A group of Friends of the Forest Trail Ambassadors on the Ground Control Trail.

The morning sun hits the sandstone spire of Bell Rock, casting a long, cool shadow across the trailhead. For most people, this view signals the start of a vacation adventure or a quick morning workout. But for a Friends of the Forest Trail Ambassador, it marks a chance to “hike with a purpose” and serve as the welcoming face of the Coconino National Forest.

If you frequent Sedona’s trails, you have likely seen them: hikers wearing the distinctive Forest Service volunteer badge, armed not just with trekking poles but also with a wealth of knowledge. To the casual observer, it might look like they are simply enjoying a walk in the woods. In reality, they are performing a critical role in managing the impacts of the millions of visitors who flock to Red Rock Country each year.

Being a Trail Ambassador is about balancing stewardship with hospitality. The role was born out of necessity. As visitation to Sedona surged, bringing over three million people annually to our sensitive desert landscape, the U.S. Forest Service needed boots on the ground to supplement their ranger staff. Friends of the Forest, a non-profit dedicated to assisting the Red Rock Ranger District, stepped up to fill that gap.

The primary duty of an ambassador is exactly what the title suggests: goodwill. Ambassadors are often the first point of contact for visitors who may be confused by trail signage or unsure of their route. A typical hike involves answering dozens of questions, ranging from “How do I get to the vortex?” to “Is this cactus prickly?” (The  answer is always yes.) By engaging with hikers in a friendly, non-authoritative manner, ambassadors help disperse crowds by suggesting less-used alternatives, and ensure visitors have the maps and apps they need to stay found.

While the interactions are mostly lighthearted, the role has a serious undercurrent. Trail Ambassadors are trained to spot the warning signs of heat exhaustion and dehydration. They scan the crowd for hikers carrying a single 16-ounce water bottle for a midday trek in July, or visitors attempting a rugged scramble in flip-flops. The intervention is subtle but effective. A friendly check-in — “Do you folks have enou gh water for the return trip?”— can be the difference between a safe return and a rescue helicopter ride. Ambassadors do not act as law enforcement; instead, they use education to encourage safe decisions, often convincing unprepared groups to turn back or choose a safer objective before a crisis occurs.

Beyond visitor safety, Trail Ambassadors serve as the eyes and ears of the Forest Service. With over 300 miles of trails in the district, it is impossible for paid rangers to patrol every acre. Ambassadors use a specialized mobile app to record data that helps the Forest Service manage resources. During a patrol, a volunteer might log the number of hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians to help track usage trends. They also report maintenance issues, such as downed trees blocking a path, washed-out switchbacks, damaged wilderness signage, or occurrences of graffiti, and they pick up trash.

So, what is it really like to be one of these volunteers? It is, by many accounts, one of the best volunteer “gigs” in the Southwest. For retirees and locals who love the outdoors, it provides a structured excuse to explore the forest they love while giving back to the community. The camaraderie among volunteers is strong, with opportunities to learn from experts in local geology, archaeology, and botany. There is a profound sense of ownership that comes with the territory; when you care for a trail week after week, you become a guardian of that specific slice of canyon.

It is not always easy work. It requires patience to explain for the fifth time that day why drones are not allowed in the wilderness, or why stacking rocks disrupts the ecosystem. But the rewards outweigh the challenges. There is the satisfaction of watching a family you helped safely navigate a loop trail return to the trailhead with smiles on their faces. There is the quiet peace of a mid-week patrol when the crowds thin out and the red rocks belong, for a moment, only to you and the ravens.

As Sedona continues to grow in popularity, the need for dedicated stewards grows with it. Friends of the Forest is always looking for new members who are passionate about protecting our public lands. To learn more about the organization and becoming a Trail Ambassador, visit: https://www.friendsoftheforestsedona.org. It might lead to the most rewarding walk you ever take.

Serving Sedona, written this week by Bob Dores, Friends of the Forest, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News.

The post The Rewarding Life of a Friends of the Forest Trail Ambassador appeared first on Friends of the Forest Sedona.

Barry Mallis holds up a piece of Hermit shale during an educational geology hike he led for Friends of the Forest volunteers on the Thunder Mountain and Chimney Rock trails.

On a recent January morning, 11 volunteers with the Friends of the Forest Trail Ambassador Committee had the pleasure of joining leader Barry Mallis for an educational geology hike. This was one of numerous educational events the organization offers for its members to support them in their various volunteer capacities. Knowledge of the area’s geology is great information the Trail Ambassadors can share with hikers they interface with on the trails. Visitors might be interested, for example, in hearing what causes the red color in the rock formations, or their amazing shapes. Also, these events are a wonderful perk for the volunteers. For this writer, knowing a bit about Sedona’s geology enriches my experience of living here.

