After the wildfire : ten years of recovery from the Willow Fire

Cover 1 Title Page, Copyright 2 Contents 6 Deer Creek Long Ago 10 The South Fork of Deer Creek: January 2004 15 The Willow Fire and Its Aftermath: June 2004 and April 2005 19 Returning to Deer Creek: December 2008 26 Spring Revival: May 2009 30 After the Monsoon: September 2009 38 The Lupine Season: March 2010 42 Spring on Deer Creek: Early April 2010 46 Dodder and Hedgehogs: Late April 2010 56 Golden Eagles: Early June 2010 62 Great Spreadwings: October 2010 67 The Puzzle of Dioecy: January 2011 74 Deer Brush and Recovery After Fire: April 2011 79 Mites, Glochids, and Thunderstorms: July 2011 82 A Day Full of Predators: September 2011 89 Daddy Water Bugs: November 2011 94 Mountaintop Snow: December 2011 99 “Spring” Is Here: January 2012 108 The Creek Is Running: February 2012 111 So Much for Spring: April 2012 115 An Illegal Hike?: July 2012 121 Another Illegal Hike?: August 2012 126 Sprangletop Heaven: September 2012 133 Fall in Deer Creek: October 2012 137 The Cold Carpenter Bee: December 2012 144 The Leafhopper Walk: January 2013 154 The Coyote Chorus: February 2013 160 Another Spring: March 2013 164 Back to Deer Creek: October 2013 168 Winter, Arizona Style: December 2013 175 Robins in Winter: February 2014 180 Yet Another Spring: March 2014 183 Plant Colors and Plant Visitors: April 2014 188 Back to Deer Creek Again: October 2014 194 Crab Spiders: March 2015 198 Neon Skimmers: October 2015 203 Conclusion: The Ecology of Western Wildfires 207 Acknowledgments 212 Scientific Names of Plants and Insects 214 Selected Bibliography 218 Index 232 Publisher:University of Arizona Press,Published:2017,ISBN:9780816536153,Related ISBN:9780816534036,Language:English,OCLC:965708508 Swallowtail butterflies frolic on the wind. Vireos and rock wrens sing their hearts out by the recovering creek. Spiders and other predators chase their next meal. Through it all, John Alcock observes, records, and delights in what he sees. In a once-burnt area, life resurges. Plants whose seeds and roots withstood an intense fire become habitat for the returning creatures of the wild. After the Wildfire describes the remarkable recovery of wildlife in the Mazatzal Mountains in central Arizona. It is the rare observer who has the dedication to revisit the site of a wildfire, especially over many years and seasons. But naturalist John Alcock returned again and again to the Mazatzals, where the disastrous Willow fire of 2004 burned 187 square miles. Documenting the fire’s aftermath over a decade, Alcock thrills at the renewal of the once-blackened region. Walking the South Fork of Deer Creek in all seasons as the years passed, he was rewarded by the sight of exuberant plant life that in turn fostered an equally satisfying return of animals ranging from small insects to large mammals. Alcock clearly explains the response of chaparral plants to fire and the creatures that reinhabit these plants as they come back from a ferocious blaze: the great spreadwing damselfly, the western meadowlark, the elk, and birds and bugs of rich and colorful varieties. This book is at once a journey of biological discovery and a celebration of the ability of living things to reoccupy a devastated location. Alcock encourages others to engage the natural world—even one that has burnt to the ground. Very Few People Have Ever Returned Again And Again To The Site Of A Natural But Disastrous Wildfire. John Alcock Is Such A Returnee Who Recorded The Aftermath Of The Willow Fire, Which Burned A Large Part Of The Mazatzal Mountains In Central Arizona In The Summer Of 2004. His Book On The Subject, Wildfire On The Mountain, Describes What Happened To The Lower Reaches Of The Mazatzals In The Following Decade Or So. By Walking Along The South Fork Of Deer Creek In All Seasons As The Years Passed, He Was Rewarded By Seeing A Remarkable Recovery Of Plant Life, Which In Turn Fostered An Equally Satisfying Return Of Animals To The Area Ranging From Small Insects To Large Mammals. In This Book You Will Find An Accessible Account Of What Is Known About The Response Of Chaparral Plants To Fire And The Creatures That Re-inhabit These Plants As They Come Back From A Ferocious Blaze. In A Series Of Short Chapters, The Author Introduces Us To What He Observed On His Many Walks Along The South Fork Where He Saw The Great Spreadwing Damselfly, The Western Meadowlark, The Reintroduced Elk, And Many More Animals. The Questions Stimulated By His Observations Led Him To Explore The Relevant Scientific Literature Which He Decodes For His Readers. This Is A Book Of Biological Discovery, A Celebration Of The Capacity Of Living Things To Re-occupy A Devastated Location, And An Encouragement For Others To Engage The Natural World, Even One That Has Been Burnt To The Ground. Deer Creek Long Ago -- The South Fork Of Deer Creek: January 2004 -- The Willow Fire And Its Aftermath: June 2004 And April 2005 -- Returning To Deer Creek: December 2008 -- Spring Revival: May 2009 -- Post-monsoon: September 2009 -- The Lupine Season: March 2010 -- Spring On Deer Creek: Early April 2010 -- Dodder And Hedgehogs: Late April 2010 -- Golden Eagles: Early June 2010 -- Great Spreadwings: October 2010 -- The Puzzle Of Dioecy: January 2011 -- Deerbrush And Recovery After Fire: April 2011 -- Mites, Glochids And Thunderstorms: July 2011 -- A Day Full Of Predators: September 2011 -- Daddy Water Bugs: November 2011 -- Mountaintop Snow: December 2011 -- Spring Is Here: January 2012 -- The Creek Is Running: February 2012 -- So Much For Spring: April 2012 -- An Illegal Hike?: July 2012 -- Another Illegal Hike?: August 2012 -- Sprangletop Heaven: September 2012 -- Fall In Deer Creek: October 2012 -- The Cold Carpenter Bee: December 2012 -- The Leafhopper Walk: January 2013 -- The Coyote Chorus: February 2013 -- Another Spring: March 2013 -- Back To Deer Creek: October 2013 -- Winter, Arizona-style: December 2013 -- Robins In Winter: February 2014 -- Yet Another Spring: March 2014 -- Plant Colors And Plant Visitors: April 2014 -- Back To Deer Creek For The Tenth Anniversary Of The Willow Fire: October 2014. John Alcock. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Mode Of Access: World Wide Web. "Very few people have ever returned again and again to the site of a natural but disastrous wildfire. John Alcock is such a returnee who recorded the aftermath of the Willow Fire, which burned a large part of the Mazatzal Mountains in central Arizona in the summer of 2004. His book on the subject, After the Wildfire, describes what happened to the lower reaches of the Mazatzals in the following decade or so. By walking along the South Fork of Deer Creek in all seasons as the years passed, he was rewarded by seeing a remarkable recovery of plant life, which in turn fostered an equally satisfying return of animals to the area ranging from small insects to large mammals. In this book you will find an accessible account of what is known about the response of chaparral plants to fire and the creatures that re-inhabit these plants as they come back from a ferocious blaze. In a series of short chapters, the author introduces us to what he observed on his many walks along the South Fork where he saw the great spreadwing damselfly, the western meadowlark, the reintroduced elk, and many more animals. The questions stimulated by his observations led him to explore the relevant scientific literature which he decodes for his readers. This is a book of biological discovery, a celebration of the capacity of living things to re-occupy a devastated location, and an encouragement for others to engage the natural world, even one that has been burnt to the ground."--Publisher information