Northern Arizona Forests
Providing iconic views, water for communities, and connection to nature
The National Forest Foundation (NFF) is committed to protecting the health of our Arizona’s communities through the Northern Arizona Forest Fund (NAFF) by improving local forest and watershed connections, and securing clean and sustainable water supplies for downstream cities and throughout northern Arizona.
Since 2015, NAFF projects continue to:
• reduce wildfire and post-fire flood risks;
• minimize erosion and sedimentation in our streams and reservoirs;
• improve sustainable water flows, and heal damaged water ways; and
• restore and regenerate native trees and vegetation along wetlands, rivers, streams, and springs.
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Photo: Mandy Hawley
Salt and Verde River
By nurturing our local watersheds and surrounding landscapes, we improve our quality of life through fresh air, clean and abundant water, and the beauty of the outdoors—from the iconic Sonoran Desert, up to verdant high elevation forests— these are the sources of water in Arizona.
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Wood for Life
Since 2019, we’ve built a sustainable, long-term collaborative program that’s connected over 10,000 cords of wood from forest restoration projects with Hopi and Navajo communities in need of wood for heating, cooking, and other traditional uses.
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Photos clockwise from top left: Mandy Hawley, Nathaniel Bastin, Joe Kurle, Liz Hastings
Bill Williams Mountain
Schultz Pass
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Oak Creek Trails Oak Creek Headwaters
Kelly Trails & Ward Camp
Lake Mary
VERDE RIVER WATERSHED
Oak Creek Road Decommisioning
Fossil Creek
Bush Fire
Sonoran Insiders
Yaeger Canyon
Mexican Spotted Owl PAC
Pine Canyon
Highline Trail
Lower Salt River
Green Drone
SALT RIVER WATERSHED
Little Green Valley Fen
Rim Country Recreation
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Photo top: U.S. Forest Service. Photo bottom: Q Martin
2023 Projects Project Highlights LEARN
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Little Green Valley Fen Restoration Pine Canyon Restoration West Sedona Dispersed Camping
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER WATERSHED
PHOENIX METRO AREA
Scorched Saddle
Looking Ahead to 2024
Stringtown Wash
Connell Gulch
Scorched Saddle
Oak Creek Road Decommisioning
Schultz Pass
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Oak Creek Trails
Kelly Trails & Ward Camp
89 Mesa
Timeberline Wutpaki
Southside East
Lake Mary
Marshall
Yaeger Canyon
Weimer Springs
Chase Creek
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER WATERSHED
Pine Canyon
Fossil Creek
Deadman Mesa
Rim Country Recreation
Camp Creek
Sonoran Insiders
Allen Lake Green Drone Bush Fire
Highline Trail
East Verde Road Decommisioning
Little Green Valley Fen
Taylor Sink Beaver Creek
NAFF investments result in measurable on-the-ground benefits!
From restoring crucial wildlife habitats to improving the quality and sustainability of our water supply, Arizona’s NFF team and our many partners continue to reach new watershed investment goals moving us toward healthier communities, committed partnerships, and a more connected citizenry.
Tonto Invasives
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Griffith
Photo: Jordan
VERDE RIVER WATERSHED
SALT RIVER WATERSHED
PHOENIX METRO AREA
$10.4 Million invested in the health of our communities & forests
Restored forest health on across Arizona watersheds.
1,427 Cords of wood shared through Wood For Life
1,903 acres
That’s enough to heat about 300 homes for a winter season!
5.14 miles
of trail improved or rehabilitated
Reduced the risk of high-severity fire on 1,890 acres by
30-60%
100 Cacti planted to restore Sonoran Desert habitat in the Bush Fire burn scar
40 acres
Treated for Invasive Species
210 Volunteers • 1601 Volunteer Hours
5,703
1,300 Removed pounds of trash from Oak Creek watershed
That’s the same weight as 2 snack vending machines!
17,000
Reduced sediment transport into the Salt and Verde watersheds by more than
40 tons
That’s the average weight of a humpback whale!
Number of people reached through Sonoran Insiders with responsible recreation and conservation messaging acres of pre-implementation support
These sites surveyed, designed, and prepared for restoration in 2024.
That’s the size of 4,320 Arizona Cardinals football fields!
860 Youth Engaged
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2023 Results
Northern Arizona Forest Fund 7 A Special Thank You to All of Our Supporters! Building 27, Suite 3 • Fort Missoula Rd • Missoula, MT 59804 nationalforests.org Contact: Sasha Stortz ~ Southwest Region Director Mobile: 928.961.0318 • sstortz@nationalforests.org Bringing health and economic resilience to families, communities, and businesses across Arizona. Every contribution helps maintain clean air and sustainable water supplies, healthy forests to explore, running streams to picnic along, and safe, sustainable trails that provide amazing experiences and that also protect our watersheds. Follow us on Instagram: Northern Arizona Forest Fund 7 National Forest Foundation: @nationalforests Southwest Region: @southwestforests_nff Sonoran Insiders: @sonoraninsiders Photo: Nathaniel Bastin
views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife
and its funding sources. Mention
or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by
U.S.
or
funding sources. NFWF
provider.
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of trade names
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