Copper Queen Branch

About the Program
Freeport-McMoRan's Copper Queen Branch program is located in Cochise County, Arizona. The team uses reclamation methodologies and best management practices to enhance the post-closure value of the area to wildlife and the community. They also protect and enhance habitat for bats, with a focus on migratory, nectivorous bats. The team provides learners of all ages with opportunities to engage with STEM education through the lens of pollinators and pollinator conservation, increases students’ awareness about of the importance of bats to the region and promotes literacy on conservation biodiversity through topics of mine reclamation and desert ecosystem management. The program also seeks to increase awareness of how reclaimed areas can serve as valuable wildlife habitat. 

Practices and Impacts

• The reclamation area on-site is being managed to promote the establishment of native plant populations, which in turn support local wildlife, limit erosion and enhance water filtration and nutrient cycling.
• The team performs habitat sustainability indices, vegetation monitoring and wildlife monitoring annually, as well as implementing appropriate management practices (mowing, removal, chemical treatments).
• Part of the reclamation involves the planting of agave to support nectivorous bats. The site is part of a larger migratory corridor where agaves are being planted and managed to support bats migrating from Mexico to the Southwestern US. Agaves are planted with protective coverings and monitored for health and survival annually.
• Reclamation best management practices are used throughout the site to enhance biodiversity values. Native plants, attempts to limit stormwater and retention basins are used in the reclamation process to enhance ecosystem structure and function.
• Copper Queen Branch sponsors an annual educational event where students are taught about the value of pollinators. It is a livestreamed PowerPoint presentation made available to all elementary students in the local school. Students are surveyed both prior to and after the presentation to assess learning.
• The program also sponsors a similar educational event aligned with nectivorous bats and Bat Week intended to help students understand the value and role of bats in functional ecosystems. Presentations as well as games and related activities are used to engage the kids – with pre and post evaluations completed to gauge learning.