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Restoring Coral Reefs

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A third of a mile off the west coast of Hawaii in Makaiwa Bay, bright white-violet pops of color almost glow from the seafloor some 30 feet below the surface in comfortably warm water. Although pleasant and beautiful to humans, neither the ocean temperature in October nor the color of the coral is a healthy sign.

Sandra Romer dives down to point out skeletons of cauliflower coral. To communicate mortality, she makes an underwater gesture with her hand across her throat. Nearby, she finds a creamy-amber cluster that is mostly alive and offers a thumbs-up.

“The white color means the algae have left the coral,” said Romer, the general manager of Legacy Reef Foundation (LRF), who, with her husband, Dominic, a diver and professional photographer, transplanted from Flagstaff to Kona in June.

While effortlessly treading water, she offers an explanation. “The algae give coral their color and provide the corals their primary food through photosynthesis. They have a symbiotic relationship. When you see white, it means the coral is starving. It’s called bleaching.”

Bleaching events caused by warming sea temperatures have been particularly deadly in recent years, but scientists say reefs have suffered heavy degradation since the 1970s. “Some 25% to 40% of the world’s corals have been lost in the last 40 years,” said Zac Forsman, Ph.D., a research associate at the University of Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology and scientific advisor for Legacy Reef.

Business consultant Bill Coney is a diver who grew up in Hawaii. “As a child and a young adult, I remember the coral reefs and marine life thriving and abundant. As I got older, particularly in the last 20 years, I saw a sharp decline in the marine life and coral reefs, to the point that our reefs today are only a shadow of the reefs I remember.”

When he retired a few years ago from the tech world, he wanted to do something to restore a small patch of reef near where he lived. “I wanted to be able to take my grandkids diving to show them ‘Papa Willie’s’ reef so they could experience a small taste of what I experienced when I was their age.”

His vision for reef restoration tsunamied beyond “a small patch” when he met retired anesthesiologist Susanne Otero at a beach cleanup event. “Given her medical background, I knew that if we teamed up – with her understanding of medicine and biology and my business background – we would make a perfect combination to build a world-class coral restoration lab. A few days later over coffee, I asked her to join me in forming what would become Legacy Reef Foundation.”

In March 2018, they opened their first coral nursery and restoration lab at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) near Kona on the Big Island. There, a team headed by Romer provides tours and educational presentations, and recruits conservation partners in reef restoration.

A Foundation for Life

The traditional Hawaiian Hymn of Creation, the Kumulipo, has long taught that reef life is the foundation for all life. Science tells us that coral reefs are important because they contain some of the most diverse ecosystems, protect coastlines from storms and provide habitat and shelter for marine organisms like algae, which produce oxygen. They also boost local economies through tourism and provide a hunting ground for coastal villages where fishing is a way of life.

However, there are a number of stressors weakening coral. One of them is a warming ocean.

Heatwaves

Usually associated with El Nino events, heatwaves raise sea temperatures. Scientists are concerned they are happening more frequently, leaving less recovery time for animals like coral. The most damaging warming event ever recorded started in 2014.

“Every time we have a heatwave, it’s chipping away at the fabric of the coral ecosystem, and we’ve had severe losses in Hawaii,” said Greg Asner, Ph.D., founder of Arizona State University’s Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science. “The heatwave in 2014 was weak; the one in 2015 was a monster. We lost 30% of the coral reefs in Hawaii; some areas lost 90%. In 2019, we got super scared as temperatures were higher earlier in the summer than in 2015.”

Last month, Asner and other scientists came up for air when the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources reported coral bleaching was not as severe as predicted for 2019, but still widespread. Asner says 2015 was “like turning the temperature on high and letting it burn, compared to a long slow simmer this past summer.”

With ASU’s new satellite imaging system, the Allen Coral Atlas (named for Microsoft’s Paul Allen), Asner and his team are building the world’s first coral bleaching monitoring system. It was used for the first time in October across the Hawaiian coastlines.

“We mapped it all out,” said Asner. “Some areas lost 50% of the coral, but these were smaller areas than in 2015. A lot of areas lost about 20%.”

Through a combination of satellite imaging and new technology Asner uses on aircraft – imaging spectroscopy, which records ocean depths and live and dead corals by measuring photons from sunlight that bounces off the seafloor – Asner says an accurate assessment can now be obtained about the amount of damage to coral reefs.

Asner’s wife, Robin Martin, Ph.D., a chemist and associate professor at ASU, converts the chemical signatures into measurements, indicating live or dead coral.

“This is the first time this [seafloor mapping] has ever been done where we can see the good, the bad and the ugly,” he said.

Chemicals in Sunscreen

Besides long spells of high temperatures, chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate also have been found to cause coral bleaching. Both are commonly used in sunscreen, but beginning in January 2021, it will be illegal to sell sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate in Hawaii.

Romer says this is a start, but she notes other sunscreen chemicals are deadly as well, such as avobenzone and homosalate. “The ‘Reef Safe’ label on the bottle can be misleading. Basically, avoid sunscreens with ingredients that you can’t pronounce.”