Mallis, both a Friends of the Forest volunteer and a geology and archaeology/anthropology docent at Red Rock State Park, noted that learning about the geology right where one is hiking makes it likely one will never look at the landscape with the same eyes again. After he provided some initial overview information, there were nods of understanding as we scanned from Thunder Mountain, consisting mainly of light-gray-colored Coconino Sandstone, down to the abundant red rock around us.

A little way up the Thunder Mountain Trail, Mallis stopped and grabbed two different pieces of red rock to show us. One glittered as the sunlight hit it. This was a piece of the Bell Rock member of the Schnebly Hill Formation. The other piece looked similar but didn’t sparkle. It was a piece of shale from the Hermit Formation, upon which West Sedona sits. We were standing at a transition between these two formations. Sand, with its glittering silica crystals, is the primary component of the Bell Rock member, while non-sparkly mudstone and siltstone are dominant in the Hermit Formation.

Once the group rounded the base of Chimney Rock and could take in the vast view to the west, Mallis pointed out another geologic layer — the Fort Apache Limestone (also a member of the Schnebly Hill Formation). A distinct stripe in between sections of red rock, this darker gray corrugated-looking rock layer was laid down during a time when the entire area was covered by a sea. No doubt, one effective means of gaining a larger perspective is to ponder the many changes that have occurred to the landscape over millennia, eras, and eons. Mallis threw out a fun tidbit — the granite rock upon which Jerome’s “J” is painted is around a billion years old.

Answering the questions posed at the beginning, iron-rich sediments originating from the Ancestral Rockies were transported to the Sedona area, forming geologic layers, with the iron oxidizing over time, creating the red color. And what is the key driver of the distinct formations Sedona is famous for? It all comes down to water, and how it erodes the different sedimentary rocks. For the group of Trail Ambassadors, it was an illuminating outdoor classroom session.

Another example of a recent Friends of the Forest educational activity was a presentation on prescribed burns by staff of the U.S. Forest Service’s Red Rock Ranger District. It was quite informative, including discussion of the three main reasons why these burns are undertaken: community protection, habitat restoration, and to provide options for managing wildfires when they come.

Additional educational offerings for Friends of the Forest volunteers have included wildflower walks, bird-watching hikes, CPR and first-aid training, and nighttime photography.

To learn more about the many ways to get involved with Friends of the Forest and have access to its educational opportunities, please visit: https://www.friendsoftheforestsedona.org.

Serving Sedona, written this week by Kristine Crandall, volunteer with Friends of the Forest, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News.

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Volunteer leaders across the organization submitted candidates for numerous “Rock Awards” and committee-related certificates. Each Rock Award has guidelines, and the recipients are chosen by an Awards Nominating Committee.

Here are the awards categories and recipients for 2025:

Special Project Awards

Bob Haizmann and Wade Winningham for the time and attention given to the Technology Systems Team. Bob and Wade committed countless hours to creating new tools and revamping existing tools to enhance FOF’s technology infrastructure, increase productivity, and improve the overall user experience. Bob continues to serve on the Board and Wade is one of FOF’s webmasters.

New Volunteer of the Year

Nick Kollios for diving right in, making an immediate impact across multiple committees. Nick joined FOF halfway through 2025 and volunteered over 185 hours. He gave his time to Trail Ambassadors, Graffiti Removal, Preventative Search and Rescue, and the Visitor Center at the Ranger Station. He also was elected to the Board and is the new Co-Chair of the Visitor Information Services Committee.

Volunteers of the Year

Cheryl and Jim McCann for giving their time and talents across multiple committees, and their willingness to jump in when needed. They joined FOF a little over a year ago, and each volunteered more than 250 hours last year.

Jim volunteers with Graffiti Removal, Trail Ambassadors, Trail Maintenance & Construction, Trailhead Beautification, and Special Projects teams. He has helped install trail signs and paint blazes and also offered to drive his Jeep on Schnebly and Dry Creek roads to make it easier to reach Cow Pies and Vultee Arch trailheads for sign installations.

Cheryl has spent time with the same teams as Jim, in addition to working at the Visitor Center. She too has helped install new signs, paint blazes, and also volunteered for the Doe Mountain Trail closure. Cheryl is a newly elected member of the Board and when the need for a new Secretary was communicated, she answered the call.

