It isn’t just that I miss scuba diving. Going from Caribbean waters to Arizona’s perpetual water shortage was bound to affect my diving. No, what worries me is that our murky, little local lakes are beginning to look like viable dive sites. I paddle Watson in my kayak imagining I’m below the surface, strapped into my dive gear.

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Arizona Game and Fish Department law enforcement officers want the public to report wildlife violations, but there are actions you should and shouldn't take at a potential crime scene.

APS is replacing power line poles at the Prescott National Forest Groom Creek Loop Trail (TR 307) trailhead starting Sept 5 and continuing for about six weeks. The trailhead and trail remain open, but visitors should be aware of the work going on and can expect associated noise from heavy equipment.

For more information on this project contact Vicki Clay at (928) 443-8013. For more information on camping, hiking or other recreation opportunities call the Prescott National Forest (928) 443-8000 or visit www.fs.fed.us/r3/prescott.

Prescott National Forest fire officials will continue it’s prescribed burning in the Brindle Pup to Goat Peak area southwest of Mingus Mountain on Friday, September 7, weather conditions permitting.  The initial burn is to create approximately three miles of black containment line for upcoming prescribed burns scheduled for later this year. This treatment eliminates the fuels next to holding lines helping to ensure a safer prescribed burn. Firefighters have completed 150 acres and plan on treating seven acres on Friday.  

Drivers traveling on Forest Service Road #132 should be cautious due to smoke and possible delays.  For current information on prescribed burns visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/prescott or call the Prescott National Forest fire information line at 928-777-5799.

Prescott National Forest fire officials are planning a prescribed burn in the area of Brindle Pup to Goat Peak southwest of Mingus Mountain from August 30 through August 31, weather conditions permitting.

This is an initial burn to create approximately three miles of black containment line for upcoming prescribed burns scheduled for later this year. This treatment eliminates the fuels next to holding lines, helping to ensure a safer prescribed burn.

Drivers traveling on Forest Service Road #132 should be cautious due to smoke and expect possible delays. In order to reduce smoke in the surrounding communities fire managers plan to burn approximately 50 acres a day.

For current information on prescribed burns visit www.fs.fed.us/r3/prescott or call the Prescott National Forest fire information line at 928-777-5799.

Prescott National Forest fire officials announced a prescribed burn for the Brindle Pup to Goat Peak area southwest of Mingus Mountain starting on Aug. 9 and continuing through Aug. 11, weather conditions permitting. The initial burn is to create approximately three miles of black containment line for upcoming prescribed burns scheduled for later this year. This treatment eliminates the fuels next to holding lines, helping to ensure a safer prescribed burn.  

Vehicles traveling on Forest Service Road #132 should be cautious due to smoke and expect possible delays. In order to reduce smoke in the surrounding communities fire managers plan to burn approximately 50 acres a day.

For current information on prescribed burns visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/prescott or call the Prescott National Forest fire information line at 928-777-5799.

That "Mars the size of the moon" email circling the Internet is crapola.

It is impossible for Mars to appear as large as the moon from the earth. Think about it: the moon is one-sixth the diameter of Earth, Mars about one-third. The moon is about a quarter million miles away, Mars averages about 46 million miles away. To appear to be the size of the moon, Mars would have to be within about half a million miles of the earth. Mars' closest approach this year is still 43 million miles away - how the hell could it appear to be the size of the moon? It can't.

Fact: This year's close approach (conjunction) means Mars will look a bit brighter than usual, but not closer than it routinely does.

Fact: That "34.65 million mile" conjuction mentioned in the oft-forwarded and incorrect email was in 2003; this years' will be about 43 million miles.

Fact: On 24 August Mars will be near the lower right edge of a waning gibbous moon; look for a bright yellow-red dot - that will be Mars. Whoopee.

Fact: The difference in apparent size between the moon and Mars? The full moon covers about 1,800 arc seconds of sky, Mars about 20 arc seconds; Mars will be about 1/90th the size of a full moon. Again, whoopee. A pretty far cry from the "two moons"  in our sky touted in that email.

Fact: The next time Mars will appear like this is in 2018, not 2287.

Fact: At it's very brightest this year, 29 October to 9 November, the apparent magnitude ("brightness") of Mars will still be -2.4, inferior to that of the routine brilliance of Venus.

And you can believe me because I never lie and I'm always right.

Join us on Saturday mornings in September (September 8, 15, 22, 29) from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. for Botany Explorations, as we begin unlocking the intricate secrets of plants using form and pattern in nature as a lens for taxonomy; by learning about the local trees and shrubs through study of vegetative morphology; and by learning characteristics of some of Arizona’s largest plant families including flower characteristics. Some dissecting microscope work will be included.

The Highlands Center for Natural History is accepting registration for two unique programs that lead children outdoors to make their own discoveries of the fascinating and fun world of nature. The first program, Knee-High Naturalists is a hands-on, outdoor program for preschoolers and their parents. Instructor Lisa Packard leads children in animal role-play, nature crafts, stories, songs, and a snack as they explore our unique forest friends of the Central Arizona Highlands. This is a great opportunity for parents to spend quality time with their young children outdoors on Saturday mornings in a beautiful location.

Fall is a beautiful time of year in the forest and it is also the time you hear the voices of local fourth grade students echoing on the campus of the Highlands Center. It is also the time that applications are accepted for the Center’s docent training program. Training for the fourth grade school program starts at the end of August and classes begin visiting the Center in early September. Prerequisites for becoming a docent at the Highlands Center are simple but key to success – for the children, the docents, and the Center: a love of nature and a love of children. If you meet these two requirements, we would love to talk with you.

Note: click photo to enlarge.

The negative impacts of people feeding wildlife came to light recently recently in a Hualapai Mountain community when the Arizona Game and Fish Department responded to an unusual report of a necklace-clad cow elk roaming behind a residential area.

The "necklace" in this instance was a Mohave County Parks trashcan lid. The elk had put its head into the trashcan and, upon withdrawing, the lid remained stuck around its neck.

“The initial report sounded somewhat humorous, but that lid had to come off,” said AZG&F spokesman Zen Mocarski. “This was a completely avoidable event, but instead resulted in a high stress situation for the animal .This was a direct result of feeding wildlife. This elk has become habituated to human food and went digging into garbage because of the past actions of the public."

Industry-backed off-road vehicle users want more motorized routes in the Coconino National Forest. Or, depending upon your perspective, they want to ensure that they don't lose ground in a CNF plan to keep off-road vehicles (ORVs) on designated roads and trails.

Even though CNF officials propose prohibiting all cross-country motorized travel within the National Forest, their plan will also designate thousands of miles of roads and a large swath of land for ORV use – a plan opposed by a consortium of conservation groups that says it would fragment wildlife habitat, cause erosion, damage watershed and disrupt the natural quiet.