Karen Warnick - The Independent | Posted: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 9:56 am
APACHE COUNTY — Five large wildlife management areas in Apache County are owned and
operated by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Four of the areas are Heritage Fund sites:
Becker Lake Wildlife area, Wenima Wildlife area, Sipe Wildlife area, and the Grasslands area.
The fifth is the Springerville Marsh Wildlife area.
Employees of Game and Fish held a public meeting March 6 at the Eagar Town Hall for a
property management review and to encourage the public to comment on the next six years of
operation in the five areas.
Dave Cagle conducted most of the meeting with a history of the areas and the goals and objectives
in managing them.
The main purpose of the meeting was to get input from the public and local communities to guide
the future operational plans using estimates of manpower and financial needs with potential
enhancements.
This was the first time the Department has held this type of meeting, Cagle said. He also stated
that State lottery funds were used to acquire most of four of the areas which had to have
threatened or endangered species living within the boundaries.
After the hour long PowerPoint presentation and discussion, several other Game and Fish officers
were on hand to discuss and take public comments on the individual wildlife areas.
It was made clear that public input would be considered and that any reasonable options were on
the table, but priorities had to be followed according to a plan and the availability of funding.
Some of those plans include a boat ramp, picnic tables and shade at Becker Lake. Those
objectives came about because of interaction with anglers that fish the lake. Other enhancement
plans include rest rooms at sites that don’t currently have them.
Recreational opportunities at each of the areas are high on the list of goals and objectives as is
managing species and their habitat, enhancing riparian and wetland areas, maintaining local
vegetation, managing and maintaining water rights, and opportunities for public education
regarding conservation of grasslands and native species.
Progress on the Eagar community fishing lake was halted to mitigate archeological issues. It was
reported that it will take another year or so before work can be completed on the pond.
Public comments can be made until March 19 and will be evaluated for incorporation into the new
management plan.
To make a comment or recommendation on any of the wildlife areas, mail comments to Dave
Cagle at Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd., Pinetop, AZ 85935
or dcagle@azgfd.gov.
Reach the writer at kwarnick@wmicentral.com