A Sunscreen Use Assessment in Hawaii conducted by social scientist Arielle Levine, Ph.D., with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program was concluded last March. Findings revealed that about 30% of survey respondents on Hawaii’s beaches were using sunscreens containing oxybenzone and/or octinoxate. Levine noted that most were willing to switch to reef-safe products, especially if they were reasonably priced and provided a high SPF.

Physical Human Impact

People unintentionally damage coral. Marine biologist and dive guide Olivia O’Neil says many people do not know the coral is a living animal. “You’ll see them standing on it, handling it, kicking it. They don’t know they’re hurting it.”

On board to deliver the message of how to behave around coral reefs are Hawaii’s sea-going excursion companies like Body Glove, Sea Paradise and Fair Wind Cruises, which provide an educational component on their tours, along with reef safe sunscreen.

Overfishing and Wildlife Trafficking

Tropical fish, including yellow tang, angel fish and moray eels, are captured from Hawaiian coasts to swim in aquariums someplace else.

Snorkel Bob’s website says 90% of fish found in glass tanks around the world are taken from the wild. “This devastating practice results in severe mortality rates from the point of capture through handling, shipping and acclimation,” it states.

“A lot of the fish they take are herbivores that the coral needs to eat back the algae that grows thick during these heatwaves,” said Asner. “If you watch yellow tang, you’ll notice they’re grazing. They’re eating the algae on coral.”

Contaminants

Sewage, pesticides and pollution from coastal communities also threaten reef life.

Speeding Up Coral Growth

Both Forsman and marine biologist David Vaughan, Ph.D., discovered and co-published a method to grow corals up to 40 times faster than observed in the wild. Vaughan has been studying and experimenting with coral for decades at the Mote Marine Laboratory in the Florida Keys. By accident, he learned that if they are cut, they heal themselves, much like our skin grows back over a wound.

In a TEDx Talk, Vaughan explains how pieces from the same parent will grow together and create a much larger, more mature coral in a fraction of the time it would take for the animal’s natural process of spawning in the wild. Even dead reefs, he says, can be brought back to life through microfragmentation and replanting. “We can put 500 cloned pieces on and in two years get them to touch and we are literally bringing a half-a-century coral back to life in a couple of years.”

Forsman, who studies coral genetics and cultivation on Oahu, stumbled on microfragmentation as well at the Waikiki Aquarium and Kewalo Marine Lab. “I’ve been working for the past 16 years to develop coral as a model organism so we can learn more about it. Corals are basically colonies of thousands of interconnected individual mouths, like tiny upside-down jellyfish with specialized algae in their tissue that grow structures that are very similar to bone. Since they are colonies, each fragment is a genetic replica, [which] means you can do all kinds of interesting experiments. There’s a lot of mystery about coral. I think it’s the closest we can get to studying aliens from another planet.”

Coral Kits

Coney and Otero foresee Legacy Reef providing others with resources and assistance to help restore coral reefs. “We are hoping to address the challenge of scaling up restoration efforts,” said Otero. “To be effective, restoration and preservation of coral reefs need to be a global effort, and still follow rigorous scientific methods. The research projects at NELHA will allow us to design restoration and preservation labs that are low cost, and develop easy-to-apply protocols that follow best scientific practices.”

Legacy Reef cannot legally ship living animals (coral), but the team can send tools and directions to build a coral nursery, and provide access to researchers. The plan is to load up 40-foot shipping containers with items like lights, pumps, solar panels and instructions and send them to places such as Fiji, where reefs are struggling and communities depend on coastal marine life for their livelihood. Each outfitted seacan is expected to cost about $150,000.

Coney and Otero foresee Legacy Reef making substantial progress by 2030. “Within 10 years, we hope to take our coral restoration technology through our containerized coral nursery program and set up 100 or more remote restoration lab facilities around the world,” said Coney. “With these efforts, we could see thousands of hectares of dead or damaged reefs brought back to life in key areas where coastal populations depend on their reefs for food.”

Meanwhile, as snorkelers delight in the beauty off Hawaii’s west coast, Romer observes the subtle signs of a struggling underwater ecosystem and teaches others about the value of the planet’s coral reefs. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

For more information, visit LegacyReefFoundation.org or contact Romer at sandrar@legacyreeffoundation.org

Kilauea One Year Later

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For the first time since 1983, Kīlauea Volcano, on the Big Island of Hawaii, is not erupting. The world’s most active volcano ended its 35-year magma run in a spectacular grand finale of fiery fountains and high-volume molten rock rivers between May and August 2018. As a result of the massive and explosive event, much has changed: scientists now have a better understanding of how Hawaii works; drones have earned their place in the study and safety of future volatile events; and the Big Island itself is now 875 acres larger.

As volcanologists continue to monitor, measure and observe the now-quiet Kīlauea, they are very interested in the acid lake that is refilling the caldera and replacing the magma that emptied and redeposited itself last year. But also, Kīlauea’s bulging volcanic neighbor, Mauna Loa, is demanding some attention.

Best Example of a Caldera Collapse

Standing on the rim of the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, U.S. Geological Survey researcher Matt Patrick with the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, points out visible evidence of the large collapse of the crater floor at the Kīlauea Volcano summit. “This caldera collapse event is arguably the best observed caldera collapse event anywhere on Earth in the modern record,” he said.

