[Source: the Arizona Republic, Gary Nelson] – – After more than 20 years, Mesa finally has enough money to begin work on an architectural park at the Mesa Grande ruins. A $100,000 grant from the Arizona Historic Preservation Heritage Fund, coupled with a previous $150,000 from Indian gaming money, will allow the public to begin touring the ruins as early as next year. Tom Wilson, director of the city-owned Museum of Natural History, said last spring the first $150,000, courtesy of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, was spent for site planning and digital mapping of the fragile west Mesa spot. [Note: to read the full article click here.]
Heritage Fund
Fort Verde in Camp Verde AZ facelift needs help
[Source: CVBugle.com, Steve Ayers] – – Rangers call for volunteers – – When the military constructed Fort Verde, they built it with the belief that the fort would remain serviceable for 10 to 20 years … max. They had no idea that parts of it would still be standing 137 years later. Constructed for the most part of adobe, it is a testament to the love and care given over the years by local volunteers and Arizona State Parks employees that anything remains standing.
That love and care is once again being requested, as the staff of the park embarks on a major repair project, starting at the Surgeon’s Quarters on the north end and working their way south to the park’s administrative building. “We are putting out a want ad, if you will,” says Dennis Lockhart, assistant manger of Fort Verde State Historic Park. “Anyone who wants to come scrape paint, do wood work or plaster, or has skills in anything that might be of help, they are welcome to come over and be a volunteer.” [Note: to read the full article click here.]
International conservation program brings endangered wild-born jaguar to Phoenix Zoo
[Source: wmicentral.com, AZ Game & Fish Department] – – After years of planning, an endangered jaguar made its way from Sonora, Mexico to Arizona recently. On loan from Mexico, the young male cat will call the Phoenix Zoo home for at least the next year before returning to a zoo in Mexico. The loan was orchestrated by the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the zoo as a way to provide needed medical care to the animal. Illegally captured, the jaguar damaged its canine teeth while in an inadequate enclosure, which precludes it from ever being returned to the wild. The Phoenix Zoo agreed to provide the necessary dental surgery. “The arrival of this jaguar in Arizona is exciting for so many reasons,” said Arizona Game and Fish Department International and Borderlands Program Manager, Francisco Abarca. “Not many people realize that the jaguar is native to the United States, so to work in cooperation with Mexico and the Phoenix Zoo to bring it here provides us with an important chance to learn more about a virtually unstudied population segment of the species.” [Note: to read the full article click here.]
State Parks purchases Camp Verde’s Rockin’ River Ranch
[Source: CVBugle.com, Steve Ayers] — Chalk up another crown jewel for the ever-expanding Verde River Greenway. This week, Arizona State Parks and The Nature Conservancy have announced the purchase of the historic Rockin’ River Ranch, located on the Verde River at the southern edge of the Town of Camp Verde. The $7 million purchase was made with money designated for the specific purpose of acquiring land for State Parks. Funding for acquisition comes from the state’s Heritage Fund, which comes from the state lottery. [Note: to read the full article, click here.]