Volunteers needed for bat study

 Were your hummingbird feeders mysteriously drained during the night this past summer? Did you know that the midnight raiders were bats? Most of Arizona’s 28 bat species eat insects, but two species drink nectar and eat pollen and fruits from plants such as the saguaro, agave and your hummingbird feeders. The Arizona Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with cooperation from the Town of Marana will be commencing their 2018 nighttime hummingbird feeder and bat monitoring project and they need your help! 

Photo by Doris Evans

Over the past 10 years, citizen scientists throughout southern Arizona have graciously volunteered numerous hours each summer to monitor their hummingbird feeders for signs of visiting bats. They have provided us with valuable information that allows us to better understand the behavior of the federally endangered lesser long-nosed bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) and the Mexican long-tongued bats (Choeronycteris mexicana), an Arizona species of concern. The lesser long-nosed bats migrate north from Mexico and arrive in southern Arizona as the saguaros begin to bloom. They continue to travel throughout southern Arizona feeding on the blooms of saguaros and agaves, as well as at your hummingbird feeders. 

If you enjoy watching wildlife and sitting on your porch during summer evenings please consider volunteering your time for this worthy cause. Your efforts will allow wildlife and resource managers in Arizona to better understand the ecology of these species. The goals of this project are to understand when these species arrive in southern Arizona, determine foraging habits and movement patterns, and to document when the migratory species depart Arizona. With your help, we hope to continue receiving valuable information and use it to understand their behavior as well as how to better protect these bats. 

If you are interested in participating in the hummingbird feeder monitoring project this year, please visit the official website sponsored by the Town of Marana, http://www.maranaaz.gov/bats. The website allows participants to sign up as volunteers and to download information about this year’s monitoring protocol. 

 For additional information please contact:
Emily Scobie, Volunteer coordinator, Arizona Game and Fish Department: escobie@azgfd.gov
Ted Fleming, Media coordinator: tedfleming@dakotacom.net
Janine Spencer, Town of Marana: jspencer@maranaaz.gov
Scott Richardson, U.S Fish and Wildlife: scott_richardson@fws.gov
Joel Diamond, Arizona Game and Fish Department: jdiamond@azgfd.gov 

Marana Town Talk Episode 1: Summertime Adventures, Budgets, and Bats

Town of Marana debuts the first episode of "Marana Town Talk", a new government podcast that balances education and entertainment with thoughtful commentary on local current events. 

Communications Manager Vic Hathaway and Communications Specialist Brad Allis kick off the series with an analysis of the Marana State of the Town Address (1:04) followed by a discussion of exciting adventures you can have in Marana this summer (9:46). In anticipation of the new fiscal year beginning July 1, listeners can then learn more about the budget process and where your tax dollars are going with Deputy Town Manager Erik Montague and Budget Analyst Michael Dyckman (22:45). Finally, as we move into the hot summer months, learn about the Town's bat studies with Environmental Project Manager Janine Spencer-Glasson (32:15). 

AUDIO ONLY

AUDIO AND VISUAL

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

State of the Town recap

Parks and Recreation programs

Marana Events

Budget

Southern Arizona Bat Watchers Citizen Scientist Bat Monitoring Network

Photo by Doris Evans

Were your hummingbird feeders mysteriously drained during the night last summer? Did you know that the midnight raiders were bats? Most of Arizona’s 28 bat species eat insects, but two species drink nectar and eat pollen and fruits from plants such as the saguaro, agave, and your hummingbird feeders. The Arizona Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with cooperation from the Town of Marana, will be commencing their 2017 nighttime hummingbird feeder and bat monitoring project and they need your help!

Over the past 10 years, citizen scientists have graciously volunteered numerous hours each summer to monitor their hummingbird feeders for signs of visiting bats. They have provided us with valuable information that allows us to better understand the behavior of the federally endangered lesser long-nosed bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) and the Mexican long-tongued bats (Choeronycteris mexicana), an Arizona species of concern. The lesser long-nosed bats migrate north from Mexico and arrive in southern Arizona as the saguaros begin to bloom. They continue to travel throughout southern Arizona feeding on the blooms of saguaros and agaves, as well as at your hummingbird feeders.

If you enjoy watching wildlife and sitting on your porch during summer evenings, please consider volunteering your time for this worthy cause. Your efforts will allow wildlife and resource managers in Arizona to better understand the ecology of these species. The goals of this project are to understand when these species arrive in southern Arizona, to determine foraging habits and movement patterns, and to document when the migratory species depart Arizona. With your help, we hope to continue receiving valuable information and use it to understand their behavior as well as how to better protect these bats.

If you are interested in participating in the hummingbird feeder monitoring project this year, please visit Marana’s bat study webpage.  The website allows participants to sign up as volunteers and to download information about this year’s monitoring protocol.

We hope to hear from you this season!

