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SUPERVISOR CHIP DAVIS PRESENTS $5,000 CHECK TO THE STEWARDS
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The Stewards of Public
Lands received $5,000 from Yavapai County Supervisor Chip Davis during their
Willowpoint Road cleanup last week. The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors
awarded the grant through Forest Project Funds authorized by Public Law
106-393. Participating in the celebration, from left, are Judy Miller,
Warren Dendekker, Debbie LaFrance, Roy Hess, Pat Williams, Chris Boothe,
Diane Joens, Supervisor Davis, Bob Formhals, Bud Jenkins and Jim Duncan.
Supervisor Davis’s dog, Charlie, also attended. The Stewards will use the
grant to decrease risk to people and property from wildfire. They will also
sponsor educational activities in the Verde Valley. In the past two years,
Stewards volunteers have donated more than 3,140 hours to public lands
cleanups.
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STEWARDS TO REDUCE RISK OF WILDFIRE ON URBAN-RURAL INTERFACE LANDS |
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PROMOTE EDUCATION IN THE CLASSROOM TO ADDRESS ILLEGAL DUMPING |
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ENCOURAGE CARING FOR COMMUNITY, STEWARDS LEAD BY EXAMPLE |
Public lands have long
been depositories for unwanted junk, and the threat of wildfire because of
dumping and illegal occupancy in urban interface areas is real and
increasing. The Stewards of Public Lands, in partnership with Cocopai
Resource Conservation and Development, have been awarded a $5,000 grant from
the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors’ Forest Project Funds authorized by
Public Law 106-393 to reduce the risk of wildfire and help educate youth and
the community.
Yavapai County Supervisor
Chip Davis attended the Willowpoint Road cleanup and presented a check to
the Stewards. He expressed his appreciation for the group’s spirit of
volunteerism and recognized their accomplishments.
The Stewards will use the
grant funding to continue their public lands cleanups to protect people and
property from wildfire. They will sponsor educational activities with
schools and youth groups, expand cleanups in the Verde Valley, monitor and
maintain cleaned areas, and help enforce laws relating to littler, dumping
and illegal occupancy. They will produce signs and public service materials.
Wildfire risks come from
illegal transient campsites; bonfires; piles of vegetative material and
construction debris that increase fuels; hazardous and flammable products such
batteries, oil and paints; abandoned vehicles that may be burned to prevent
identification; shooting debris; and drug paraphernalia. The Stewards find
hazards and evidence of burning everywhere. It is common to find wood pallets
hauled in for bonfire parties, flammable materials possibly dumped to avoid
landfill fees, fire rings, and garbage left by transient campers. By cleaning
up the lands, the Stewards help restore the landscape to its natural state and
improve the safety of forest recreation.
About 70 volunteers assisted
at the Willowpoint and Stewart Hill cleanups. Cornville Community Association
members Dave and Judy Miller worked with Yavapai County and the Coconino
National Forest to plan the cleanup. Jimmy Duncan and Glenn Hughey
representing the UniSource Community Action Team (CAT) donated a backhoe
loader, operator and several volunteers. Steve and Colleen Harbison of
Gardenscapes furnished a pickup and trailer. Supervisor Davis and the Yavapai
County Public Works and Solid Waste Departments furnished a dump truck, roll
off dumpster, backhoe loader and operators. Cat Sampson and the Coconino
National Forest donated planning, staff and pickups. Yavapai County Community
Services furnished 21 volunteers, and 16 Oak Creek Ranch School students and
adult supervisors assisted. Clarkdale Police Chief Pat Haynie donated his time
and the town of Clarkdale provided a dump truck. Clarkdale Councilmember Pat
Williams also volunteered.
The Stewards said goodbye to
one of their faithful long-time volunteers, George Lambert, who is moving out
of state.
In the past two years
Stewards of Public Lands volunteers have donated more than 3,140 volunteer
hours for public lands cleanups. The value of this gift of time to the
community is more than $31,000. The Stewards have started a new chapter in the
Camp Verde area. Both groups plan a cleanup at Fossil Creek on May 13 in
collaboration with the Coconino National Forest. Community members who would
like to help may call Stewards Cochair Diane Joens at 634-4112, or check for
details at
www.verdeconnections.com.
Judy Miller wrote the grant.
Cocopai RC&D partnered with the Stewards to obtain the grant. Cocopai is a
501c(3) non-profit organization associated with the United State Department of
Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. It has completed more than
200 environmental and community development projects in Coconino and Yavapai
counties during its 34-year existence. A project list is available at
www.cocopai.org. The mission of Cocopai RC&D is to provide and coordinate
leadership and partnerships to promote the conservation, development and
sustained use of natural and human resources in north central Arizona.
CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES AS WE
BENEFIT COMMUNITY PROJECTS WITH THIS GRANT MONEY.
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