Help reforest east side of San Francisco Peaks

 Volunteers sought for tree planting on east side of San Francisco Peaks

Coconino National Forest silviculturists and partner organization Ecoculture will begin planting trees north of Flagstaff next month in the San Francisco Peaks area and are looking for volunteers to help in the efforts.

Roughly 3,000 acres of planted trees were lost over the course of the 2022 Tunnel and Pipeline fires. Those trees had been recently replanted to aid in the recovery of the 2010 Schultz Fire.

Upcoming replanting efforts will plant approximately 40,000 native ponderosa pine trees across 200 acres of Coconino National Forest land in the vicinity of Schultz Pass Road on the east side of the San Francisco Peaks.

“This planting is significant not only because of the visual aesthetics and cultural importance of the San Francisco Peaks, but also because it can help reforest areas that burned uncharacteristically hot and may not naturally regenerate for more than one hundred years,” said silviculturist Mark Nabel. “These planted trees will help reduce soil erosion and improve wildlife habitat while also restoring some of the timber base that was lost in these recent fires.”

 

 Ecoculture will be hosting community volunteer planting events from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. August 9 and 16. Volunteers will plant ponderosa pine seedlings (roughly 5-12" in height) using planting shovels, which will be provided. The planting area is about 11 acres and is generally flat. The parking area is roughly 300 feet (0.1 miles) from the planting site. 

 

Planting will begin around 9 a.m. after a brief planting demonstration is given. Volunteers are free to come and go as you please. There will be staff members available to give instructions if you arrive later in the day. The goal for the day is to plant 2,000 trees. There will be plenty of volunteers so there will be no need to rush putting the trees in the ground. Our goal is to provide a great opportunity for the public to give back to their public lands and be safe while doing so.

 

For more information or to sign up to volunteer, contact Wade Gibson at wade.gibson@ecoculture.us.

 

   What to bring:
-Water
-Sunscreen
-Sturdy footwear (no sandals please)
-Rain gear
-Work gloves
-Hat
-Snacks (if you get hungry)