Wildlife corridors to be built beneath Tangerine Road

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Pictured above: 2012 footage provided by Arizona Game of Fish of the wildlife corridors on Twin Peaks Road. 

This week, Marana Town Council approved funding for five wildlife corridors beneath the Tangerine Road expansion project between Dove Mountain Boulevard and La Cañada Drive.  The project will involve the installation of five medium-sized mammal crossings that will accommodate animals such as bobcats and mountain lions. A report from the Arizona Game and Fish Department identified recommended locations for these crossings based on open space connectivity, existing and future development, and hydraulic design.

The Council designated these funds through the Wildlife Linkages Amendment to the Intergovernmental Transportation Funding agreement between the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and the Town of Marana.

“These corridors serve several purposes,” said Town of Marana Environmental Projects Manager Janine Spencer. “They provide a safe alternative route for wildlife crossings, and they serve as drainage conveyances for flooding prevention.”

The Tortolita Mountains north of Tangerine Road has been a critical area for wildlife linkages, and the Tangerine Road wildlife corridors are important for maintaining access between the Tortolita and the Tucson Mountains. Development of the corridors included a technical team of planners, engineers, biologists, hydrologists, and construction professionals due to the project’s challenges involving new roadway elevation and traffic management.

“This project has been a true partnering effort between Town of Marana, Town of Oro Valley, Pima County, Arizona Game and Fish Department, two design firms, two joint venture contractors, multiple utilities, and numerous businesses and residents,” Town of Marana CIP Project Manager Tom Houle said of the process.

The impact of these wildlife corridors is significant for animals and humans alike. The Arizona Game and Fish Department reported road-kill numbers of over one thousand animals per month between May and September in 2010.  Arizona Game and Fish Department counted a total of 88 species, including the desert tortoise, which is listed as Wildlife of Special Concern in Arizona.  Other species identified as road kill include badgers, grey fox, javelina, mule deer and Gila monsters. Motorist collisions with mule deer and javelina could also lead to serious accidents involving injury and damage.

With this week’s Town Council vote, Marana will construct five wildlife crossings beneath Tangerine Road, ranging between 6 and 9 feet in height. Full details of the construction can be found in the Wildlife Linkages Project Funding Proposal.

The Tangerine Road Corridor Project broke ground on March 8 this year, and is a collaborative effort involving Marana, Pima County, Oro Valley, and the Regional Transportation Authority to accommodate the current traffic demands and the increasingly rapid growth and development in the area. Over the next several years, construction crews will widen and flatten the road to create a seamless corridor that extends ten miles from Interstate 10 to La Cañada Drive and increases the safety of both drivers and wildlife. Improvements will also be constructed on Thornydale Road, La Cholla Blvd, and Camino de Mañana. The Phase I portion of the project is expected to be completed in two years. Learn more about the Tangerine Road Corridor Project here.

Marana recognized as "Tree City USA"

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This year, the Town of Marana is being nationally recognized as a Tree City USA. Tree City USA is a national recognition program that began in 1976, and is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters. Marana joins over 3,400 other cities and towns across America, and 29 cities and towns in Arizona as Tree Cities.  Towns and cities that have received their Tree City USA recognition take pride in this distinction, and the people who live there enjoy the valuable benefits of having a greener, healthier community.

The Town of Marana will be recognized along with the other Arizona Tree City USA recipients during this year’s 2016 State Arbor Day Celebration held April 26, 10AM-12PM at the Capital Museum, Historic Senate Chambers.

The Tree City USA designation is awarded to cities and towns that show a commitment to their community forests by meeting four fundamental standards.

A Tree Board or Department - Larger cities usually have a department or other government official that is responsible for tree care.  For the Town of Marana Tree City USA application, the tree board is comprised of representatives from the Parks and Recreation Department, Public Works Department, Planning, Community Development, and Zoning Enforcement.  These are the departments that work together to create and manage Marana’s community forest. 

A Tree Ordinance - A public tree care ordinance encourages beautification, air-cooling and purification, noise abatement, property value enhancement, and all the other attributes of trees in cities of all sizes. It also enables city government to prevent and control destructive insects and diseases, avoid unnecessary costs and liability from hazardous trees and tree-related accidents, and protect residents from unscrupulous or careless operators. For the Town of Marana Tree City USA application, Title 17 - Environmental Resource Preservation, Native Plant Protection and Landscape Requirements from the Land Development Code was presented as Marana’s Tree Ordinance.

A community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita – There are many methods and funds that can be used to calculate this amount.  For Marana’s Tree City USA application this budget was made up from the Public Works Operations and Maintenance and Parks and Recreation Park Maintenance funds expended on tree care and some monies for plan review from Planning.

An Arbor Day Proclamation and Observance – The Town of Marana has officially celebrated Arbor Day annually since 2006 with tree plantings involving volunteers, scouts, school groups, or special event attendees.  Most of those years have included an Arbor Day Proclamation signed by the Mayor.