Heart of the Friends Award

Diane Greathouse for always embracing FOF’s mission and putting her heart into everything she does. Diane has been a reliable and dedicated volunteer since joining FOF in 2007. She received the New Volunteer of the Year Award in 2008 and hasn’t slowed down. With an ever-present positive attitude and smile, Diane honors FOF’s history while making improvements for the future, which can be seen in the changes she’s made as the editor of Branching Out, the organization’s newsletter.

Distinguished Award

Pat Quinn for serving as a valued volunteer across almost every committee and always being ready to lend a hand, regardless of who asks or if it’s a last minute request. Since joining FOF five years ago, Pat has provided over 1500 hours of his time to numerous committees, including serving as Co-Chair of Trail Maintenance & Construction. Pat always has a smile, is quick to provide laughs, and has served on the Board since 2022

President’s Award

Glenn Kingsbury for his exemplary leadership and willingness to take on whatever is needed. For the past several years, Glenn has served on the Board, been the organization’s Auditor, Co-Chair for the Trail Maintenance & Construction Committee, and volunteers for numerous other committees, including Graffiti Removal, Visitor Information Services, and Trail Ambassadors. In late spring, he graciously agreed to take on the role of leading the seasonal Preventative Search and Rescue Committee. In a nutshell, Glenn has made the President’s job easier and is a huge asset to the organization.

In addition to the above main awards, committee-specific recognitions were also given, with the following volunteers receiving certificates:

Air Monitoring and Water Sampling: Christi Jacquay, Steve Jacquay, Sherry MacDonald, Michelle Swahla, and John Zieran

Cultural Resources: MunYee Aldrink, Doug Key, Brian Painchaud, Jon Petrescu, Mary Jane Stell, Todd Stell, and Mike Turner

Preventative Search and Rescue: Annie Glickstein, Mike Ober, Sam Serrill, and David Terrell

Trail Ambassadors: John Crowley, Martin Feder, Les Gerloff, Bob Haizmann, Michael Harris, Barb Heffner, Christine Nunez, Janet Walters, and Jerry Walters

Trail Maintenance & Construction: Rod Cashin, Ernie DiMillo, Jim McCann, Sam Serrill, and Kurt Starbuck

Visitor Information Services: Bart Bartlett, Bea Logan, and Judith Romero

For more information on the incredible work done by Friends of the Forest volunteers and to learn how you can join, go to: https://www.friendsoftheforestsedona.org.

Author, Melissa Pontikes

Serving Sedona, written his week by Melissa Pontikes, volunteer with Friends of the Forest, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News. 

The post Friends of the Forest Volunteers Receive Recognitions appeared first on Friends of the Forest Sedona.

Several species of lichen on a sandstone rock along the Lower Chimney Rock Trail.

Lichens are fascinating symbiotic systems composed of fungi and algae (green algae or cyanobacteria). One way to think about them is as “fungi that discovered agriculture.” The fungi can’t make their own food and benefit from the sugars created through the algae’s photosynthesis, and the fungi provide a structure that helps protect the algae. Lichens are found on various substrates, including rocks, trees and shrubs, and soil.

Another interesting and important facet of lichens is they don’t have roots and so must acquire all of their water and nutrients directly from the air. This makes them excellent indicators of air quality. Some lichen field guides even have a category for each species, listing which air pollutant it is sensitive to, such as ozone or sulfur dioxide. On rocks, lichens slowly but surely (some species grow only one millimeter per year!) contribute to the breakdown and formation of an initial layer of soil, which then can be colonized by plants.

Critical to the inventory project is volunteer Garry Neil, who has been leading the effort for eight years. He is directly in charge of processing the collected specimens, which includes identifying, preparing, and sending them to the lichen herbarium at Arizona State University, another project partner. Identifying lichens is not an easy task, sometimes requiring chemical analysis, and possibly thin-layer chromatography (a way of separating out chemical compounds within the lichen). Neil earned a Master of Science degree in lichen physiology years ago and is the exact specialist needed to do this work. To date, over 1,400 specimens have been collected. This includes many duplicates, which is good information helping to paint a picture of the distribution of each species. At least two species are new to science, and several others have been found for the first time in the Ranger District.

Three years ago, Jerry and Janet Walters started helping Neil with the collecting of specimens, and have become lichen enthusiasts. As Jerry says, “It’s great walking around out here with all of these grand vistas, but the small things make you aware of the rich diversity of the place and make your hike even more interesting.”

For Janet, volunteering on the project is increasing her enjoyment of the National Forest:

Looking for lichens has greatly expanded my experiences on the trails. “While before, in my role as a volunteer Trail Ambassador, I would hike only a few trails, over our time so far searching for lichens, Jerry and I have collected 415 specimens on 45 trails. There is an allure in exploring different areas and habitats looking for different species — it’s the thrill of the hunt.”

