Home - Friends of the Verde River

Unlock Early Bird Access!
Donate $60+ and be first to register for the Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival, April 24-27, 2025. Choose the best field trips and workshops before anyone else! Donate today.

Donate Now
Become an Otter Spotter
Keep an eye out for otters along the Verde River—your sightings help support vital watershed research!

Learn More
Become a Water Quality Volunteer
Help protect the Verde River by collecting water samples to identify and solve water issues. Sign up now and make a real impact on your own schedule!

Sign up

Unlock Early Bird Access!
Donate $60+ and be first to register for the Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival, April 24-27, 2025. Choose the best field trips and workshops before anyone else! Donate today.

Donate Now
Become an Otter Spotter
Keep an eye out for otters along the Verde River—your sightings help support vital watershed research!

Learn More
Become a Water Quality Volunteer
Help protect the Verde River by collecting water samples to identify and solve water issues. Sign up now and make a real impact on your own schedule!

Sign up

Get Involved

Volunteer Welcome & Appreciation Party

Join us for a special event to celebrate our amazing volunteers and welcome new ones! We’re gathering to show our appreciation for all your hard work and share exciting upcoming volunteer opportunities. Come learn about programs like Otter Spotter, the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival, Water Quality Testing, MLK Day of Service, and more!

Enjoy delicious Chipotle catering (vegetarian options available) and connect with fellow volunteers. Plus, when you sign up for the Otter Spotter program, you’ll receive a fun Otter Spotter sticker!

Location: Dead Horse Ranch State Park, 675 Dead Horse Ranch Rd, Cottonwood, AZ 86326

RSVP by noon on 11/6/24 so we can get a headcount for our food order.

Celebrate

Fiesta de la Garza – Dec 5, 2024

Our annual Fiesta de la Garza celebration is right around the corner on December 5, 2024. We’re holding it again at Cliff Castle Casino Hotel! This night will be filled with awards, auctions, and celebrations as we honor the dedication and contributions of our community members and partners who support the mission of Friends of the Verde River.

Become a Table Sponsor

Help us keep the Verde River flowing by sponsoring Fiesta de la Garza! Sponsorship is an incredible way to show your support while enjoying an unforgettable evening. We are currently seeking table sponsors.

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Announcement

2024 Annual Impact Report

Dive into Friends of the Verde River’s 2024 Annual Impact Report, showcasing the latest Verde River Watershed Report Card updates, restoration projects, River Friendly Living initiatives, community science highlights, key statistics, and much more.

View the Report

On Sale

Discover the Magic of the Verde River with Our Book

Have you heard about our beautifully illustrated children’s book, On the Verde River? It was recently featured at the 2024 National Book Festival as part of the Library of Congress’s “Great Reads” program, representing Arizona’s literary heritage.

Written by Arizona author Phoebe Fox, with stunning illustrations by Jim Fox, On the Verde River takes children on a captivating journey along the Verde River, introducing them to the diverse life and beauty of this important ecosystem. Perfect for children aged 2 to 10, this hardcover book nurtures curiosity, environmental awareness, and a love of nature.

Special Gift Package: $40 – Includes the hardcover book, an adorable stuffed otter, a heron patch and a blank greeting card. This makes a wonderful gift for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion.

Buy the book

About Us

Keeping the Verde Flowing!

The Verde River is one of Arizona’s few remaining flowing rivers. The river and its tributaries, such as Granite Creek, Sycamore Creek, Oak Creek, and Fossil Creek, provide lush corridors of life as they wind their way through beautiful, iconic, and arid landscapes. The Verde River system is an environmental and cultural treasure for local communities, the state of Arizona, and beyond.

Friends of the Verde River (Friends) envisions a healthy, flowing Verde River and tributaries that support our natural environment, vibrant communities, and quality of life for future generations.

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Our Approach

We focus our work on restoring habitat, sustaining river flows, and building supportive communities. We proactively engage in a combination of “boots-on-the-ground” projects and policy solutions guided by sound conservation principles and which meet human and environmental needs in an outcomes-oriented manner. Below are some of our initiatives:

Water

Land

People

Climate

Events and Information

What’s New

Upcoming Events

Giving Tuesday 2024

Support conservation and inspire young nature lovers with our Book & Stuffed Otter Gift Bundle—perfect for Giving Tuesday!

Online Silent Auction 2024

Bid on unique items and experiences to support a thriving Verde River—our Online Silent Auction runs November 4 – December 5, 2024!

Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival 2025

See you back at Dead Horse Ranch State Park for the 2025 Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival!

See More Events

Event Sponsorship

Become an Event Sponsor

Our Event Sponsors are important partners who enjoy special recognition and other perks.

For more information, contact:
Grace Filson, Events and Fundraising Coordinator
contactus@verderiver.org

Download Our Sponsorship Packet

In the Know

Stay Informed on all things Verde River

Friends respects the privacy of individual donors and, except where disclosure is required by law, will not sell or otherwise make available the names and contact information of donors without providing them an opportunity at least once a year to opt out of the use of their names.

Listening to the Verde Sign Up

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Make an Impact

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River Friendly Living

Empowering local residents, businesses, and governments to make choices that protect the Verde River.

Volunteer

The Verde River needs your help! Volunteers are critical to the work we do and we would love for you to join us in our efforts.

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Donate

You can protect the Verde River and its threatened wildlife today!

Unlock Early Bird Access!

Become an Otter Spotter

Become a Water Quality Volunteer