Kīlauea’s caldera was a lava lake before last year’s eruption, triggered by hundreds of earthquakes. Through a period of three to four months, the crater floor dropped 2,000 feet and moved 800 million cubic meters of lava underground to reemerge through new cracks in forests and neighborhoods on the east side of the island 25 miles away. “So, it emptied here and erupted there,” he said.

How Hawaii Works

Researchers learned that Kīlauea has a close connection between its summit magma chamber and the eruptions that occurred on the flank of the volcano, the rift zones. “What we observed is that over the 2018 eruption, the caldera collapse was incremental. It was highly episodic,” said Patrick. “Every day or two we’d have a collapse event and the floor of the caldera would drop several yards. What we observed was that an East Lower Rift Zone (ELRZ) eruption was happening at the same time as when a collapse event would happen at the summit. We’d see a surge of lava erupting from a vent on the lower flank and this is a distance of 40 kilometers, so this is a long distance that magma was moving. We saw that surge in the eruption on the lower flank happen within minutes. That was telling us that this was probably a pressure pulse that was moving down that magmatic conduit at high velocities.”

It also told researchers that they could predict the next burst of destruction moments before dense jungle would be mowed down, houses destroyed, and roads and beaches swallowed up. Surprisingly, the magma flow did not follow earlier lava tubes, but created new ones, flowing to the Pacific Ocean.

“Over the past year, we’ve been in this recovery stage. The magma chamber is recharging. We know that from instruments on the crater floor. And, one of the recent developments that we’ve had over the past couple months is that we’ve seen water seep back into this collapsed depression that formed last year. This is the first time in at least 200 years that a body of water has formed here at the summit.”

The Creation of an Acid Lake

Crater lakes that form atop volcanoes are typically acidic, with pH values as low as 0.1, which could burn skin. In comparison, normal lake water has relatively neutral pH values near 7.0. A late October measurement of Kīlauea’s new acid lake, made possible through the use of a drone gathering a water sample with a plastic sock, shows the pH at 4.0, which Patrick calls “intermediate acidity” for volcanic lakes. “This shows us that fresh groundwater is probably mixing in.”

However, he says, this is cause for concern. “Kīlauea has had an explosive history for hundreds of years. Those explosions were thought to have been triggered by magma interacting with groundwater. And so, in the future, if magma rises in such a way that it interacts with groundwater here or the water pond that we have now, it could potentially trigger explosive activity and that would obviously be very hazardous.”

Currently, there are no signs of imminent danger from explosions. In addition, Patrick says steam venting from the caldera is largely water vapor, not toxic gas.

“There was concern about carbon dioxide coming out of the volcano. CO2 can be a hazard when it pools or ponds in depressions, like the depression that we have at the summit. A drone that was used over the past week flew with a gas sensor and was able to measure the CO2 concentrations and those levels weren’t elevated, at least in preliminary values.”

Drone Use for Science and Safety

Flagstaff USGS volcanologists Greg Vaughan and Elise Rumpf, along with drone pilots John Vogel and Geoff Debenedetto, were called to Kilauea last year to help with field measurements and mapping of the ever-changing location and characteristics of lava flows, including some 24 different fissures. Vaughan says the highest temperature recorded at an eruption site was more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

“In all of the observations we make from satellites overhead, helicopters in the air and researchers on the ground, drones fill a really important niche. You can fly 1,000 feet above the flows and safely map out an area, not putting any humans in danger,” he said. “They have better views than a satellite as they fly under the clouds, and the person flying the drone sees what the drone sees in real time. We will, no doubt, be seeing more drone use in the future.”

Currently, unmanned drones are limited as to how long they can stay in the air, but Patrick agrees, technological advances will make them increasingly valuable as tools for scientific study.

In addition, during the eruption, a drone was credited with leading an individual to safety. In late May, a U.S. Department of the Interior team was flying a drone to help map the flows in the subdivision of Leilani Estates as a new outbreak of lava was rapidly moving into the neighborhood. “The team overheard radio transmissions that a resident was trapped,” said Vaughan. “They were able to communicate with the individual and instruct him to follow the drone through the jungle.”

Using a cell phone flashlight and the drone for guidance, the resident met up with emergency responders and the rescue effort was deemed a success.

Watching the Sleeping Giant

While Hawaii scientists continue to monitor Kīlauea, they are also keeping a close eye on another shield volcano. Mauna Loa is the world’s largest and one of the most active volcanoes, looming at 13,678 feet above sea level and covering half of the island.

“For the past several years, we’ve seen Mauna Loa inflating and we’ve seen an increase in earthquake activity at the summit,” said Patrick. “Those are signs that potentially could lead to a future eruption. Mauna Loa is another very hazardous volcano. It produces eruptions at very high rates and large lava flows, sometimes fast-moving lava flows. It has the potential of threatening residential areas in Hawaii.”

From the geochemistry of the lava, Patrick says each volcano has its own distinct plumbing system.

Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984 and currently is in its longest period of inactivity ever recorded. “I would not be surprised if it erupted again in my lifetime,” said Vaughan. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Prescott Continues to Grow as a Tourist Destination

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Leaders of the Arizona Office of Tourism lauded the City of Prescott and its partners for significant increases in attracting national and international visitors.

Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT), told dozens of community members who represented various hospitality and tourism attractions throughout the Quad Cities that because of such efforts, AOT was going to request additional funds to support future promotional efforts for Prescott and Central Arizona.

Johnson and Becky Blaine, AOT deputy director, shared both anecdotal and statistical information about how Prescott and Central Arizona have attracted more and more visitors from the United States and several foreign nations. They credited the commercial air passenger traffic generated by United Express, operated by SkyWest Airlines, from Prescott Regional Airport as having had a major impact.

More than 30 community members were at the “Tourism Team Up” event sponsored by the City of Prescott Tourism Office in mid-October.

They used a PowerPoint presentation to document their comments that the financial impact of tourism in Prescott and in Arizona is significant. They also reported that in 2018, visitor spending in Yavapai County was $949 billion, up nearly 11% over 2017. More than 9,910 jobs were supported because of visitor spending, an increase of 4.2% over the prior year.

Blaine said accommodations in Yavapai County generated the most spending, at $249.8 million. Arts, entertainment and recreation brought in $209.8 million; food service accounted for $189.5 million; local transportation drew $78.7 million; and visitor air transportation accounted for $800,000.

“This area has some of the strongest leisure travel numbers in the state,” said Johnson.

Because of the success of commercial passenger flights in Prescott, she said she is going to request additional marketing dollars from the state to promote “Denver to Arizona.” QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Arizona Snowbowl Shares Vision for Next Chapter

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“Our job, as I see it, is to make sure that people take home the memories they come for,” said retired Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. “That includes furnishing the services they need – the roads, the slopes, the facilities, and everything else. It should include using the infrastructure of ski areas to help meet recreational demand year-round.” n the heels of the longest ski season in history, and answering the Forest Service’s call to utilize existing mountain resort infrastructure as a portal to the National Forest to satisfy growing recreational demand, Arizona Snowbowl is sharing its vision for the future. The Flagstaff mountain resort is seeking to enhance the existing guest experience, meet current demand, provide year-round outdoor recreation activities and benefit the community with additional partnerships and a greater economic impact.

Arizona Snowbowl, operating on 777 acres of public land since 1938 under a Forest Service permit, is crafting its new Master Development Plan addressing improvements within the existing boundaries of the mountain resort, as required by the Special Use Permit issued by the Coconino National Forest. The current plan, which included snowmaking, was approved in 2005 and is near completion.

 

Facilities, Infrastructure

A third-party analysis completed by SE Group, a leading mountain resort consulting firm, determined that the comfortable carrying capacity at Snowbowl is currently 3,870 visitors per day; however, guest services, dining expectations and parking facilities are deficient. “It’s not uncommon for guests to experience long food lines, a lack of seating in the lodges and insufficient restrooms,” said General Manager J.R. Murray. “We, too, want our guests to go home with fond memories of their time on the mountain. In order to achieve this, we are planning for a capacity of 4,500 people, to provide a great experience on even the busiest holidays.”

As a result, Mountain Capital Partners, the Snowbowl management group, is conceptualizing new facilities and infrastructure within the resort’s boundaries: increasing space for guest services on-mountain (including food & beverage, ticketing, rentals, lessons, retail), plus additional space within the base area, adding parking for cars and buses, and a small medical clinic in the winter.

Winter Lifts, Trail Enhancements

Plans also include two new chairlifts serving beginner and intermediate skiers, and five additional trails accessible to snowmaking operations. Snowbowl, where Arizona learns to ski, boasts the largest beginner terrain in the Southwest, which includes the state-of-the art Terrain Based Learning program and conveyor lifts. The mountain resort has a growing Adaptive Snowsports Program, plus discounts for veterans and those serving active duty. In addition, full-price lift tickets come with three free lessons.

“It’s no secret that we’re passionate about creating skiers and making the sport accessible to everyone,” said Managing Partner James Coleman of Mountain Capital Partners. “We are guided by our mission ‘Skiing First’ and are committed to keeping winter a top priority. I’m confident the proposed improvements will enhance the experience for expert and beginner skiers alike.”

As part of Coleman’s commitment to making skiing affordable, Snowbowl will also continue to offer Power Kids, a free season pass for children ages 10 and younger. No parent purchase is required, and this pass is valid every day of the 2019-2020 season.

Night Skiing; Winter Tubing

To provide safe, managed snow play activities, Snowbowl has identified the opportunity to provide a winter tubing facility on its lower, western slope. In addition, the mountain resort will be working with the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition to incorporate acceptable lighting fixtures for evening skiing on lower elevation slopes during weekends and holidays. “By offering limited night skiing on 1% of the mountain’s skiable acreage, we’ll be able to provide additional outdoor recreation opportunities for local youth and groups,” said Murray. “This will also help to disperse crowds and traffic, as skiers stay later on the mountain.”

