• Registration is open!

    Join us for the 25th Anniversary of the Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival, April 24-27, 2025! Known as “the friendliest birding festival,” this yearly celebration brings together bird enthusiasts and nature lovers amid the stunning landscapes of the Verde Valley.

    Learn More

  • 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
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  • Registration is open!

    Join us for the 25th Anniversary of the Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival, April 24-27, 2025! Known as “the friendliest birding festival,” this yearly celebration brings together bird enthusiasts and nature lovers amid the stunning landscapes of the Verde Valley.

    Learn More

  • 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
PreviousNext
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Link to: Run the Verde Raffle 2023

Announcing

Welcome Rachel Laura, Deputy Executive Director

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Rachel Laura, the new Deputy Executive Director at Friends of the Verde River! Rachel brings over a decade of experience in conservation and is currently pursuing her PhD in Natural Resource and Environmental Sciences, where she studies firefly distribution and ecology in arid environments. We’re thrilled to have her expertise and leadership as we continue our mission to protect the Verde River for years to come!

Read More
Link to: Run the Verde Raffle 2023

Announcement

2025 Winter Newsletter

Dive into Friends of the Verde River’s 2025 Winter Newsletter, showcasing highlights from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Day of Service, River Friendly Living grants, BioBlitz, Fossil Creek restoration, key highlights and more.

Read the Newsletter
Link to: Run the Verde Raffle 2023

Upcoming

Join Us for Pints for the Planet – April 20th

Be part of the very first Pints for the Planet: Conservation on Tap—an evening of conservation-focused talks and community connection, hosted by Verde Brewing Company. Stop by to enjoy locally brewed craft beers (21+), connect with fellow conservation-minded folks, and hear from inspiring guest speakers, including:

  • Dave Johnson, Co-Founder of the Katie Adamson Conservation Fund
  • David Gressly, Executive Director of Friends of the Verde River
  • Brittney Olson, Large Carnivore Manager at Out of Africa Wildlife Park

Details
Date/time: April 20, 2025 5PM
Location: Verde Brewing Company, 724 Industrial Dr #7a, Camp Verde, AZ 86322

All attendees will be entered into a door prize raffle—just by showing up! We’re looking forward to joining the fun, sharing our mission, and raising a glass to a healthier, greener planet. Cheers!

RSVP on Facebook
Link to: Run the Verde Raffle 2023

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

Upcoming Events

See all of our upcoming events.

Arizona Gives Day graphic with Verde River background

Arizona Gives Day 2025

Our goal is to raise $40,000 by April 1 to support key conservation projects for the Verde River. Together, we can ensure the Verde River thrives for generations to come.
Two people using a phone and the iNaturalist app to identify a plant

Verde BioBlitz 2025

Join the Verde BioBlitz, a free event from April 16-May 3, 2025, where participants explore the Verde River watershed to discover and document local species through the iNaturalist app.
woman holding a hawk

Family Nature Day 2025

Join us for Family Nature Day on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 10 AM to 3 PM at Dead Horse Ranch State Park for a fun-filled day of nature walks, hands-on activities, live animal exhibits, and more – free admission for the whole family!
Annas Hummingbird on a branch

Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival 2025

See you back at Dead Horse Ranch State Park for the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival, April 24-27, 2025! Enjoy expert guides, explore diverse habitats, and embrace the beauty of spring in the Verde Valley.

Recent Posts

people working on installing a rainwater collection tank

When It Rains, We Store: A Rain Tank Tale from Camp Verde

This past Thursday morning, April 3rd, I had the opportunity…
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Are you interested in joining our team? Friends of the Verde…
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young birder looking through scope

Apply for the 2025 Young Birders Camp Scholarship

Friends of the Verde River is excited to announce the 2025 Young…
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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.

Learn More

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:

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Water

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Water

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Land

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Land

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People

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People

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Climate

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Climate

Events and Information

What’s New

Upcoming Events

Arizona Gives Day graphic with Verde River background

Arizona Gives Day 2025

Our goal is to raise $40,000 by April 1 to support key conservation projects for the Verde River. Together, we can ensure the Verde River thrives for generations to come.
Two people using a phone and the iNaturalist app to identify a plant

Verde BioBlitz 2025

Join the Verde BioBlitz, a free event from April 16-May 3, 2025, where participants explore the Verde River watershed to discover and document local species through the iNaturalist app.
woman holding a hawk

Family Nature Day 2025

Join us for Family Nature Day on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 10 AM to 3 PM at Dead Horse Ranch State Park for a fun-filled day of nature walks, hands-on activities, live animal exhibits, and more – free admission for the whole family!
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.

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Sign up for more Listening to the Verde content

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.

Make an Impact

Link to: About River Friendly Living

River Friendly Living

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

Link to: Volunteer

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.

Link to: Donate

Donate

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

© Copyright 2025 Friends of the Verde River. All Rights Reserved.