The Arizona Trail Association is proud to share our 2019 Annual Report with you. The Annual Report includes highlights of our most successful projects from last year as well as our top priorities for 2020. The Annual Report was given to everyone who attended the Annual Members Meeting on February 1 at the Desert Botanical Garden, and it’s now available online here. Inside these 16 inspiring pages you’ll find:Trail Operations Report Mission Responsibility Highlights Financials & Membership Volunteer Program Report Youth Outreach Report and much more!Whenever you see a reference to “we” within the document, please take a moment to celebrate with us. YOU are the Arizona Trail, and your support through membership, donations, business partnerships, volunteerism, event registration, merchandise purchase and legacy gifts are what make it possible for us to accomplish our mission to protect, maintain, enhance, promote and sustain the Arizona Trail as a unique encounter with the land. Please take some time to read the Annual Report, and share it with friends.
Summit for Arizona Trails
You're invited to Cottonwood, Arizona on February 21-22 for the trail gathering of the year when a diverse group of organizations including motorized and non-motorized trail professionals and advocates comes together to host a Summit for Arizona Trails. The Summit is for everyone who has a stake in the future of trails in Arizona, whether they’re a professional or volunteer, advocate or manager. As we move ahead, embracing and expanding the diversity of those interested in sustainable recreation is critical to ensuring its future, so we welcome everyone to the table to have meaningful discussions later this month. We’ll hear from Mila Besich, the Mayor of Superior and Executive Director of the Legends of Superior Trails (LOST) as well as Tom Adams, Chief Operating officer of Petzl and former Director of the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation. Forum-style discussions on topics critical to the future of trails and sustainable tourism in Arizona will generate new plans and initiatives. For more information or to join the Summit, please visit the Summit for Arizona Trails website. Campfire Prohibitions Near Flagstaff
The Flagstaff Ranger District recently updated and renewed an important forest order for camping and campfire restrictions around the Flagstaff area that will help reduce the number of abandoned campfires and keep communities safer.
Forest Order 03-04-20-5-F prohibits any camping and campfires within Coconino National Forest around Flagstaff and its surrounding communities. A detailed map and explanation of exact boundaries can be found under the Forest Orders link on the Coconino National Forest website, or by viewing the official forest order here. It has also been added to the Arizona Trail Guthook app.
Forest Service personnel will begin placing “No Campfires or Camping” signs in and around the restricted areas to remind the public of these important prohibitions and to help identify the area boundaries. Boundaries have been expanded by more than 25,000 acres and redefined to account for the expansion of communities, while using features such as forest roads as boundaries that are easily recognized on a map. The expansion and redefining of these boundaries is also more cohesive and conjoined with areas that have already been defined by the state and city as areas where camping and campfires are prohibited.
“Prohibiting campfires, and sometimes camping, within areas of Coconino National Forest that surround Flagstaff and its communities are important steps in lowering the number of abandoned campfires and mitigating wildfires so close to town,” said Fire Staff Officer James Pettit. “This doesn’t eliminate the threat of severe wildfires, but it will definitely lower it. This forest order also helps reduce unsanitary conditions found on the forest near town from people illegally using the forest for residential purposes.”
In addition, Coconino National Forest renewed and updated a forest order in August 2019 that prohibits campfires in the Mount Elden/Dry Lake Hills area, expanding that particular area of campfire restrictions by 2,000 acres, to include popular camping areas such as the Freidlein Prairie Dispersed Campsites. That forest order was originally signed and implemented nine years ago.
“In 2011, after we implemented the Mount Elden/Dry Lake Hills forest order, we saw a 90 percent reduction in human-caused fires in that area,” said Pettit. “So, we expect to see a significant reduction in the number of abandoned campfires and human-caused fires with this updated forest order prohibiting camping and campfires around the Flagstaff area.”
Coconino National Forest encourages the public to report illegal activity on the national forest and can do so by calling the local Forest Service law enforcement office at (928) 527-3511, or by contacting Coconino County Sheriff at (928) 774-4523.