Year-Round Activities

It has been said that Flagstaff is the outdoor recreation capital of the state and tourism figures show adventure seekers are flocking to Northern Arizona in record numbers, searching for new outlets to satisfy their craving for four-season outdoor recreation. “More than half of Snowbowl’s visitors come from the Phoenix area in search of snow play activities in the winter and opportunities to bike, climb and hike through the National Forest in the summer and fall,” said Murray.

Nearly 60 percent of Arizona residents in the 1st Congressional District participate in outdoor recreation. “Currently, the scenic chairlift operates from May to mid-October, which is very popular, and we’re seeing a positive response to the additional activities like summer tubing and a bungee trampoline that were added last year, but guests arrive expecting more. We have the ability to support healthy lifestyles by offering additional features that keep people outdoors and active, enjoying and appreciating all that the Coconino National Forest has to offer,” said Murray.
To accommodate the growing demand, U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary Jim Hubbard, whose responsibility includes the oversight of the Forest Service, calls mountain resorts “lifelong partnerships” in the effort to provide recreational opportunities. Activities now common at other mountain resorts and conceptualized at Snowbowl include: mountain biking, mountain coaster, alpine slide, zip-line tours, expanded disc golf, a climbing wall and outdoor concerts.

 

Economic Impact; Community Partnerships

The Alliance Bank Economic Policy Institute, with the W.A. Franke College of Business at Northern Arizona University, recently published a report estimating Snowbowl’s direct economic contribution to the region at more than $58 million annually stemming from expenditures for payroll, operations and capital projects while supporting more than 700 jobs.

“This past season we introduced two Community Benefit Days, which benefited the Northland Family Help Center and the National Forest Foundation. Our total philanthropic efforts from the 2018-2019 season generated approximately $93,000 for non-profit organizations. We envision a future where our partnerships continue to flourish as Snowbowl is involved in more local efforts. We are excited about brainstorming further outreach possibilities,” said Murray.

Snowbowl’s future plans also include provisions for forest restoration projects, including fuel reduction.

The mountain resort expects to submit its list of proposed projects to the Forest Service this fall. The NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process, which includes public input, is anticipated to begin when detailed project plans have been completed. The earliest implementation of the proposed projects would occur in 2021. QCBN

For more information, visit Snowbowl.ski.

Volunteering to Keep Hikers Safe in the Canyon

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Education, self-assessment and planning are guidelines voiced repeatedly by the Grand Canyon National Park Service to ensure that hikers “Hike Smart” and understand the meaning of the adage, “Down is optional; up is mandatory.” Helping to ensure safety are Prevention Search and Rescue (PSAR) volunteers stationed on the trails.

Implemented in 1997, PSAR was created as a result of increased heat-related illnesses on Grand Canyon trails.

“District Rangers from south, north and inner canyon were having to leave their posts for distress calls along the trails,” said Meghan Smith, acting PSAR supervisor. “The PSAR program was created so we can be stationed at precise areas. We’ve grown into a group of five to seven seasonal rangers with one year-round permanent supervisor. When the program started, we had 30 volunteers and now have 75, with a waiting list.”

PSAR volunteers must attend an annual two-day training and have a current CPR and Wilderness First Aid Card. “They carry basic medical supplies, water, electrolyte powder, salty snacks and a radio,” said Smith. “They are not medically qualified by NPS, but the seasonal staff do carry diagnostic kits to check blood pressure, sugar and oxygen level.”

Volunteer PSARs also shadow rangers as part of their training and are required to do seven hiking patrols per season.

PSARs talk to hikers on the trail, answer questions, offer advice and make recommendations as to how far to hike. Smith says the PSARs also offer information on weather and heat conditions and provide hiker assist.

“Hiker assist is when we take action and do something for someone. For example, a hiker might have separated from the group and is feeling a little anxious,” said Smith. “One of our volunteers will stay with that person and give emotional support.”

Ann Scott is in her fourth year as a PSAR volunteer. “When I visited the Grand Canyon in 1988, I fell in love with it. All I wanted to do was come back. It was like a magnet. I love talking to the visitors on the trail and offering advice on how to have a safe and enjoyable hike below the rim. It is like an extension of my first summer job as a lifeguard. The main difference is that lifeguards rescue people after they get in trouble, but PSAR rangers try to give them information and advice so they don’t need to be rescued.”

Retired NAU Physiology Professor Stan Lindstedt says his background was ideal for the PSAR program. “I had a very active research program working on muscle physiology. This was a good head start for the PSAR program. I always said my job as a professor was the best in the world. Now that I’m a PSAR volunteer, I feel I have the best second career.”

Lindstedt is often exhausted leaving the trail at day’s end but calls it “a wonderful kind of exhaustion.” He says the NPS staff in charge of the program is outstanding. “They are probably the best administrators I have had the privilege of working with. It is apparent that everyone involved in this program is visitor-centered. Our collective goal is maximizing the enjoyment of all visitors.”

The volunteer PSAR season runs from April through October. Volunteers patrol the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails and, when possible, patrol North Kaibab, Hermit and Grandview trails. “We cover them all when we can, but when we can’t, we focus on the more populated trails,” said Smith.

One of the main supporters of the PSAR program is the Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC), which outfits rangers and volunteers with top-of-the-line gear. “We provide radios, backpacks, sleep kits and other equipment,” said Mindy Riesenberg, director of marketing and communications for GCC.

