The MAB Program United States of America
Biosphere Reserve Information - General Description
Beaver Creek
General Description
The Beaver Creek Biosphere
Reserve and Experimental Watershed is located about 80 km south of Flagstaff in
north-central Arizona. The experimental watershed was established in 1956 as a
major center for watershed management research within the pinyon-juniper (Juniperus
sp.) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) vegetation types and
semi-desert shrubs.
Beaver Creek has a long history of human influence. Since the late 19th century,
the area has had various degrees of modification by man, the earliest being the
introduction of domestic livestock. Most of the ponderosa pine area has been
logged, which has changed its size and age class distribution. Protection from
natural fire occurred since the early 1900’s. Pinyon-juniper woodlands were
converted for range and water yield improvement in the early 1960’s.
Today, the main goals of the Beaver Creek Program are to provide land managers
with essential information about the biological, physical, social, and economic
effects of management practices in the ponderosa pine forests and pinyon-juniper
woodlands. Furthermore it aims at predicting, displaying, and evaluating
differences among the probable results of management alternatives before actions
are initiated.
Last updated: 06/27/2005