they're still around. I suppose that steady encroachment upon one's home is hardly anything to sing about.

During the past year, we've seen an escalation in illegal ORV (off-road vehicle) tracks disfiguring the desert and a slow diminishing of wildlife sightings. Initially, we didn't think there was anything we could do about it. Then we saw a posting at the feed store announcing a public meeting where one of the topics to be discussed was turning this area into a regional park. That did it. We were fully alarmed and decided to go the meeting.

The meeting was hosted by Pinal County for the purpose of "scoping" and obtaining public commentary on their "Open Spaces and Trails Master Plan." It was very informative and the county officials seemed genuinely open and receptive to comments. Much of the data provided confirmed what we already knew based on our personal observations; most importantly, that the Haley Hills is an area rich in the highest quality of biological resources, with mammal, bird, and reptile species density in the higher ranges. While the Vekol Wash is dry for the larger part of the year, when it runs wet, it floods – most typically during Monsoon season (July-September) when we receive our heaviest rains. Its borders and islands are lush and densely vegetated year round – in striking contrast to the surrounding desert. Walking down the wash is like being in another world. The entire Haley Hills area is a natural refuge for many protected species, such as the Desert Tortoise, Willow Flycatcher, and Pygmy Owl. I’ve sighted Desert Tortoise on three separate occasions – two times near illegal ORV tracks. I’ve also sighted Gila Monster on numerous occasions. Scientists say that such frequent sightings are rare, leading me to believe that a healthier than normal population flourishes here.

The following species represent just some of the wildlife I’ve had the privilege of identifying by sight, scat, track, and burrow -- many captured on video: Mountain Lion, Bobcat, Coyote, Common Gray Fox, Kit Fox, Javelina, Skunk, Racoon, Jackrabbit, Desert Cottontail Rabbit, Round-Tailed Ground Squirrel, White-Tailed Antelope Squirrel, Kangaroo Rats, Mice, Bats, Sonoran Desert Toad, Diamondback Rattlesnake, Kingsnake, Coachwhip Snake, Gopher Snake, Garter Snake, Gila Monster, Desert Iguana, Zebratail Lizard, Collared Lizard, Desert Spiny Lizard, Long-Tailed Brush Lizard, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier Hawk, Sharp-Shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-Tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Elf Owl, Pygmy Owl, Burrowing Owl, Gambel’s Quail, Roadrunner, Crow, Gila Woodpecker, Curve-Billed Thrasher, Phainopepla, Vieros, Warblers, Tanagers, Flycatchers, Cactus Wren, House Wren, Sparrows, Gilded Flicker, Hooded Oriole, Cardinals, Towhees, Cowbirds, Yellow-Headed Blackbird, Finches, Dove, Jays, Hummingbirds, etc. Countless varieties of insects, spiders, butterflies, and moths also grace our area. We are treated to the most unique array of plant varieties found nowhere else but the Sonoran Desert such as the Giant Saguaro Cactus. Palo Verde, Mesquite, and Ironwood trees are a special delight. Ocotillo, Teddy-Bear Cholla, Barrel Cactus, Prickly-Pear, and Pin-Cushion Cactus are prolific. In the fall, Desert Broom Brush launches silky-like snowflakes all over the place. One very early morning I caught a glimpse of the mysterious, elusive Desert Night-Blooming Cereus – a very rare event I am told. Desert Wildflowers that bloom in the spring are especially plentiful after a wet winter. We live in a sea of Creosote bushes – one of the most ancient plants with many uses. I could go on and on, but you get the picture. It’s a desert paradise, warranting a designation of natural open space with restricted usage – nonmotorized and nonfunctional, by government officials.

Our particular comments regarding the Pinal County Open Spaces and Trails Master Plan were formalized in a letter posted at my website: http://www.judykennedy.com/haleyhills.htm. To see the extensive damage wrought by the ORVs which is continuing to accrue, please visit my AOL public picture gallery at http://pictures.aol.com/galleries/waywardmuse?backState=prevPage%3D/ap/myAlbums.do%26state%3DalbumId%253D50489.1284.1168895249266.1.