Lichen species carry catchy names, with some sounding like they could be from another planet. Examples of genus and common names include Usnea, Cladonia, Flavopunctelia, rock shields, and reindeer lichen. The Walters have become so focused on finding and learning about lichens wherever they are, they named a recent trip to Yellowstone National Park a “Cladonia safari.”

On your next hike, there will undoubtedly be lichens around, so in addition to admiring the view, look more closely among the rocks, trees, and soil that you walk by to find these small, tenacious, often-colorful biological partnerships right in your midst! If you would like to learn more about Friends of the Forest volunteer opportunities, visit: https://www.friendsoftheforestsedona.org.

Author: Kristine Crandall

Serving Sedona, written his week by Kristine Crandall, volunteer with Friends of the Forest, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News. 

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I want to first address the false claim that gambling is not a “traditional” Native American activity, and that operating a casino goes against Native American values. Gambling is present in all cultures in some form, and Native Americans are no exception. Apaches historically enjoyed games of chance, and after contact with Spaniards, we adopted Spanish-suited playing cards and card games. We made our own decks from thin pieces of animal hide and decorated the cards with Apache iconography. On the other side of the continent, French explorers in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions observed huge lacrosse games — lacrosse is Indigenous and referred to as the “Creator’s Game” — with large wagers placed on the games. In the Native American context, gambling was an accepted cultural activity that brought the community together for entertainment and bonding. Certainly, some Native Americans hold personal views that oppose gambling, but to say that it is not “traditional” is simply untrue.

Jumping forward to the mid-1900s, most tribes had very few options to develop their economies. Federal appropriations often provided what little money came into tribal communities. Some tribes developed tourism, such as the Mescalero Apache Tribe of New Mexico, which opened Ski Apache in 1963 and Inn of the Mountain Gods resort in 1975 (both remain in operation today). Other tribes opened their lands to energy resource extraction, including coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium. Outside corporations did the extracting, paying mining royalties to tribes. The environmental costs have been catastrophic. Strip-mining of the Navajo and Hopi reservations for coal irreparably damaged the land. Uranium mining at Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico contaminated the community’s water, and radioactive yellow powder was inhaled by children, the elderly, and animals. I can’t fully blame tribes desperate for economic development to turn to resource extraction, but in an Indigenous ethos that stresses care for Mother Earth and dedication to future generations, such activities seem inherently untraditional.

Under these challenging economic conditions, some tribes turned to gaming in the late 1970s and 1980s. The Seminole Tribe of Florida hosted popular bingo games six days per week, offering larger pots than non-Indian bingo parlors. The Cabezon and Morongo Bands of Mission Indians — both located near Palm Springs, California — offered high stakes bingo and poker. When California law enforcement shut these operations down, Cabezon fought it. The case went all the way to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled in Cabezon’s favor in 1987, stating that if gambling was not criminally prohibited in a state, then it was legal for tribes to host it on reservations. A state could not prohibit Indian gaming if there was any form of legal gambling in that state such as a lottery or scratchers.

Congress moved swiftly in 1988 to regulate Indian gaming, passing the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). IGRA divides Indian gaming into three classes. IGRA does not cover Classes I and II (traditional games of chance and games with no house money). It does regulate Class III, which includes slot machines, blackjack, roulette, and all high stakes gaming. Under IGRA, a tribe must be federally recognized to operate Class III gaming. Gambling in some form must legally exist in the state in which the tribe is operating the casino. A tribe must negotiate a gaming compact with the state government that sets down the regulations and stipulations for their gaming operation, and the compact must be approved by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. A tribe must also establish a tribal gaming authority to oversee gaming and have all of the necessary infrastructure for oversight of casino activities in place.

Since IGRA, some 250 tribes across 25 states have gaming operations. Financial year 2022 saw $40.9 billion in Indian gaming revenue. But gaming isn’t universal among tribes, with less than half of 574 federally recognized tribes operating casinos. Furthermore, it’s a myth that tribes are getting rich off of casinos. Many tribal casinos are modest operations, with revenues mostly used for things like housing, scholarships and education, social services, healthcare, money to start other business ventures, historic and cultural preservation programs, and sometimes per capita payments. Casinos provide thousands of jobs for tribal members.

While Indian gaming has had negative consequences, such as gambling addiction for some individuals, the positives far outweigh the negatives. In the case of the Yavapai-Apache Nation, we now have a Medical Center. We have better government facilities such as our tribal administration complex (I remember going to meetings with my grandfather in the 1980s, when our tribal council met in a trailer). We have recreation and community centers, a Cultural Resource Center, and better tribal housing. Our higher education department provides college and vocational training scholarships to tribal members. I would not have obtained a Ph.D. without such support. With all this in mind, I fully support Indian gaming. It has been overwhelmingly positive for our community. It has provided us with the resources to better care for our land, community members, and future generations.

