Free Workshop:

Sunday, 06/28/2019
3 to 5 pm
Classroom, Timberline Firearms and Training
11972 N. US-89, Flagstaff, AZ 86004

Flagstaff is home to Gunnison’s prairie dogs, a species native to grasslands in the Four Corners region.These colonial burrowing ground squirrels are highly beneficial to grasslands and are considered a species of greatest conservation need across its range, but they can be, or perceived to be, incompatible with some land uses.

This workshop is for anyone living in proximity to Gunnison’s prairie dogs interested in learning more about them and how to control their presence on property you own or manage. In this free 2 to 3 hour hands-on workshop, you will learn:

• The value of Gunnison’s prairie dogs
• Cases of mistaken identity
• Prairie dogs' relationship with plague
• Non-lethal methods that work (and don’t) to control their presence

Come prepared to wrap up the workshop with hands on practice outside with Reverse Dispersal Translocation, a DIY passive relocation method that encourages prairie dogs to move themselves from conflict areas without human handling. All participants will leave with a copy of the newly published handbook: A Non-Lethal Management Guide for Gunnison’s Prairie Dogs.

Instructors:

• Emily Renn, Translocation Coordinator/Gunnison’s Prairie Dog Advisor, Habitat Harmony, Inc.
• Tyler Roberts, Reverse Dispersal Translocation Trainer

Contact: 928-202-1325, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This is a Habitat Harmony, Inc. project supported by the City of Flagstaff and funded by the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Heritage Fund.

Two Workshop Options:

Flagstaff is home to Gunnison’s prairie dogs, a species native to grasslands in the Four Corners region.These colonial burrowing ground squirrels are highly beneficial to grasslands and are considered a species of greatest conservation need across its range, but they can be, or perceived to be, incompatible with some land uses.

This workshop is for anyone living in proximity to Gunnison’s prairie dogs interested in learning more about them and how to control their presence on property you own or manage. In this free 2 to 3 hour hands-on workshop, you will learn:

• The value of Gunnison’s prairie dogs
• Cases of mistaken identity
• Prairie dogs' relationship with plague
• Non-lethal methods that work (and don’t) to control their presence

Come prepared to wrap up the workshop with hands on practice outside with Reverse Dispersal Translocation, a DIY passive relocation method that encourages prairie dogs to move themselves from conflict areas without human handling. All participants will leave with a copy of the newly published handbook: A Non-Lethal Management Guide for Gunnison’s Prairie Dogs.

Instructors:

• Emily Renn, Translocation Coordinator/Gunnison’s Prairie Dog Advisor, Habitat Harmony, Inc.
• Tyler Roberts, Reverse Dispersal Translocation Trainer

Contact: 928-699-3441, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This is a Habitat Harmony, Inc. project supported by the City of Flagstaff and funded by the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Heritage Fund.

November 14, 2018
11:30 - 12:30
Physical Science (Building 19), Room 103, Northern Arizona University

Erika M. Nowak, PhD
Assistant Research Professor
School of Earth and Sustainability and Department of Biological Sciences

Collaborative and Student-led Research Assists Snake Conservation

Image courtesy of George Andrejko, Arizona Game and Fish Department

Snake conservation is inherently complicated by ophidiophobia; the fear of snakes. Due in part to the fear of defensive bites and/or envenomation, management of these important predators, particularly venomous species, is often based on human values and perceptions of decreasing snakebite risk, rather than firmly rooted in data on species’ behavior, ecology, and responses to translocation. Dr. Nowak is an expert in rattlesnake management and declining gartersnake conservation. In this presentation, she will provide an overview of her long-term collaborative research in improving management practices for rattlesnakes. She will also summarize current projects at Northern Arizona University examining the distribution, ecology, and captive husbandry of federally-threatened gartersnakes, summarizing the importance of student-led research in aiding species recovery. Throughout the talk, she will focus on the importance of addressing ophidiophobia to improve conservation outcomes for snakes.

