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Basin and Range - West Recovery Unit

The Basin and Range Area Province (USGS 1970, Bailey 1980) provided the basis for two RUs. The Recovery Team subdivided the Basin and Range area into eastern and western units using the Continental Divide as the border between these units.

Mexican spotted owls occupy a wide range of habitat types within this RU. The majority of owls occur in isolated mountain ranges where they inhabit encinal oak woodlands, mixed-conifer and Madrean pine-oak forests, and rocky canyons. Understories consist of big-toothed maple, and Gambel, silverleaf, Arizona white, netleaf, and Emory oak.

Within this RU the Mexican spotted owl occupies primarily on Forest Service lands, and the majority occur within Coronado National Forest (see Distribution and Abundance). Department of Defense lands also support the owl, on Fort Huachuca Army Base in the Huachuca Mountains. Recreation dominates land use within this unit. Activities such as hiking, birdwatching, camping, off-road driving, skiing, and hunting are particularly important. Livestock grazing is widespread but most intensive at low and middle elevations. Urban and rural development and mining modify portions of the Basin and Range - West landscape. Timber harvest occurs mainly on the Prescott National Forest and the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. According to the Coronado National Forest Land Management Plan, timber cutting is used sparingly to enhance wildlife and recreational values. Military training maneuvers take place in and around Mexican spotted owl habitat on Fort Huachuca Army Base.