Arizona Historical Society

Restore Full Funding for the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund in 2023!

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Arizona’s local, regional, and state parks and recreation facilities are economic development generators that encourage the spending of tourist dollars, attract businesses whose workforce choose jobs in locations with quality of life benefits, strengthen community cohesion, and increase property values. Historic preservation initiatives in our rural communities and urban areas promote economic development by creating jobs, revitalizing historic areas, increasing property values, and promoting heritage tourism.

The Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund served Arizona well from 1991 to 2008 and again, starting in 2021, with its support for parks, historic preservation, non-motorized trails, and outdoor and environmental education. It is the goal of the Arizona Heritage Alliance to encourage state officials to restore full funding for the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund in 2023. During the fiscal year 2021 and 2022 grant cycles, the demand has exceeded expectations, so full funding is essential.

Help us achieve our goal!

* CHICK HERE  to add your name to the list of Arizonans who care deeply about our state’s natural, cultural, and historic resources and encourage full funding for the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund through its original funding source, the Arizona Lottery.

* CONTACT your newly-elected legislators asking them to support the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund in the next legislative session. Since the election results are still coming in (as of 11-13-22), contact information for new legislators has yet to be finalized. To find your legislator, visit: https://www.azleg.gov/findmylegislator/

* FOLLOW the Alliance’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/azheritage

* INVITE the Alliance to make a presentation at an organization you represent. Drop us a note at [email protected] 

With graditude, thank you for your continuing support.

Arizona Heritage Alliance Board of Directors

Arizona Preservation Foundation Award

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The Arizona Preservation Foundation is honored to receive the 2022 John H. Chafee Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Policy from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. APF has been a long-standing partner of the Arizona Heritage Alliance and we are mentioned in the following video.  On YouTube, the AZ segment starts at the 7 min. mark: https://buff.ly/3NDOCap

New “Arizona Adventure” Lottery Ticket and Promotion”

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Arizona Lottery Press Release – August 2, 2022

The Arizona Lottery and Arizona State Parks are excited to announce a partnership aimed at encouraging all Arizonans, and Lottery players in particular, to get out and visit a variety of our state’s amazing state parks through a new Arizona Adventure Scratchers® ticket and adventure-based promotion.

Arizona Adventure celebrates our great state by combining a unique lottery ticket set against a backdrop of three iconic landscapes, a geo-located adventure experience at 12 Arizona state parks, and the chance to win a share of $1 million in cash and Arizona travel prizes.

“We’re bringing a sense of adventure to our players, offering more chances to win and explore the beauty of our great state, ” said Gregg Edgar, Arizona Lottery Executive Director. “Coming out of the pandemic, it’s clear that Arizonans are looking for fun ways to connect with family and friends and, with Arizona Adventure, we’re offering a chance to get out, explore and win big this year!”

Players can go to the Arizona Adventure website, www.AZAdventure.com, to learn about the various “adventures” at 12 different Arizona state parks, get directions, and then embark on their self-guided adventure. Once a player reaches the coordinates of the park destination of their choice, they can “Check-In” on the Arizona Adventure website to receive ten entries into Arizona Lottery promotional drawings for cash and travel prizes.

For those who want to adventure closer to home, players can purchase the limited-time-only, Arizona Adventure Scratchers ticket at 3,000+ Arizona Lottery retailers across the state. This new $5 ticket gives players an opportunity to win a $50,000 top prize, plus each Arizona Adventure ticket entered into the promotion will receive five entries for a chance at the grand prize of $200,000 and an Arizona travel package. Players can also enter other eligible $5 Scratchers and Fast Play tickets for a single entry into the promotion.

“We are so excited to partner with the Arizona Lottery on the Arizona Adventure tickets,” said Bob Broscheid, executive director of Arizona State Parks and Trails. “You can plan your next adventure in one of Arizona’s state parks, and then enter to win even more prizes. It’s a great reward on top of an already amazing outdoor experience.”

You can learn more about Arizona Adventure, participating Arizona state parks, eligible games, and the exciting cash and experiential prizes available to players at www.AZAdventure.com.

About Arizona State Parks
For information about the more than 30 Arizona state parks and natural areas, the trails and Off-Highway Vehicle Program and State Historic Preservation Office, call 1-877-MY-PARKS or visit www.AZStateParks.com.

Heritage Fund HALF Full!

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Article by Jim McPherson, President of the Arizona Preservation Foundation and Vice-President of the Arizona Heritage Alliance – July 6, 2022.

While the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund appropriations was cut in half from $5 million last fiscal year to $2.5 million this fiscal year, the State Legislature and Governor approved other significant funding for parks, trails, historic preservation, and wildlife conservation. Over and above funding for the staffing and operations of Arizona Game & Fish and Arizona State Parks & Trails (the two state agencies that the Arizona Heritage Alliance advocates for every day), investments were made for the following initiatives:

  • Historic Resources: Arizona Historical Society; Arizona Mining, Mineral & National Resources Museum; Arizona Pioneers’ Home; Fort Whipple Homeless Veterans Housing; Prescott Historical Society; State Capitol Renovations; historic building renovations at Jerome State Historic Park, Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, and Tonto Natural Bridge State Park; Arizona Dude Ranch Registry; and State Archives Born Digital Record Preservation Study.
  • Natural Resources: Arizona Trail; campground, solar shade, smartphone accessibility, and water conservation projects at state parks statewide; specific improvements at Catalina State Park, Dead Horse State Park, and Rockin’ River Ranch State Park; and mitigation of drought conditions affecting wildlife and sportsfish.

In addition, the Alliance has always supported the leveraging of funds from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) with all related grant programs managed by state and local governments. The Alliance applauds the recent announcement by the U.S. Department of the Interior that $5,695,464 from the LWCF will be invested in Arizona for outdoor recreation and conservation efforts, strengthening public lands and waters, building new outdoor spaces, and expanding access to outdoor recreation.

The Alliance thanks the thousands of Arizonans who called, wrote, emailed, texted, and used the Legislature’s Request to Speak service this past legislative session to voice their support of the State Parks Heritage Fund and Arizona’s historic and natural resources overall.