Serving Sedona, written his week by Maurice Crandall, volunteer with Friends of the Forest, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News. 

The post Demystifying Indian Gaming and Casinos: An Indigenous and Environmental Perspective appeared first on Friends of the Forest Sedona.

Do you consider yourself a “citizen scientist”? Our Wildlife, Fish, and Rare Plants team has opportunities for you.

Do you like hiking and sharing your knowledge with others? Trail Ambassadors is calling your name.

Maybe you prefer building trails or keeping our trailheads clean. Yep – we do that work too!

Are you an archeology buff or want to know more about our local heritage sites? Then, our Cultural Resources committee is waiting for you.

Do you prefer more behind-the-scenes work? There are various ways to get involved to help keep the organization up and running.

Friends of the Forest is always seeking new members, and on Wednesday, October 15th will be hosting an informational event to share the full depth and breadth of our activities. The event will be from 2 to 4pm at the Red Rock Ranger District’s administrative building, next to the Visitor Center a mile south of the Village of Oak Creek. This will be a great opportunity to meet members, learn about the numerous volunteer opportunities, and enjoy light snacks while socializing.

The goals of Friends of the Forest are to:

• Help the Forest Service maintain its trails and cultural resources
• Reduce environmental damage caused by increasing human impact
• Assist with education and improve communication with the community
• Enhance the forest experience for visitors and residents

In becoming stewards, Friends of the Forest members are offered personal enrichment and public service opportunities based upon one’s interest and time. No prior experience is required. Training, tools, personal protective equipment, and volunteer attire is provided. Friends of the Forest has many Committees that members can get involved with, including:

Air Sampling/Water Monitoring — Volunteers assist the Forest Service with the replacement of air sampling filters, which monitor air quality as part of the implementation of the Federal Clean Air Act regulations. Volunteers also monitor the water quality in Oak and Fossil creeks.

Cultural Resources — Trained as docents, volunteers provide information to visitors about the ancient cultures that once lived or visited the Palatki Red Cliffs and Crane Petroglyph heritage sites. They also conduct site photography and recording.

Graffiti Removal — This team works to remove graffiti (etching, stickers, paint) from the forest, while protecting critical archaeological sites.

Motorized Environmental Restoration — Volunteers work with the Forest Service and other volunteer organizations to restore, improve, and maintain roads and surrounding habitats in the Red Rock Ranger District.

Preventative Search & Rescue — During summer months, volunteers share their knowledge and experience by informing hikers of what they are taking on, what they should have to be appropriately prepared, and offering them alternative destinations.

River Ranger Support — The “River Rats” volunteers support the Forest Service rangers who patrol the federally protected portion of the Verde River between Camp Verde and Cave Springs.

Trail Ambassador — These goodwill ambassadors hike Forest Service trails answering hiker questions, promoting the safe and ethical use of the forest, and reporting trail maintenance needs and/or graffiti.

Trail Maintenance & Construction — The focus of these dedicated volunteers is to maintain and restore existing non-motorized trails. Volunteers also make and install wood trail signs, install kiosks and rock cairns, and help create new trails.

Trailhead Beautification — Volunteers provide ongoing support at trailheads and parking lots, including picking up litter; clearing weeds, branches and brush; and repairing fencing.

Visitor Information Services — Stationed at the front desk of the Visitor Center, these volunteers greet visitors and provide information about recreation opportunities on the Coconino National Forest around Sedona.

Wildlife/Fish/Rare Plant Projects — These volunteers work on diverse projects coordinated by the district wildlife biologist such as conducting lichen and firefly inventories, retrofitting range/cattle fencing to be more wildlife friendly, taking care of Forest Service horses, and maintaining gardens at the Visitor Center.

Other Opportunities — Volunteers also handle all infrastructure and technology support needs (financials, website, system administration, proprietary apps), membership, hospitality, and the newsletter.

Author, Melissa Pontikes

Don’t miss the October 15th New Member event! For more information on the event and joining Friends of the Forest, visit www.friendsoftheforestsedona.org.

Serving Sedona, written his week by Melissa Pontikes, Friends of the Forest, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News. 

The post Join Friends of the Forest appeared first on Friends of the Forest Sedona.

Volunteers with the Friends of the Forest Graffiti Removal team at a site needing remediation off of the Soldier Pass Trail.

