Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — Nov. 1-5, 2021

COVID News

Pfizer Vaccine Approved for Children Ages 5 – 11

On Tuesday, November 2, the CDC joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in approval of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 – 11 years old. This vaccine will be administered at a lower dosage and is approximately one-third the amount given to those 12 and older.

Coconino County Health and Human Services will begin administering the lower dosage Pfizer vaccine to children ages 5 – 17 beginning Friday, November 5. The CDC announced that distribution of pediatric doses started this week, with plans to scale up to full capacity starting the week Nov. 8.

Arizona and Grand Canyon Community Statistics

Case numbers in Arizona increased this week to 3,001 new cases per day compared to last week’s average of 2,572. As of Tuesday, there have been a total of 259 cases in the 86023 zip code since the beginning of the pandemic. Of these, approximately 69 cases are in the park.

Coconino County reports the Grand Canyon community is 72.5% vaccinated as of October 29.

Grand Canyon Vaccine Event Recap

Thank you to all who attended the most recent vaccine event at the Grand Canyon Rec Center this past Monday!

The event was extremely well attended and a special thank you to Coconino County Health and Human Services who stayed well past the allotted event time to ensure community members received vaccinations. In total, there were 75 individuals who received vaccinations at the Grand Canyon event and 52 at the Tusayan event.

Out of the 75 individuals at Grand Canyon, 47 received COVID-19 booster doses and 15 individuals received the flu shot. The remaining individuals received either a first, second, or third dose of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Based on the popularity of this event, we are currently in discussions with the County to be able to provide this service to our community on a more regular basis. Stay tuned over the next several weeks on upcoming scheduled events here at Grand Canyon.

Public Health Contacts

Ronan King, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Public Health Service

Mobile: (202) 891-8599, Email:ronan_king@nps.gov

For all email correspondence, please also cc: Chris Glime, Captain, U.S. Public Health Service

Mobile: (202) 641-3518, Email: christen_glime@nps.gov

Bison Reduction on the North Rim Complete for 2021

As of late last week, bison reduction operations on the North Rim are now complete for 2021.

This year, through partnership with the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC), 23 bison were transferred to the Santee Sioux Nation of Nebraska and 13 were transferred to the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Since the park began transferring bison to tribal partners in 2019, 124 bison have been relocated to six tribes in four states through the ITBC.

Even with the success of the live capture and transfer program, lethal removal remains a necessary tool to disperse and move the herd to protect the park’s sensitive resources. The lethal removal operation achieved the important objective of making the park less of a refuge for bison, encouraging them to move more widely across the landscape. Grand Canyon managers thank the many employees, multiple agencies, and organizations involved with bison management on the Kaibab Plateau in 2021.

For more background information on bison management in Grand Canyon, check out this Behind the Scenery podcast produced by Grand Canyon Interpretation Rangers; ‘Bison-Learning Sustainability with an American Icon.’

Stay tuned in the coming week for more information on bison reduction efforts on the North Rim for 2021.

November is Native American Heritage Month

Throughout November, the NPS and Grand Canyon will be celebrating Native American Heritage Month. We gratefully acknowledge the Native peoples on whose ancestral homelands we gather, as well as the diverse and vibrant Native communities who make their home here today.

Recently, the affiliated tribes of Grand Canyon have been helping the park holistically address our history while we work collaboratively on the Desert View Inter-Tribal Cultural Heritage site.

This past week, Ed Keable, Theresa McMullan from GCC, Mae Franklin from the Cameron Chapter of Navajo Nation, and Jan Balsom had a successful presentation at the American Indian Tourism Conference in Phoenix. This presentation included tribal program initiatives, including Desert View and the Indian Affairs Strategy. We are excited to share that many individuals, organizations, and other agencies had great interest in what we are doing to strengthen First Voice Interpretation for Desert View and the greater Grand Canyon.

Additionally, this past week, NPS and the American Indian Alaska Tourism Association (AIANTA) announced the signing of a new cooperative agreement. The Grand Canyon work was mentioned in the announcement and we expect to expand our relationship with AIANTA into the future.

This month, Desert View Interpreters are creating a series of social media poststo celebrate Native American Heritage Month —to honor past and present Indigenous peoples and communities across the nation, and the 11 associated tribes here at Grand Canyon. Interviews with Native employees will be featured along with the History Behind the Arts video series featuring short videos that highlighting each of the traditional Native crafts that are normally demonstrated at Desert View Watchtower.

Prescribed Fire Planned as Early as November 15

Fire managers at Grand Canyon are currently in planning discussions for initiating prescribed burns on the South Rim as early as Monday, November 15. Three units near the southern boundary of the park are planned to be burned, totaling an area of 2,182 acres. These units were last treated with prescribed fire between 2006-2007.

Prescribed fires play an important role in decreasing risks to life, resources, and property. Fire managers carefully plan prescribed fires, initiating them only under environmental conditions that are favorable to assuring firefighter and visitor safety and to achieving the desired objectives. Prescribed fire objectives include reducing accumulations of hazard fuels, maintaining the natural role of fire in a fire-adapted ecosystem, and protection of sensitive cultural and natural resources.

From October 27-28, wildland fire crews were successful in pile burning near the South Entrance Station. In total, approximately 190 piles were burned and more than five acres treated. Thank you to the crews who were involved in these efforts!

Spots Still Available!

Mental Health First Aid Class to be Offered in Tusayan on November 18

Stronger as One of Coconino County and the Town of Tusayan are hosting a free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) class to take place at the Tusayan Town Hall on November 18 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

MHFA is an 8-hour course that teaches individuals how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training provides the skills needed to provide initial help and support to someone until appropriate professional help or other assistance can be engaged.

This class is limited to 20 participants and a reservation can be made for the class by calling the Town of Tusayan at: 928-638-9909. A flyer with more information is available here.

Tusayan Fire Department Pancake Breakfast-November 6 from 7:30-11:45 a.m.

Grand Canyon Food Pantry Seeks Americorps VISTA Volunteer

The Grand Canyon Food Pantry is currently seeking applicants for an Americorps VISTA volunteer. The VISTA volunteer will institute nutritional quality, management, and development plans for the Grand Canyon Food Pantry by developing a sustainable management model to increase its human capital. The anticipated length of service for this position is January 2022-January 2023.

More information, including details on how to apply can be found in this flyer. Questions on this opportunity can be directed to Mike Scott, Grand Canyon Food Pantry Director, at 207-229-1228.

Lion’s Club Rummage Sale-November 20 from 7 a.m.-12 p.m.

Note: Items marked in red are new changes as of this past week

South Rim

Xanterra

Delaware North

Other

Desert View

North Rim

The following park closures remain in place:

Please visit the Grand Canyon National Park website for a complete list of closures and available amenities.

Photo Credits (in order of appearance)