With summer almost here, Smith is adamant that hikers understand the dangers of heat illness, know the warning signs of dehydration and their limits when hiking. “Headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, cramping and decreased urine output are signs of heat illness.” QCBN

Tourism Marketing Paying Dividends for Prescott 

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What seemed initially a modest annual investment, $36,000, has resulted in major dividends for the City of Prescott and local businesses, said City of Prescott Community Outreach Manager John Heiney.  

Heiney told Prescott City Council members, “All indications are that tourism statistics – number of visitors, dollars spent and taxes collected – are up substantially because of our relationship with Front Burner Media.” 

During his remarks at a Nov. 27 City Council meeting, Heiney requested approval of a professional services contract for $36,000 for the coming year. The request was approved.  In fact, two council members, Phil Goode and Billie Orr, praised the tourism marketing efforts, saying those efforts brought people to the community and increased tax revenues that supported other city projects. 

For the past three years, the City of Prescott Tourism Office has worked with Heather Hermen, founder and owner of Front Burner Media, a Sedona-based marketing and public relations firm.  

Heiney told the council, “Heather is able to spend time to research advertising and marketing opportunities, negotiate rates and deals and gain additional exposure for Prescott through her connections. As a result, we’ve received better placement in publications, more mentions in print and additional exposure as a destination to visit.” 

Heiney cited examples: 

  • $14.2 million in media value exposure, reaching an estimated 39 million domestically and internationally, including China, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom.  
  • Increased exposure on the “Visit Prescott” website: in 2017, 93,000 users; based on current figures, more than 125,000 users in 2018. 
  • Hotel occupancy rates: up 2.8 percent over last year.  
  • Bed Tax collections: up almost 5 percent over last year. 

Heiney emphasized the annual $36,000 contract with Front Burner Media is budgeted from the Bed Tax, which is generated from out-of-town visitors.   

Data collected by the Prescott Chamber of Commerce shows that walk-in visitors are up 52 percent, from 1,687 in October 2017 to 2,571 in October 2018. 

A 30 percent increase occurred with phone inquiries: 1,131 in 2017; 1,633 in 2018. 

Robert Coombs, visitor information center manager for the Chamber, said inquiries and walk-ins from international visitors are up significantly from the past. 

Thousands of tourists visit the visitor center in the Chamber office at 117 W. Goodwin in downtown Prescott. QCBN 

By Ray Newton, QCBN  

Photo by Ray Newton 

 

Local Chef On Stage at Smithsonian Food History Weekend  

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Chef Jason Flores lets his regional roots influence his menu at Shadowrock Tap + Table in Sedona. Perhaps that is why The Smithsonian National Museum of American History chose him to appear at the recent Smithsonian Food History Weekend. One of only six chefs asked to participate in the event’s live cooking demonstrations, Chef Flores discussed his family food traditions and of the importance of wild game in regional American cookery. The theme of the three-day weekend, “Regions Reimagined,” explored the history and changing dynamics of regional food culture in the United States.  

The Executive Chef at the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock joined other notables such as Celebrity Chef Aarón Sánchez of Food Network’s hit series “Chopped” and Chef Sean Sherman whose book, “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen,” was awarded the 2018 James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook. In addition to the chefs, others, including scholars, farmers, food entrepreneurs and writers, gathered at the Smithsonian conference to look at how regional food has redefined and reimagined communities across the nation. 

Although Chef Flores now embraces his Oklahoma regional influences, that was not always the case. “I wanted to do just fine dining,” explained the chef, who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Scottsdale. His decade of professional experience in the hospitality industry is marked by notable roles at iconic resorts such as Hotel Del Coronado, La Quinta Resort and Club, Waldorf Astoria and Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort.  

“But as I go further along in my career, the way that we cooked [at home] means more to me,” the accomplished chef revealed.  

Flores was asked to participate in the previous year’s annual foodie event, but it coincided with his 2017 move to Sedona, so he side-stepped the opportunity. He was contacted again in 2018.  

“The Smithsonian National Museum of American History was interested in the way I grew up and what my dad, mom and grandma taught me. I submitted about 15 recipes, some family, some my own or variations of recipes that I’ve seen. They were supposed to choose one recipe, but they chose two: Buttermilk Fried Squirrel and Pimento and Smoked Cheddar Biscuits. I added a third, Wild Boar Chorizo, that I made in-house here [at Shadowrock Tap + Table],” he said. 

“I had things coming from all over the country to join me in Washington, D.C.,” said a smiling Chef Flores, who sent the house-made chorizo to himself via an overnight shipping service the day before he left Sedona. Fresh squirrel came from Louisiana. 

“The squirrel was wild, harvested by a hunter named Swallow in the bayous of Louisiana. It took him awhile, but he got some,” said the chef, whose dad taught him how to hunt, fish and trap. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve eaten squirrel. In Granny’s day, squirrel was common,” said the culinary expert. 

“The trick is to soak the squirrel in buttermilk overnight. That pulls out the wild game flavors. Then I drench it in flour and pan fry it. I know that this is cliché-ish, but it tastes like chicken. A little like the taste of the dark meat.” 