On a recent morning, a group of trained volunteers made their way along the Soldier Pass Trail. Their destination was an off-trail site that attracts lots of hikers, and therefore lots of graffiti. The volunteers were from the Friends of the Forest, a not-for-profit, non-political volunteer organization. They arrived at their destination and found dozens of instances of graffiti, primarily scratches, but also from Sharpie markers. The team is trained to remediate graffiti, but this particular site contains culturally significant rock art. They performed their task under the strict supervision of a trained archeologist using soft bristle brushes and distilled water. Sadly, some of the graffiti was too close to or on top of ancient paintings and petroglyphs and could not be cleaned. Centuries-old rock art was permanently marred. The cultural heritage of Tribal communities was harmed. Graffiti is in no way a victimless crime.

The creation of graffiti on National Forest property is considered a federal crime. It can carry fines up to $5,000 and jail time up to six months. Restitution for cleaning up or repairing damage to property is also possible. The penalties don’t seem to work well as a deterrent and rarely are perpetrators caught. In and around Sedona, the landscape continues to be scarred by intentional, malicious damage, mostly when people use rocks to make scratches in the red rock cliff faces and boulders, but graffiti is also made with paint, charcoal, markers, and stickers. 

Jim White, Chair of the Friends of the Forest Graffiti Removal Committee, has a team of trained volunteers that works tirelessly to remediate graffiti. The committee works closely with the Coconino National Forest Red Rock Ranger District archaeological staff. Sensitive sites require professional supervision, and sometimes cannot be refurbished.

In a typical year, over 1,000 occurrences of graffiti are cleaned up by the volunteers. The team takes group outings about once a month to visit sites that experience considerable amounts of graffiti vandalism, including Devil’s Bridge, Cathedral Rock, the West Fork Trail, and the Bell Rock Pathway. It also travels beyond Coconino National Forest, including areas within the Prescott National Forest and Slide Rock State Park. Most incidents of graffiti do not require supervision to correct, and team members are trained to work independently to clean up in these cases. 

The team’s ultimate goal is to clean up graffiti as quickly as possible. There is an old saying that graffiti begets graffiti. The sooner graffiti is cleaned up, the less growth by copycats. You have probably seen instances of copycat graffiti out on the hiking trails. A good example are stacks of stones, or cairns, which can quickly multiply to dozens of cairns. Anything which does not occur naturally is graffiti, including those stacks of stones. 

Please do not attempt to clean up graffiti yourself; it takes special training and tools. Also, the graffiti team has a custom-developed cell phone app to identify sensitive areas so that proper Forest Service employees are notified. This is very important, because uninformed individuals trying to help have damaged archaeological sites on several occasions over the last year. The adage “take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints” has even stronger meaning when it comes to graffiti, the effects of which cannot always be remedied. 

Author, Jim White

Readers are encouraged to report any graffiti occurrences to the Friends of the Forest. Simply email photos, descriptions, and location (including GPS coordinates if possible) to graffiti@fofsedona.org.  Anyone interested in joining the team can join Friends of the Forest and express an interest in Graffiti Removal. Training and materials are provided by the Friends. Go to www.friendsoftheforestsedona.org for more information. 

Serving Sedona, written his week by Jim White, volunteer with Friends of the Forest, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News. 

The post Graffiti Harms Our National Forest appeared first on Friends of the Forest Sedona.

While it may seem counterintuitive, a planned fire can be the most effective tool to manage the intensity and spread of future wildfires, and can even prevent them from happening. We call these prescribed fires or controlled burns. Other benefits of using fire on the landscape include increasing plant diversity, controlling invasive species, reducing tree competition, and improving wildlife habitat.

Much like a doctor prescribes medicine to keep you healthy, prescribed fires improve the overall health and safety of our public lands. Indigenous people across North America have been utilizing fire to support sustainable, healthy forests for millennia. Today, fire is a vital tool for land managers like the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service.

While there are many benefits that prescribed fires facilitate, a prescribed fire is still a fire. A risk always exists when fire is put on the ground. Fires are heavily influenced by their environment. On rare occasions, a controlled burn may experience an unexpected shift in wind and can become uncontrolled. It will then be declared a wildfire. Unfortunately, this puts people, property, animals, and other parts of the forest at risk. This is what happened with the Dragon Bravo Fire.

With the occurrence of wildfire an inevitable part of where we live, being “firewise” is a key way to reduce the risks from wildfire at the local and household levels. Though you can’t stop a lightning strike, there are steps you can take to protect, or harden, your property from wildfires. Fire hardening is a proactive approach to wildfire preparedness that aims to make homes more resistant to the devastating effects of wildfires. It helps prevent flying embers from igniting your home and property. The more that we each take responsibility for fire hardening, the safer our neighborhoods become.

