| Ownership |
Bureau of Land Management,
Las Cruces Area Office, (505) 525-4300 |
| Habitats |
Forest (riparian), Rocks (canyon), Desert |
| Land-use |
Nature conservation |
| Threats |
None noted |
| Site Criteria |
State conservation species (D1), State species in rare/unique habitat (D3) |
| Site Description |
Located
northwest of Lordsburg, the Lower Gila Box is managed as a biological Area of
Critical Environment Concern by the Bureau of Land Management. Vegetation
consists of Fremont Cottonwood, Arizona Sycamore, Seep, Desert, and Gooding
willow, Netleaf Hackberry, Boxelder, False-indigo, Velvet Ash, Arizona Walnut,
Western Soapberry, and Emory and Gray Scrub Oak. Shrub species include: Desert
Spicebush, Tarbush, Honey Mesquite, and Creosote. In wet years, grasses such as
Burro, Tobosa, Bermuda, Knotgrass, and Barnyard grasses flourish here. The
Lower Gila Box is part of the Gila Corridor riparian area. It provides a
migration route for neotropical migratory birds. Over 170 different bird species
are known to occur here throughout the year. |
| Birds |
Along the road are Gambel's
and Scaled Quail, Greater Roadrunner, Mexican Jay, Chihuahuan Raven, and
White-winged Dove. Whip-poor-will call in the evening and Lesser Nighthawk
gather bugs. In riparian areas, Bell's Vireo, Cassin's and Western Kingbird,
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Bridled Titmouse, Verdin, Canyon Wren, Purple Martin, and
Black-throated Sparrow live. The scrub provides a home for Bendire's,
Curve-billed, Crissal, and Sage Thrasher as well as Blue-gray and Black-tailed
Gnatcatcher. Yellow-breasted Chat, Brown-crested Flycatcher, and Southwestern
Willow Flycatcher live in willow thickets. Black-chinned, Costa's, Broad-tailed,
Rufous, Calliope, and Magnificent Hummingbird spend the summer here, as do
Common Black-hawk, Zone-tail Hawk, Bullock's, Hooded, and Scott's Oriole,
Painted Redstart, and Vermilion Flycatcher. Gila Woodpecker resides in the
Arizona sycamores and big cottonwoods. A wealth of warblers migrate through the
area: Black-and-white, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Virginia's, Lucy’s,
Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Gray, Townsend's, Grace's, and Cape May.
Elf Owl and Northern Pygmy-Owl are present but difficult to find. |
| Conservation Issues |
Since 1990, the BLM has excluded livestock from grazing along
eight miles of the Gila River. Since this restriction has been enforced, signs
of positive change are everywhere: new young trees sprouting by the river, new
'meanders' and ox-bows occurring along the river, new areas of vegetation
flourishing where none grew before. Not only is this portion of the Box
designated as a Wilderness Study Area, it's an Area of Critical Environmental
Concern, with guaranteed in stream flows as soon as State law permits. It is
closed to vehicle use; sand and gravel excavation/sales; oil and gas
exploration; and rights of ways. |
| Conservation Plan |
|
| Monitor(s) |
None assigned. |
| Nominator |
None listed |
| Sources |
|
| Links |
|
| Directions |
To reach the Lower Gila Box,
drive 2 miles north of Lordsburg on US-70 and turn right on NM-464. Continue
14.1 miles on NM-464 to a point 50 feet south of the Grant County/Hidalgo County
sign. Turn left (west) on the only dirt road in the vicinity (Nichols Canyon
Road). Drive 3.6 miles and turn right (north) at the first gravel crossroad.
Continue another 4.9 miles to the BLM sign for the site. Continue 0.8 miles to
the river and park in the designated parking area. Caution: Before you
head out, be sure to fuel up, bring water, and provisions. The Lower Gila Box is
in a highly remote location, and there are no services beyond Lordsburg. |