“We had a big Sunday dinner after we all went to church. Granny called it ‘supper’ and it was ready around noon or one o’clock. In the winter, we ate what Granny had put up in jars. In the summer, I helped Granny pick and hoe the garden. I got paid in pickled beets. I still love pickled beets.”  

Today, Flores makes pickled vegetables in the kitchen of Hilton Sedona Resort. “I just put up vodka pickles for the bar’s bloody marys, made with 50 percent pickle juice and 50 percent vodka.”  

 

Changing Dynamics of Regional Food Cultures  

“[At the Smithsonian,] we had people from the South, North and both coasts that represented pockets of cuisine around the country. We talked a lot about the blurring of lines – about how the food is changing. 

“Food transcends everything. Can you take Southern ingredients and make it Latino? Sure, you can. How do you take things and twist them? There are things on my menu here that are blended. Smoking is a big deal where I’m from, and my smoked salmon is done very Southern. In the Northwest where we think of salmon originating, they smoke it slowly over alder wood that has a subtle flavor. Mine is smoked over mesquite or hickory, fairly hot and fairly quickly,” he said.  

Flores says he loves the flavors of the Southwest and the way that they are done with mesquite. “It mingles well with the Southern style.” The brisket hash on the Hilton’s breakfast menu is a good example of his Southwest-Southern fusion. The brisket is smoked in hickory wood, a Southern favorite and made with ancho chiles, topped with chipotle hollandaise and served with corn tortillas. Flores’s pimento and cheddar biscuits also appear on the breakfast menu. “I’ve been making the biscuit dough since I was a kid. It lends itself to whatever you want to put in it.”  

“I’m an Okie, but I live in the desert. [At the conference,] we were talking about the Depression era when the Okies and Arkies went to the West Coast. My great-grandparents were part of that – they went to Bakersfield, California, to pick fruit. After World War II, my grandparents moved back to Oklahoma and started a concrete company.” Flores was born in the Sooner State and it was there that he learned to cook in his Granny’s kitchen. 

Flores was clearly honored to be part of the Smithsonian. “I’m just a kid from Oklahoma. You strive for things like this in your career.” QCBN 

By Stacey Wittig, QCBN 

Shadowrock Tap + Table 

Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock 

90 Ridge Trail Drive, Sedona, Arizona 86351 

928-284-4040 

hiltonsedonaresort.com  

 

Photo caption: 

Chef Jason Flores says he loves the flavors of the Southwest, the way food is cooked with mesquite and how it blends with Southern cooking. The brisket hash on the Sedona Hilton’s breakfast menu is a good example of his Southwest-Southern fusion. 

Photo by Stacey Wittig 

Arizona’s Christmas City Attracting Thousands

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 Prescott’s reputation as one of the best communities to celebrate the Christmas holidays continues to grow. In November, Prescott was named “…one of America’s best small towns for Christmas” by the national publication Country Living.

Thousands of visitors are expected to join locals as they participate in the ever-expanding schedule of activities that caused then-Governor Rose Mofford in 1989 to name Prescott as “Arizona’s Christmas City.”

 

Concerts, Parade, Courthouse Lighting

People have a choice of two concerts on Friday, Dec. 1. One is “In the Christmas Mood” at 7 p.m. at the Elks Theatre in downtown Prescott; the other is “Let the Season Begin” at 7:30 p.m. in the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center (PAC).

Christmas celebrations continue Saturday, Dec. 2, when the streets surrounding Courthouse Square are packed with spectators for the 35th annual Christmas Parade. Beginning at 1 p.m., The “Cowboy Christmas”-themed parade will feature dozens of floats, bands, horses, decorated vehicles and scores of marching groups and organizations.

Later that evening, at 6 p.m., the switch will be turned on for 63rd annual lighting of the 101-year old Courthouse. That will be followed by caroling.

That same evening, Sharlot Hall Museum has a 6 p.m. open house, “Frontier Christmas,” featuring Living History interpreters sharing tales of Frontier Prescott.

 

Acker Night Tradition in 29th Year                                                                                  

More than 100 community musicians will perform in various businesses and shops in downtown Prescott beginning at 5:30 p.m., Friday Dec. 8. The event begins with a community sing-along of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” Acker Night, made possible because of a bequest from the estate of pioneer Prescott businessman James Acker, is a fundraiser for art and music scholarships for qualified students.

That same weekend, Sunday, Dec. 10, the Prescott POPS Symphony Orchestra will perform traditional seasonal favorites during a 3 p.m. concert at the Yavapai College PAC.

Just a few days later, the heartwarming Irving Berlin “White Christmas, The Musical” will be performed at 7 p.m., Dec. 14-17, in the Yavapai College PAC.

Many other programs and performances will be ongoing during the holidays, especially in the many churches throughout the community. Those can be found by looking online or by checking local calendars.

 

New Year’s Eve Boot Drop

Thousands of revelers will gather in downtown’s Historic Whiskey Row for the 7th annual Boot Drop. The six-foot illuminated boot is slowly lowered down a 40-foot flagpole from atop the Palace Saloon and Restaurant. One participant said last year, “Even though it isn’t New York City and Times Square, I’ll bet we have more fun than they do.” QCBN

 

For more holiday event information, contact the Prescott Chamber of Commerce at 928-445-6000 or visit Prescott.org.