The National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise USA program has developed practical steps to help individuals and their communities reduce the destruction from wildland fires. The area within 100-feet of your home can be broken into three zones, with different strategies and tactics to mitigate fire danger and increase the chance of home survival.
The area within five feet of your home is the most critical and vulnerable to embers and is called the Immediate Zone. This includes the structure, deck/patio/balcony or other outside entertaining space, attached fencing, and the immediate landscaping. Suggested actions within this zone are:

• Remove all combustible materials like wood, mulch, dead or dry vegetation, leaves, and pine needles from next to all buildings, roofs, and gutters
• Trim tree branches that hang over the roof, eaves, and chimney
• Remove anything stored under decks

The Intermediate Zone is between 5-30 feet from the home and all outbuildings. In this area:

• Keep the area lean, clean, and green by pruning and removing dead and dying branches from well-spaced bushes and trees
• Landscaping should be well-maintained and watered during a hot, dry summer
• Trees and shrubs in this zone should be limited to small clusters of a few each to break up the continuity of the vegetation across the landscape
• Prune trees up to six to ten feet from the ground; for shorter trees do not exceed 1/3 of the overall tree height
• Stack wood piles on bare or gravel areas or in an enclosed shed at least 30 feet from the home

The final, or Extended Zone, is the area farthest from the home, extending to 100 feet. The goal in this zone is to reduce fuels, create fire breaks, and maintain flames close to the ground. Suggested remediations include:

• Remove heavy accumulations of ground litter/debris, dead plant and tree materials
• Remove small conifers growing between mature trees
• Remove vegetation adjacent to storage sheds or other outbuildings within this area

Author, Melissa Pontikes

Regardless of how a fire may begin, it is important that everyone takes appropriate actions to safeguard their home and property from a wildland fire. Additional information on Firewise can be found at nfpa.org.

Visit www.friendsoftheforestsedona.org to learn more about Friends of the Forest and how you can volunteer

Serving Sedona, written his week by Melissa Pontikes, volunteer with Friends of the Forest and mother of a wildland firefighter, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News. Sedona Red Rock News. 

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Yellowstone National Park, considered America’s first “public land,” was established in 1872. In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt created the U.S. Forest Service and laid the foundation for the current public lands system, including the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Today, approximately 30% of the landmass in the United States is public land under the management of federal, state, and local government agencies. The largest landowner is the federal government with 640 million acres under its umbrella; another 200 million acres are managed by state and local entities.

Arizona ranks sixth in terms of percent of land in the public domain, at 57%. It is important to understand the differences between the various agencies that oversee public land. Most state and federally managed public lands are open for recreational use. There are a wide-range of recreational opportunities and restrictions based upon the land designation and oversight agency.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the largest manager of public land, holding 10.5% of land in the country. Almost all BLM land is located in the Western states and Alaska. It is managed for multiple uses, including through leasing land for grazing, oil and gas development, and mineral and timber extraction, as well as recreation. The BLM has designated some unique areas to be within its National Conservation Lands system. The Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is one of these, known for its iconic towering walls streaked with desert varnish, huge red rock amphitheaters, sandstone arches, and wooded terraces. This area is home to the often photographed Coyote Buttes North, or The Wave.

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) administers the second-largest amount of public land, with 154 national forests across 8.5 percent of all land in the U.S. These lands are managed under a multi-use objective that includes recreation, timber, grazing, and mineral extraction. National forests have a mix of maintained trails for recreation, maintained roads, developed picnic and camping sites, and wilderness and undeveloped portions. Over 120 ski resorts are located on national forest land. There are six national forests in Arizona: Apache-Sitgreaves, Coconino, Coronado, Kaibab, Prescott, and Tonto.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants. and their habitats for the American people. In Arizona, USFWS focuses on protecting endangered and threatened species, migratory birds, and freshwater fish.

National parks are created by Congress to offer public recreation, while protecting land of natural, historical, or cultural value for future generations. The National Parks Service manages 63 national parks, as well as 400 other units across the country, such as cemeteries, battlefields, and historic buildings. Arizona has three national parks – Grand Canyon, Saguaro, and Petrified Forest.

State and local governments also manage public lands. Arizona manages 34 state parks, natural areas, and recreation areas, such as Slide Rock and Red Rock state parks, Verde River Greenway State Natural Area, and Jerome State Historic Park. Posse Grounds is owned and managed by the City of Sedona. In Cornville, Yavapai County owns and manages Windmill Park.

