Laura Jones, Community Engagement Coordinator, Fennel Blyth, Native Seed Coop Coordinator and Amanda Webster, VISTA Volunteer got on the road early Saturday morning to meet up with 150 women for the 3rd Annual Ladies River Take Over onthe Salt River. It was the first time for these avid Verde River paddlers to brave the Salt […]
Last week, our vegetation monitoring crew, in partnership with the National Forest Service, was able to hike into Fossil Creek and take the first step in treating the Himalayan Blackberry infestation near the spring source. The blackberry is very invasive and reduces native plant populations. The crew was sent to cut the blackberry as a […]
On May 7th, Fennel Blythe, Native Seed Coordinator with Friends of the Verde River traveled to New Mexico for the New Mexico Native Plant Farm Tour. She had the privilege of attending an informative and inspirational farm tour sponsored by the Institute for Applied Ecology, directed by Melanie Gisler and coordinated by Maggie Parrish. Friends […]
JAMIE NIELSEN December 12, 2017 New conservation challenges, new take on restoration The Verde River continues to flow through the valley today, over land and underground, supporting agriculture, wildlife, forests and economies. It winds through Arizona’s transition zone between desert and plateau, making this one of the most biologically diverse areas in the American Southwest. […]
Over 30 years ago, after I packed up all my possessions, and moved from Phoenix to Los Angeles, my mother sent me a flyer for a property in Camp Verde with a note that said “you should buy this place.” I surely thought she’d lost her mind. While the property looked appealing, I couldn’t imagine […]
JAMIE NIELSEN December 12, 2017 The Verde River: Heart and soul of the Verde Valley A ribbon of cottonwood, willow and sycamore trees delineate the river and its tributaries, winding through the semi-arid landscape of the Verde Valley. Ash, walnut, soapberry, hackberry, alder and many other trees flourish here too. Bright yellow-gold cottonwood leaves and […]
JAMIE NIELSEN December 12, 2017 Waxy, wrinkly, smelly trench foot. Lightning. Hemotoxins and neurotoxins, rattlesnake and spider bites. Kevin Kennedy, Logistics Technician with Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC), is grilling the crew members-in-training about “the umbles”. “These are the signs of hypothermia! Mumbles, stumbles, and grumbles. Get ’em dry, get ’em warm, people!” This is the […]
Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the Martin Luther King Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service— a “day on, not a day off.” In recognition of Dr. King’s incredible legacy, Friends of the Verde River organized a volunteer event at four different […]
Friends of the Verde River (Friends) celebrates ten years as a leader in river conservation work in the Verde Valley with an open house on Thursday, January 25th, 12pm noon to 7pm. The public is invited to visit the new office at 115 S. Main Street, #A, Cottonwood, AZ, 86326. The open house will kick […]
Friends of the Verde River (Friends) is pleased to announce that Nancy Steele has joined Friends as the new Executive Director. Nancy is an executive manager with over twenty-five years of environmental management and research experience, using the tools of science and policy to catalyze change towards a more sustainable future. “In 2007, Friends of […]