 

By Ray Newton, QCBN

 

Photo by Ray Newton

 

 

           

 

 

Airport Expansion Aggressively Underway

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For more than a decade, ongoing discussions and recommendations about expanding the Prescott Municipal Airport, Ernest A. Love Field, have consumed hundreds of hours in deliberations and thousands of dollars in studies.

But now, it appears steps are being taken to expand the airport, perhaps starting with the almost 70-year-old passenger terminal.

The recent announcement of the formation of Friends of the Prescott Airport (FPA) group has already resulted in some significant contributions to initiate construction of a new terminal. According to Prescott Mayor Harry Oberg, a local doctor, Hojat Asker, M.D., contributed $10,000, and his colleagues at the Thumb Butte Medical Center kicked in another $15,000.

The goal set by the group has been announced as $3 million from the private sector. It is hoped, Oberg said, that private-public partnerships will emerge and raise substantial funds to dedicate toward terminal construction.

The Arizona Community Foundation is handling the receipt of contributions.

Beyond that forward movement, Delta Airport Consultants (DAC) was in Prescott recently to report on its findings for the Airport Master Plan. It was the organization’s third Open House for the public.

During a public presentation Nov. 1 at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Student Union Building, Douglas E. Sander, DAC program manager from Raleigh, North Carolina, spent more than 90 minutes sharing study results about primary airport facilities. Included were recommendations about runways, taxiways, hangers, relocation of the control tower and support facilities. Implementation of such recommendations may be spread across a 20-year period, he noted.

Delta Airport Consultants was chosen in August 2016 following a review of its research proposal that focused upon preparing a comprehensive master plan. The company has a history of almost 40 years of specialized aviation and airport planning.

An audience of an estimated 50 community residents listened to recommendations and asked questions about each of the specific recommendations presented by Sander and his consulting team.

During the question and answer period, it was noted that passenger enplanements for commercial flights have been increasing on Great Lakes Airlines. All indicators were that commercial flights would continue to attract more passengers.

Sander emphasized that even if all recommendations were reviewed and adopted this spring, it might take three to five years before the FAA and other agencies issued final approvals.

Jessie R. Baker, assistant airport manager, later said that City of Prescott officials would review the recommendations and choose desirable options based on recommendations of professional airport staff, consultants, public input and cost estimates.

Baker said those alternatives will be considered and placed on the agenda for a public meeting in February.

Baker said all options and alternatives must be reviewed and approved by the Federal Aviation Authority before any major activity occurred. “I am very excited with the feedback and support we have received from the public in regard to airport expansion and its future development,” she said. “The level of involvement from the public, not only in Prescott but also the surrounding communities, has been amazing.” QCBN

Specific details about master plan recommendations can be found online at prcmasterplan.com.

Photo by Ray Newton

 

 

 

Cliff Castle Expands NonSmoking Section

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Photo L to R: James Perry, Director of Marketing; Kimberly Miranda, Director of Finance; Jonathan Hood, Casino Manager; Ron Ingoglia, Director of Slots; Danny Gutierrez, General Manager.

Cliff Castle Casino Hotel in Camp Verde, AZ, is proud to announce the opening of their expanded non-smoking area. With 108 of the most popular slot machines, Cliff Castle Casino now has the largest non-smoking casino area in the state of Arizona.

James Perry, Director of Marketing at Cliff Castle Hotel, said, “We are responding to our guests’ requests for a non-smoking slot area.  This new section of the casino floor will connect directly to the new hotel, which will be entirely smoke free as well. We are very excited to have the largest non-smoking slot section in Arizona and the response from our guests is very positive!”

To play your favorite slots in the comfort of a non-smoking environment, simply walk in the main entrance of the casino and head to your left. Easily identified with a prominently lighted sign, the non-smoking slot area connects the main casino floor to the new hotel lobby. In addition to the slot machines, video poker players who prefer a non-smoking environment will have machines available in the smoke free area as well.

About Cliff Castle Casino

Located an hour north of Phoenix on I-17 just south of Sedona in Camp Verde, AZ., Cliff Castle Casino is proudly owned and operated by the Yavapai-Apache Nation.  Cliff Castle Casino is a family friendly destination that offers Las Vegas-caliber blackjack, live poker, 665 slot machines and year-round, world-class entertainment in the Dragonfly Nightclub and the Stargazer Pavilion. Cliff Castle Casino also features a 20-lane bowling center, Kids Quest supervised child care and an arcade.  Guests can enjoy fine dining at Storytellers Steakhouse and family dining in Mountain Springs buffet, Johnny Rockets-The Ultimate Hamburger or grab a quick bite at Three Sisters open 24/7.  Cliff Castle Casino is currently developing a new hotel expansion featuring122 luxury suites, king rooms, double-queen rooms, a pool, multi-purpose event center, coffee shop, retail outlet and 300 space parking garage. For more information about Cliff Castle Casino, visit www.cliffcastlecasinohotel.com.