In addition to the various public land domains, there are several designations established by Congress to protect our natural resources. Wilderness is the highest and most restrictive land designation and aims to preserve pristine wildlands by limiting human development and activity. The Coconino National Forest has ten wilderness area, including Red Rock-Secret Mountain, Fossil Springs, and Sycamore Canyon.

Wild and Scenic Rivers designation protects rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values. This designation aims to preserve these rivers in their free-flowing condition and restricts development, particularly dams and other harmful activities, while recognizing the potential for appropriate use and development. Locally, a portion of the Verde River has this designation.

Author, Melissa Pontikes

Public land will continue to be in the news, and no one knows what the future will hold. Regardless, Friends of the Forest will continue to support the Coconino National Forest by annually providing tens of thousands of volunteer hours to maintain the natural beauty and resources that surround Sedona. More information can be found at friendsoftheforestsedona.org.

Serving Sedona, written this week by Melissa Pontikes, Friends of the Forest, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News. 

The post The Complexity of Our Public Lands appeared first on Friends of the Forest Sedona.

The Sedona area, beloved for its recreation opportunities, presents an experience many locals and visitors take advantage of in summer: the ability to cool-off in Oak Creek and Fossil Creek. Oak Creek is one of the few perennial streams in Northern Arizona’s high desert and is vital to people and wildlife. Its water source is a combination of underground aquifers, snowmelt, and precipitation. Fossil Creek, one of only two “wild and scenic” rivers in Arizona, is spring-fed. It is accessible year-round, but requires a U.S. Forest Service permit between April 1^st and October 1^st. 

These vital waterways are part of the Verde River watershed and play an important role in providing water and supporting a diverse ecosystem, including endangered species. The quality of the water impacts the overall health of the creeks and those that rely on it for survival. 

In partnership with the Forest Service and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Water Sampling volunteers with the non-profit organization Friends of the Forest monitor water quality at Fossil Creek year-round and Oak Creek during the summer months. Each month, trained volunteers use a specialized probe called the Aqua Troll to collect key data including pH levels, oxygen saturation, total dissolved solids, specific conductivity, barometric pressure, and temperature. Additional testing is conducted for E. coli and turbidity (the cloudiness of water caused by suspended particles like silt, algae, or other materials).

To ensure accuracy, volunteers meet rigorous data quality standards, undergo annual training, and participate in regular audits. The data they collect is submitted to ADEQ, added to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national database, and made publicly accessible.

“Friends of the Forest volunteers are a prime example of the power of community scientists,” says ADEQ Community Science Coordinator, Meghan Smart. “They work tirelessly to protect the environment through credible data collection and educating the public and youth at STEM events. Their dedication and data help to protect Arizona’s unique environment, and make up an essential part of ADEQ’s Community Science Alliance Program. They consistently go above and beyond in their efforts, and we are grateful.”

When visiting any water sources, practice the principles of Leave No Trace: 

• Have a poop plan, for humans and pets, so water isn’t polluted and other visitors aren’t grossed-out
• Stick to the trails so there is no additional environmental degradation 
• Pack out all your trash, including all fruit peels and other food waste
• Protect the watershed because anything done and/or left in the area can directly impact the quality of the water, negatively affecting plants and animals

Friends of the Forest volunteers also monitor air quality. Ike’s Backbone Air Sampling Station is near Fossil Creek and is one of 156 nation-wide that is part of the IMPROVE program (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments). 

IMPROVE addresses visibility degradation in national parks and wilderness areas that have been designated by Congress as places to be afforded the highest level of air quality protection under the law. Weekly, volunteers travel in a Forest Service-provided vehicle over extremely bumpy terrain to change filters and collect data at Ike’s Backbone. The data collected is subsequently shared with partners of the Environmental Protection Agency, which is the primary source of funding. Partners, like the Air Quality Research Center at the University of California, Davis, provide field maintenance and volunteer support, sample handling, elemental analysis, and data processing.

Often times, these vital volunteers are called “community scientists” and they enjoy sharing their knowledge with the local schools. Recently, Water and Air Sampling volunteers assisted ADEQ with hands-on STEM projects with students. The students enjoyed the demonstrations and learned the importance of keeping the waterways clean and practicing Leave No Trace principles while recreating. 

Author, Jerry Checchia

Water and air quality monitoring are just a couple of the many activities within Friends of the Forest. For more information, please visit our website at friendsoftheforestsedona.org.

Serving Sedona, written this week by Jerry Checchia, Friends of the Forest, appears Wednesday in the Sedona Red Rock News. 

The post Volunteers Keep a Close Eye on Water and Air Quality appeared first on Friends of the Forest Sedona.