The wildlife attracted to these habitats afford valuable recreational opportunities. Wildlife watching has increased in popularity in Arizona, and the United States generally. The primary use of the LHMWA is limited to day use hiking, sight-seeing and photography by the general public with numerous organized field-trips sponsored by Flagstaff Public Schools in association with Project L.I.F.E. and Camp Colton. The surrounding USFS lands are restricted in their use by Wilderness Area designation.
a) No firewood cutting or gathering.
b) No overnight public camping.
c) No motorized vehicles.
No overnight public camping.
Open to hunting in season, located in Unit 7.
The southerly aspect of the property, combined with the high elevation, has caused the development of a mixed conifer forest dominated by ponderosa pine, Douglas and white fir, Engelmann's spruce and aspen. Open meadows associated with mesic conditions are common but small in size.
All forested habitats on the wildlife area fall within the Montane Conifer Forest. These can be broken down into three groups based on soil moisture and topography; mesic drainages, mesic uplands and xeric ridges.
Mesic drainages entail approximately 25% of the area, the mesic uplands approximately 40% of the area, and the xeric ridges about 20% of the area. On the xeric ridges vegetation consists primarily of typical Douglas fir/mixed conifer associations common to the surrounding forest lands with some aspen (20%) component and pine in equivalent basal area.
Montane meadow grasslands are weakly represented on the wildlife area, encompassing about only 10-15% of the area. These habitats are associated with gentle topography and poorly drained soils that support numerous forb and perennial grass species. The primary occurrence of this habitat type is in the northwest corner of the area and immediately downstream of Canadian, Indian and Middle springs. Other vestiges of this habitat type are found in the two mesic drainages that occur in the center of the property. Grasses such as mountain muhly, Arizona fescue, pine dropseed and squirreltail grow profusely in the meadows and open aspen stands.
The property consists of relatively undeveloped old growth forest interspersed with wet meadow/springs. The most commonly observed species on the property are deer and elk. Mexican spotted owls, northern goshawks and California codors have been observed on the property.
The present emphasis for the area, and the desired emphasis of the Lamar Haines Foundation (Foundation), is to retain the area in as natural a state as possible for use as an environmental education field trip destination and study site.
LHMWA sustains a valuable stand of old growth forest habitat interspersed with wet meadow/springs that add diversity to the habitat. Preservation and management of this area requires coordination with the USFS on management of the surrounding forested areas since the value of LHMWA would be significantly reduced if it became an isolated forest stand. The remnant old-growth conifer forest of LHMWA has been subjected to very light logging and timber management treatments.