Forest Service Cooks Up a Big Thank You

On a crisp November day, a cadre of Red Rock Ranger District personnel served up a tasty Dutch oven meal to an eager gathering of men and women. The occasion was the annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic hosted by District Ranger Amy Tinderholt and more than a dozen...

Learn About Friends of the Forest

Sedona’s Friends of the Forest (FOF) will be hosting a welcome event on Thursday September 22 starting at 2:00 pm at 360 Brewer Road in Sedona. We invite everyone to attend, particularly new residents who are looking for rewarding volunteer opportunities. If you...

Threatened Narrow-Headed Gartersnakes Thrive in Student Care

In November 2021, the Sedona Red Rock News reported on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designation of stretches of upper Oak Creek and the upper Verde River as critical habitat for the threatened narrow-headed gartersnake. Well before that designation, the Red Rock...

Appreciation for Volunteers Supporting One Another

Living in these beautiful red rocks makes me want to keep it exactly the same as it is so that I can continue to enjoy our surrounding National Forest year after year. However, I am only one person and cannot sustain our public lands by myself. Fortunately, I have...

Verde Valley Agaves Are Living Pre-Columbian Crops Farmed Long Ago

A small cadre of volunteers gathered on a chilly December morning outside the Red Rock Ranger District Headquarters. These volunteer community scientists were preparing to join an agave inventory effort underway in the Verde Valley. District Wildlife Biologist, Janie...

Friends Recognize Recipient of President’s Award

Last month’s article spotlighted many of the volunteer awards presented at the Friends of the Forest annual meeting.  This month we are featuring the recipient of the prestigious President’s Award. The President’s Award is an award of special recognition to a member...