WILD ARIZONA

January 1 December 31, 2024 Program Service AccomplishmentsWILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM Wild Stew: Wild Stew is dedicated to restoring and protecting wilderness areas and other wild lands across Arizona to preserve ecological integrity. Arizona has 90 designated wilderness areas and agency resources are insufficient to address needs such as habitat restoration, trail maintenance, erosion control, removal of invasive species, installation of signage and wilderness stewardship activities. Wild Arizonas Wild Stew program employs a professional field crew to address these needs, while connecting volunteers to outdoor experiences in the wild. In concert with stewardship activities, we provide ecological and socio-cultural education to inform and inspire conservation advocacy.In 2024, Wild Stew completed projects located in the Grand Canyon National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Apache-Sitgreaves, Coconino, Gila and Coronado, and Tonto National Forests. Project partners included: Tonto and Coronado National Forest District Offices, National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Friends of the Verde River, Friends of Cave Creek, and Chiricahua Regional Council. In 2024, 245 Wild Stew volunteers provided 3,388 hours of service.Grand Canyon National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation AreaParia Beach Restoration: Wild Arizona completed the final stages of a multi-year project at the Colorado River to restore native woody vegetation across the lower and upper riparian terraces of Paria Beach. Many bird, reptile, and small mammal species have begun to use the habitat. Apache-Sitgreaves National ForestWild Arizonas crew improved more than 15 miles of trail, placed 134 cairns, built or repaired more than 100of drainage outlets, and removed hundreds of logs. Volunteers provided 1,640 hours of service to improve 12.05 miles of trail and remove 161 logs. Coronado National Forest2024 Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program: Wild Arizona led a team of ten high school students from Arizona, New Mexico, Georgia, and Alaska to live and work in Rucker Canyon on the southwest side of the Chiricahua Mountains. Projects included brush removal and corridor clearing along the Turtle Mountain Trail, Rucker Trail and around Cima cabin. Specifically, the group improved more than 2 miles of trail, installed bear-proof food boxes in a campground, improved a creek crossing, built a retaining wall/ramp, constructed multiple cairns for way finding, and constructed a 200 foot trail reroute.Sky Island Trail Maintenance and Improvement: In the Santa Rita, Dragoon and Santa Catalina wilderness areas, Wild Arizonas crew maintained more than 4 miles of trail, repaired some downward sloping sections of trail, installed multiple retaining walls, 58 steps and 22 drains, and constructed mile of new trail. Volunteers contributed more than 180 hours, improving erosion control, constructing 500 ft of tread, and installing multiple steps.Dry Blue Creek: Wild Arizona conducted a youth restoration field camp in the Dry Blue watershed, with the Chiricahua, Warm Springs, and Fort Sill Apache peoples. Youth and chaperones camped out in the Dry Blue watershed and took part in restoration efforts including willow pole planting, trail maintenance, springs assessment and monitoring. Seven volunteers attended for a total of 400 volunteer hours. Additionally, Wild Arizona crews completed meadow thinning over a 10.24 acre area. Approximately 3,356 trees were felled, two thirds of which were less than 6 in diameter. Such work reduces the risk of intense fire and erosion that can add sediment to streams.Tonto National ForestSierra Ancha and Salome Wilderness Areas: Wild Arizonas crew built a line of drainage structures, cairns, cut in more visible tread, and installed several wilderness signs. Wild Arizona also drafted a solitude monitoring plan for the Salome Wilderness area. Volunteers contributed 270 hours in gathering solitude monitoring data and in wilderness education.Highline Trail: Wild Arizona Field Crews rerouted dozens of miles of the trail to new, sustainable layouts. Crews made 519 rock dams, 53 rock mulch downs and one massive Zuni bowl meant to stop the process of headward erosion. In coordination with the Forest Service, Wild Arizona crews installed multiple gates, barriers, and trail signs to improve navigation for trail users.ENDURING PROTECTION, POLICY & PLANNING: This program proactively addresses diverse public lands, wildlife, and water issues facing Arizona, seeking to expand preservation of wilderness areas, natural waters, cultural landscapes and broad regional movement corridors through administrative, legislative, and executive plans and actions. Wild Arizona works with agencies, organizations, and constituents to advance wilderness stewardship and preservation, public lands protection, and conservation management across Arizona in our priority Wild Connections framework. This framework encompasses landscape and waterway protections within regional-scale corridors for sustaining wildlife, wilderness recreation, and Indigenous communities. Sky Islands Wild Connection: In 2024, Wild Arizona built a Western Sky Islands national monument campaign work group, adding collaboration with The Protection Campaign of Resources Legacy Fund and with Western Conservation Foundation program staff to conservation organization partners and the Arizona Trail Association. We collaborated through regular meetings and coordinated activities, which include planning, outreach, advocacy, organizing, and events, locally, regionally, and in Washington, D.C.Colorado River Wild Connection: In 2024, Wild Arizonas Grand Canyon Wildlands Council(GCWC) distributed the 9th printing of The Colorado River in Grand Canyon, River Map& Guidereaches thousands of commercial river rafting passengers annually witheducational information about the Colorado River and Grand Canyon. GCWC continued tolead a 'resource' group of Adaptive Management Program (AMP) stakeholders of theAdaptive Management Work Group, to strengthen conservation and tribal voices andtheir participation in informing Department of Interior decision-making on damoperations, with science based advisement to protect and enhance the Colorado Riverecosystem in Glen and Grand Canyons.Verde-San Pedro-Gila Rivers Wild Connection: Developed draft text for Upper Verde Wild and Scenic River legislation with input from Yavapai-Apache Nation (YAN). Conducted outreach in DC in spring 2024, especially for YAN Tribal Chairwoman Tanya Lewis who joined us for the meetings. Continued gaining business supporters, community orgs and local governments letters of support and resolutions, and media coverage. Grand Canyon to the Gila Wild Connection: Cosponsored Rumble on the Mountain event at the Orpheum Theatre in Flagstaff. Artists featured at the event included Native American Award winning reggae rock band Innastate, Grammy nominated Dine' Musician/Activist Radmilla Cody, celebrated acoustic metal singer/songwriter Sage Bond, Hopi singer/composer Ryon Polequaptewa, the high elevation sounds of Summit Dub Squad, IrieZonaReggae Rock with Ed Kabotie & Tha 'Yoties, upcoming Nava-Hopi metal sensation Icy Whisper.