Verde Connections.com

E-Newsletter

November-December 2006

Stewards of Public Lands Plan Beaver Creek Area Cleanup Saturday, Nov. 18

Stewards of Public Lands are expanding their cleanup outreach to more areas in the Verde Valley. They will collaborate with volunteers, businesses and government agencies on their first project in the Beaver Creek area Saturday, Nov. 18 from 8 a.m. to noon.

SRP is renting a loader backhoe for the project. SRP Water Resources Manager Charlie Ester says, “The Stewards of Public Lands demonstrate how private, government, and business interests can partner together for the mutual benefits of a cleaner, safer environment. SRP is very happy to support the Stewards whose care for the land ultimately protects the flow of the Verde River from unsightly pollution and improves water quality.”

Supervisor Chip Davis is providing a dumpster through the Forest Project Funds grant that the Stewards recently received from Yavapai County. The grant assists in protecting people and property from wildfire. “Cleaning up illegal dump sites helps protect Verde Valley property on the urban rural interface,” says Stewards Cochair Diane Joens.

Bill Cowan of Beaver Creek Kiwanis is helping with planning and signage. Kiwanis will provide a pizza lunch for the volunteers. The Lake Montezuma Property Owners Association will furnish water, refreshments, hand sanitizer and paper towels. National Parks Friends of the Well will also lend a hand.

Red Rock Ranger District Assistant Operations Manager Cat Sampson will supply five rangers, each with a truck. The Forest Service will also provide a trash trailer and trash bags for the volunteers. Beaver Creek clubs plan to get youth involved in the cleanup project. Beaver Creek newsletter editor Janet Aniol is working with Sampson to get parent permission forms signed so the area’s youth groups can be involved. “A lot of us here want to get the kids active in this type of event,” Aniol says.

Stewards volunteer Jim Sweitzer and Coconino National Forest Ranger Dex Allen did reconnaissance for the project. Marvin Buckel will operate the backhoe loader that SRP is renting for the project. Other project cooperators are Arid Disposal Services, United Rentals, CARS Auto Wrecking, Gardenscapes and Yavapai County Community Services. Cocopai Resource Conservation and Development serves as the Stewards’ grant administrator.

Ester is excited to have SRP partner with the Stewards for the first time. Ester says, “The Stewards are a great example of how the citizens of the Verde Valley and SRP do share common interests and can work together to protect the land and river.”

To reach the project site, travel 1.2 miles past the Montezuma Well turn-off on Forest Service Road number 119. Beaver Creek Kiwanis will place directional signs in the area. The area is also known to locals as the shooting range.

Volunteers should wear long sleeved shirts, long pants, hats, gloves and sturdy shoes. Eye protection is required. Participants should bring water, sunscreen, and cleanup tools such as a rake, hoe, shovel or grabbers.

For more information about the cleanup, contact Joens at 634-4112, or check the Web site at www.verdeconnections.com.

In the past year, Stewards have cleaned up project areas along West Mingus, Allen Springs, Ogden Ranch Road, Old Highway 279, Bill Gray Road, Willow Point Road, Highway 260 and the Black Canyon Wash, Stewart Hill and Fossil Springs. They have also cleaned up Copper Canyon, Arena Del Loma, and Sierra Verde Road in Camp Verde.

Joens says, “No one single governmental entity has the financial or people resources to clean up and manage rampant illegal dumping on public lands. The Stewards find creative ways to coordinate existing programs at the federal, state and local levels to address the issue of overlapping jurisdictions, including law enforcement.”

Town of Camp Verde assists with Sierra Verde Cleanup on April 22. Stewards help bring various governmental agencies--federal, state and local--to assist in public lands cleanup projects. Marvin Buckel was the loader operator.


Web site:
www.verdeconnections.com

Stewards of Public Lands volunteers Mitch Adair and Chris Boothe of Clarkdale move illegally dumped vegetative debris from a pickup truck into the City of Cottonwood’s backhoe loader at a recent Stewards’ cleanup. The Stewards are expanding their cleanup outreach to more areas in the Verde Valley. They will collaborate with volunteers, businesses, community groups and government agencies on their first project in the Beaver Creek area on Saturday, Nov. 18 from 8 a.m. to noon.

To print a poster

of the Beaver Creek Cleanup

on Nov. 18, go to

www.verdeconnections.com



Did you know?
Litter lasts this long…

Cigarette butts…1-5 years
Aluminum cans & tabs…
80-100 years

Plastic six-pac holders…
100 years

Oranges & banana peels…
up to 2 years

Plastic bags…10-20 years

Plastic bottles…indefinitely

Glass bottles…a million years

Nylon fabric…30-40 years

Tin cans…50 years

Pack it in, Pack it Out





=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Stewards
of Public Lands
Verde Valley
E-Newsletter Editor
Cochair Diane Joens
dianej@sedona.net
Cochair Jess Tyler

If you observe illegal dumping, call Clarkdale Police at 634-7240, Cottonwood Police at 634-4246, Camp Verde Marshall at 567-6621 or Yavapai County Sheriff at 639-8103.

DON’T TRASH AZ

http://www.azgovernor.gov/DontTrashAZ/

The Don’t Trash AZ campaign is designed to educate all Arizonans about the problem of litter on our roads and highways. Every Arizonan is affected by this and every Arizonan can play a role in keeping Arizona clean. Here are just a few things you can do:

•Use trash receptacles

•Carry a litterbag in your car

•If you witness someone littering, call the litter hotline at toll free 1.877.3LITTER (1.877.354.8837)

•Become one of the more than 2,200 individual volunteers or more than 100 companies that participate in the state’s Adopt a Highway Program.

Don’t Trash AZ. Every little bit helps.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Planning meeting at Camp Verde Parks & Rec Kitchen 6:30 p.m. Monday Nov. 27

December: Celebrate the Holidays! No meetings or cleanups for the Stewards.

Cleanup: Camp Verde, January 13, 8 a.m. to noon

MANY THANKS TO OUR COOPERATORS

The Stewards of Public Lands expresses appreciation to: Yavapai County Supervisor Chip Davis, Salt River Project (SRP), United Rentals, Inc. Beaver Creek Kiwanis, Lake Montezuma Property Owners’ Association, Yavapai County Community Services, City of Cottonwood, Town of Clarkdale, Cornville Community Association, Town of Camp Verde, Arizona Game and Fish, Arizona State Land Department, Coconino National Forest, Prescott National Forest, Arizona State Parks, National Parks, Arid Disposal, Waste Management, TAZCO Recycling, Verde Independent, Camp Verde Bugle, Cottonwood Journal Extra, Camp Verde Journal, Yavapai Broadcasting, UniSource Energy Services’ Community Action Team, Gardenscapes, CARS Auto Wrecking, Friends of the Well and the Youth of the Beaver Creek area.

This Web site developed and maintained by Diane Joens as a service to the Verde Valley community.

For comments or questions regarding this site contact Connections Webmaster.

Date last edited: 08/06/2008