Contact Ellie Broadman (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for more information regarding this seminar.

Habitat Harmony is excited to co-sponsor this year's Flagstaff City Council Candidate Forum. The Forum will be held from 5:30 to 8:00 pm on August 30th at the Coconino Community College Lone Tree Campus (2800 S. Lone Tree Rd.).

The forum will be held in a round-table format where each candidate will visit with a small group of attendees to answer questions as they rotate from table to table. This format provides the opportunity to ask questions of all the candidates that are important to YOU as well as hear the concerns of other citizens in the community.

In addition to the candidates, representatives of the the local ballot initiatives have been invited to meet with people before the Forum starts. If you have questions about the initiatives you will have the opportunity to get answers and learn more, so come early!

Friend's of Flagstaff's Future and all of the many co-sponsors of the event will also be on hand to answer questions and help you get involved in the important work that they are doing in our community. The groups represented this year include: Sierra Club Platinum Group, Citizens' Climate Lobby, Stand Up! for Flagstaff, Habitat Harmony, Keep Flagstaff Together, Flagstaff Freethinkers, Local First Arizona, Repeal Coalition, and NAIC.

The importance of being involved in local issues cannot be understated! Politics in Washington or even the state level can be distant and out of touch while individuals working with their local representatives can create change to make their immediate surroundings more environmentally sustainable, socially just, and economically prosperous.

Come to this forum and get involved in your community. We hope to see you on August 30th!

September 21, 2018
1:00-4:00 pm
Merriam-Powell Research Station, Flagstaff, Arizona
(on the grounds of the Arboretum at Flagstaff)

Join Dr. Erika Nowak, venomous reptile researcher, for an in-depth look at venomous reptile behavior, ecology, and hands-on practice handling live snakes!

Program overview: Dr. Nowak will conduct an ~ 1.5 hour interactive presentation using a Powerpoint presentation, handouts, and visual aids (e.g. transmitters, PIT tags, preserved specimens, live snakes) to explain common Arizona venomous reptile identification, ecology, and behavior. She will also discuss appropriate responses when venomous reptiles are found in places where they are not welcomed by humans, how to prevent bites, and care for envenomation victims. This will be followed by a ~ 1 hour demonstration and class participation in supervised handling of non-venomous and venomous snakes, using snake-safe tongs and snake-proof holding containers. The setting for the training is Northern Arizona University’s Merriam-Powell Research Station (Merriam-Powell Research Station), located next to the Arboretum at Flagstaff.

Class Size and Cost: For snake safety, class size is limited to 20 participants. The cost for this training, put on by Erika M. Nowak Herpetological Consulting, is $75/person. Checks can be made out to Erika M. Nowak. Ten percent of class fees will be donated to Habitat Harmony, Inc. (habitat harmony.org) to support their important conservation work.

Contact Dr. Nowak at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to reserve your spot. See more about Dr. Nowak’s background and her research with snakes here: NAU News: In it for the Animals

Intended Audience and Justification: This training is aimed at resource managers, park rangers, wildlife managers, law enforcement personnel, field biologists, and others who may be called on to remove a venomous reptile from a dangerous situation. Perhaps over half of the envenomations in the US occur as a result of improper handling, partly as a result of misunderstanding about normal rattlesnake behavior, and partly as a result of improper handling techniques. By discussing data gleaned from field research on wild venomous reptiles and dispelling popular myths before handling training occurs, Dr. Nowak hopes to help participants increase their appreciation for these enigmatic creatures, and begin to conquer fears they may have about venomous reptiles, which in turn will lead to safer handling practices. Take-home handouts will reinforce training concepts, and to provide additional resources for living safely with venomous reptiles. This presentation is based on Dr. Nowak’s 24 years of radio-telemetric and mark-recapture field research on rattlesnakes and gila monsters, conducted primarily in national parks and monuments, with insights from her colleagues.

* Please note that this is not a Habitat Harmony event.
Photo copyright Janet Lynn