New Trail Skills Institute Classes for 2020
The Arizona Trail Association remains proud to host a series of in-depth training classes intended to give trail workers, stewards, and anyone in interested in the art and science of trails the best training available. And we are delighted to announce that the Trail Skills Institute has been updated for 2020! New modules go into greater depth and offer participants even more time in the dirt to hone those skills. Sign up today for our upcoming classes. Even if you've taken these courses in the past, there’s SO much more to learn!
MODULE 1: TRAIL ASSESSMENT (1 DAY)
Why trails? Seeing the trail and the surrounding landscape Erosion and deposition, which forces are at work Identifying problems and causes Documenting trail condition
MODULE 2: TRAIL MAINTENANCE (1 DAY)
Reopening the trail corridor through brushing, log outs, rock obstacles Slough, berm and tread Drainage – dips, knicks, reversal, checks, waterbars Hardening the trail
MODULE 3: TRAIL STRUCTURES (2 DAY)
Why build structures? Principles of dry stone masonry Moving, splitting shaping and stacking stone Steps, walls, rock armoring – tread and drain pans Drainage structures Technical trail features (TTFs)
MODULE 4: TRAIL DESIGN AND LAYOUT (2 DAY)Why, who, what of trail design Design factors (use, site conditions, climate and weather) Construction design criteria (Trail Management Objectives) Control points (positive and negative) Trail corridor identification (GIS and visual assessment) Tight flaggin Construction prescription
MODULE 5: TRAIL CONSTRUCTION (2 DAY)
Corridor clearing Tread and backslope Climbing turns and switchbacks Retaining Structures Drainage Rehabilitation and finishing
MODULE 6: OBLITERATION AND REHABILITATION (1 DAY)
Closing trails (why, when, how) Decompacting and scarifying Reestablishing hydrological flow Closing sight lines Seeding and organic material To learn more, view course dates and locations, and to register online, please visit our Trail Skills Institute webpage.
Saddlebrooke Hiking Club Continues Their Commitment Stewardship
In January, the Saddlebrooke Hiking Club gathered together with Arizona Trail Association staff to continue their outstanding stewardship of the Arizona National Scenic Trail near Oracle State Park along Passage 13 of the AZT. Brushing the corridor and improving drainage along this scenic and popular segment is an ongoing project, and Saddlebrooke residents prove that many hands make light work. And they have a lot of fun in the process!
If your club, group, family or business would like to get involved with trail maintenance and other important stewardship projects, please reach out to Wendy at volunteer@aztrail.org. We are always looking for enthusiastic groups to help us maintain the 800-mile trail from Mexico to Utah.
Trail Jobs
The Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF) is seeking a Field Operations Manager, who will be based in Poncha Springs near Salida, Colorado. General duties are to plan and support the CTF Volunteer Trail Crew program and coordinate the CTF Adopt-A-Trail program. Qualifications and specifics include:Ability to work independently Good project management skills Good written and verbal communication skills Trail work experience Good computer skills, including email, MS Word and Excel, GPS/GIS software GPS skills desirable Education: Bachelor’s degree preferred Familiarity with The Colorado Trail desirable Employee-only health insurance paid 100% by CTF 27 days of paid time off Laptop computer and cell phone provided by CTF Salary range: $50,000-$55,000 For complete details and to apply, please visit this website. The Florida Trail Association seeks an Executive Director. The primary focus of the Executive Director (ED) will be increasing the development/fundraising activities to promote mission achievement and financial sustainability. In addition, the new ED will be responsible for organizational stability, membership growth and volunteer management. While actual working knowledge of trail association related issues is desired, a strong nonprofit executive with an understanding of that sector, proven development skills and a love for the outdoors, would also be someone that we would look at closely. The compensation consists of a base salary of up to $90,000 and is based in Gainesville, Florida. This is a great opportunity for someone who loves the outdoors and is a high energy, roll-up-the-sleeves development leader. Interested candidates should reach out to Krickett Simonton at (904) 434-3249 or krickett@sterlingsearchjax.com. Learn more about the Florida Trail Association here.