Southern Arizona Forest Fund

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Quick Info

Countries:	United States of America
Basins:	Colorado
Project SDGs: Includes Sustainable Development Goals from the project and its locations.	Protect and Restore Ecosystems (SDG 6.6) International Cooperation and Capacity Building (SDG 6.a) Climate Resilience and Adaptation (SDG 13.1)
Project Tags: Includes tags from the project and its locations.	Nature-Based Solutions
Progress to Date:	NA Post-wildfire Restoration and Improving Recreation.
Services Needed:	Monitoring & evaluation Stakeholder engagement & facilitation
Desired Partners:	City Government NGO / Civil Society
Language:	English
Start & End Dates:	Aug. 01, 2020 » Ongoing
Project Website:	www.nationalforests.org/who-we-are/regional-offices/southern...
Contextual Condition(s):	PHYSICAL: Ecosystem vulnerability or degradation
Additional Benefits:	Basin stakeholder mapping, Long-term partnership(s) created, Raised awareness of challenges among water users, Raised awareness of challenges among local authorities
Beneficiaries:	Ecosystems, Environmental users (e.g., fishers, recreational users), Local communities / domestic users
Planning & Implementation Time:	More than 3 years
Primary Funding Source:	public
Project Source:	User
Profile Completion:	85%

Project Overview

Summary

People flock to Southern Arizona to visit the stunning Sonoran desert and unique sky island mountain landscapes, to seek out rare birds and wildlife, and to experience its distinctive outdoor lifestyle. Yet, these special places face impacts from fire-prone invasive species, overgrown woodlands, eroded trails and damaged wetlands, and over-loved recreation sites.

The Bighorn Fire in 2020 also had a significant and visible impact across the Santa Catalina Mountain ran…

Summary

The Bighorn Fire in 2020 also had a significant and visible impact across the Santa Catalina Mountain range including Mount Lemmon, a place many in Tucson and throughout Southern Arizona care about deeply.

Working with the Coronado National Forest and local partners, the National Forest Foundation created the Southern Arizona Forest Fund (SAFF) to provide a transparent and simple way for businesses and individuals to invest in and restore the desert and mountain landscapes surrounding Tucson and in Southern Arizona.

How It Works

The NFF and Coronado National Forest are working together to address immediate restoration needs, and every dollar donated will be leveraged with additional support from the Forest Service and other partners.

Funds will be used primarily for three purposes:

Post-wildfire Restoration and Improving Recreation. Improving sustainability, ecosystem health and safety on trails and adjacent areas by conducting activities such as trail maintenance and construction, soil stabilization, erosion control, rebuilding damaged infrastructure, and ensuring safe hiking for Forest visitors.

Engaging the Next Generation of Young Forest Stewards. Providing support for local youth conservation programs, including hands-on trail stewardship and immersive education tied to ecosystem health and fire ecology in the Sonoran desert and southern Arizona’s unique sky islands.

Wildfire Mitigation Work. Mitigating the risk of unnaturally severe wildfire across the Coronado National Forest through activities to improve forest health and resilience such as fuels reduction, invasive species management and ecological restoration.

Whether you live in Southern Arizona, operate a business, or will take a vacation, you benefit from the health and sustainability of public lands. Help us restore these beloved landscapes, re-open trails safely and sustainably, and educate the next generation about the importance of nature and implications of wildfire in our community.

Contributions to the SAFF will be collected by the National Forest Foundation and awarded to local non-profit stewardship organizations and local contractors to implement high priority projects on the Coronado National Forest. For every $1 that is donated, $0.85 will go to on the ground restoration efforts.

Basin and/or Contextual Conditions:	PHYSICAL: Ecosystem vulnerability or degradation
Project Benefits:	Basin stakeholder mapping, Long-term partnership(s) created, Raised awareness of challenges among water users, Raised awareness of challenges among local authorities
Indirect or Direct Beneficiaries:	Ecosystems, Environmental users (e.g., fishers, recreational users), Local communities / domestic users
Months & Implementing:	More than 3 years
Primary Funding Source:	Public funding

Project Narrative

The Projects Trails and Access Improvement – Over 75% of the nearly 2 million visitors to the Coronado National Forest use trails during their visit. Hiking is the main activity for more than half of all Forest visitors. Yet, an approximate 150 miles of trails were burned by the Bighorn Fire and about 100 miles remain closed. Popular trails such as the Wilderness of Rocks, Pima Canyon and the Green Mountain Trail are within the burn area boundary. These trails area used by thousands of hikers, runners, mountain bikers and other users each year. Invasive Species Management – Helping to manage or even eradicate invasive species like buffelgrass, fountain grass and natal grass can reduce risk of unnatural and high-intensity wildfire in our desert and mountain ecosystems. These weeds devastate landscapes by carrying high-intensity wildfire and burning hot, killing saguaros and other cacti while choking native species out and catalyzing conditions for those same invasive species to thrive. Together with partners we are implementing projects that supports native ecosystem function and improve native vegetative communities through recurring treatments and manual removal of invasive species, and where appropriate, reestablish and replant native vegetation Woodland and Forest Habitat Restoration - Watershed conditions and wildlife habitat on the Coronado National Forest that have been degraded by natural and anthropogenic causes. Restoration is imperative to maintain a healthy watershed and provide appropriate habitat for wildlife. Across this landscape, fuels (overgrown forest conditions) have accumulated and have the potential to contribute to uncharacteristic fire behavior. The NFF is working with partners to restore woodland and forest ecosystems to support a number of threatened, rare and important fish and wildlife species. Youth Engagement - As part of the SAFF, the NFF is proud to partner with the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and the Arizona Conservation Corps on Earth Camp: Conservation Stewards for a New Generation, a program that connects underserved high school students to the diverse Sonoran desert ecosystem and provides skills in restoration techniques.

Partner Organizations

National Forest Foundation (Organization)

www.nationalforests.org

Who We Are? The National Forest Foundation is the leading organization inspiring personal and meaningful connections to our National Forests, the centerpiece of America’s public lands. Working on behalf of the American public, the NFF leads forest conservation efforts and … Learn More

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