After inquiring about the ORV issue, I learned that all BLM land in Arizona is classified as “limited use” – meaning that all motorized vehicles must stay on existing roads. There are no “existing roads” out there except for a one lane resource road previously used by a rancher who leased the parcel, and it’s not even on the current BLM inventory listing as a road. At any rate, the ORVs only use it for gaining access to the area. They do not stay on it at all. So I called the Sheriff’s office to find out exactly who could enforce these laws. Out came Deputy Puroll on Sunday, January 14, 2007 – the officer in charge of search and rescue and all the back roads in Pinal County. He was angry and disheartened by what he saw, and promised us he would try to step up enforcement in the area. In the meantime, he encouraged us to get Arizona Game & Fish and the BLM out here to post signs. Troy Christensen with Arizona Game & Fish came out on February 8, 2007 and put up some preliminary signs at critical locations to serve as deterrents. He also repaired a fence that had been torn down in all likelihood by ORVs and/or smugglers so they could avoid traveling on legitimate roads. Kevin Harper, the BLM area manager contacted me and said he would be sending one of his rangers out to get some more signs up. It wasn’t long though until it was evident that the signs that AZ Game & Fish put up were being ignored, and the fence that Troy Christensen repaired was torn down again. On March 3^rd, a vehicle was abandoned on our property. The Sheriff’s deputy who came out to investigate said it was the 10^th abandoned vehicle reported in the area during the recent month. He said it looked like the vehicle was used by smugglers. Several gallons of water were found in the back and a machete was tucked underneath the seat with some Mexican soft porn. The VIN number was scratched off the side of the door and the interior lights disconnected. On March 10^th, Dan Urquidez, AZ Game & Fish Wildlife Manager for this region, came out to visit and to check on some recent reports of mountain lion sightings. Again, he repaired the fence that had been torn down for the second time. We were also informed about an increase in smuggling activity on BLM land. A BLM ranger has contacted me twice by e-mail to tell me that she was coming out to put up signs, but she has not been able to do so yet. Many of my neighbors have expressed a concern not only for the damage to the environment done by the ORVs, but for the safety of the children who make up the majority of the riders. Per our observations, the ORV riders using this area are not mature and responsible “OHV recreational enthusiasts” that you might encounter elsewhere. They are mostly kids who have no regard for the law or the environment. Most of them are under the age of 18 and do not wear helmets. They tend to drive too fast on the roads and into the washes where there are many natural and unnatural hazards.

The alarming escalation of environmental damage due to illegal ORV activity and smuggling in the BLM Haley Hills area requires that we ask the BLM to close off the area to motorized vehicle use in the interim in order to prevent further unnecessary and undue degradation of the land while restoration efforts and other planning is underway. This blog is dedicated to recording and tracking these issues.

Haley Hills Report

3/26/07 Mon. East Trail Hike

To the BLM

cc: Arizona Game & Fish, Pinal County Planning & Development, Pinal County Sheriff’s office (attn: Deputy Puroll, Search & Rescue)

The weekend of March 24-25^th saw much illegal ORV activity in the Haley Hills BLM land again. It was right after a series of several storms that saturated the ground to capacity. Therefore, we thought it would be an excellent opportunity to follow some of the fresh tracks to determine exactly where the motor vehicles were entering the area. Most of the damage this time was to the BLM area east of the rancher’s old “resource road” along and around what we call the Haley Hills East Trail. As you know, this trail was primarily a hiking and horseback riding trail up until a year ago. Since that time, reckless off-road vehicle recreationists and smugglers have attempted to turn it into an illegal “ghost road.” Yet it is not too late to reclaim and restore this trail to its former condition in standing with current state and federal policy.

The hike covered approximately 2.7 miles and was documented with 169 digital photographs. These photos record evidence of fresh illegal ORV tracks, their origin, new “wildcat trails” in the making, and other environmental damage caused by this reckless, illegal off-road and smuggling activity. Out of those 169 photos I selected 45 and put them in slideshow format with descriptive captions for your review. This particular album has been forwarded to you in a separate and subsequent e-mail. The photos are also published online as part of my AOL public gallery. Please review them at your earliest convenience.

The photos include a collection of litter gathered on the hike, and several photos of hazardous vehicle debris which was too large and dangerous for me to remove by myself. Much of the debris is in the form of shiny objects which in some cases have been known to start wildfires. Much of the metal and glass debris is deadly sharp creating unnatural hazards for wildlife and humans alike. Not only was much of this debris near visible animal habitat, a beer can was actually obstructing the entrance to an animal burrow.

The illegal ORV tracks are not confined to the East Trail. I documented the formation of several new illegal “wildcat trails” in the making, some of them running over and severely damaging vegetation. Some of these illegal tracks were less than 50 feet from a Desert Tortoise sighting near the Vekol Wash. I also photographed the major entrances used by the vehicles to enter the area where barricades should be erected.

I photographed evidence of fresh illegal ORV tracks whizzing right past a sacred grave site of historical and archeological significance. One of the “No Motor Vehicles” signs erected by Arizona Game & Fish was found uprooted and severely damaged in the midst of fresh illegal ORV tracks, photos also included.

Our new website and blog, dedicated exclusively to exposing and tracking these issues, will be up and running soon, at which time we will provide you with the link.

We recognize that other planning priorities and insufficient allocation of specific funds and resources have prevented the local BLM field office from giving as much attention to this issue as needed and desired, particularly in the timely enforcement of existing regulations. That is all the more reason to immediately close off this land to motorized vehicle use in the interim. Not only will it help prevent further unnecessary and undue degradation of the land, it may be the only way to improve legal compliance on the part of everyone concerned. Therefore, a formal petition pursuant to 43 C.F.R. § 8341.1-2(a) and FLPMA § 1732(b) with further data and supporting documents is forthcoming.

Thank you again for your time and attention to this matter. If there is anything we can do to further assist you in these efforts, please feel free to let us know.

For the Haley Hills,

Judy Kennedy

Co-Founder, Center for the Haley Hills

www.judykennedy.com/haleyhills.htm

www.waywardmuse.com