Heritage Fund

Free trail map will help you find wildlife in the Pinetop-Lakeside area

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[Source: WMIcentral.com] – With the weather getting warmer, it may be a good time to plan a family outing to hike and enjoy wildlife viewing in the ponderosa pine country of the White Mountains.

The Town of Pinetop-Lakeside, with assistance from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, recently developed a new trail guide called the “Pinetop-Lakeside Wildlife Viewing Guide” to help you map out a fun trip to enjoy nature and wildlife in eastern Arizona. It comes complete with a local hiking trail map and descriptions of several prime areas in and around the town where you can see a variety of animals.

“The guide will help people to streamline wildlife-viewing trips in the Pinetop-Lakeside area,” says Bruce Sitko, spokesman at the department’s Pinetop office. “Families and friends will be able to plan out which types of wildlife and which areas they want to see and how to most quickly and effectively get from one to another.”[to read the full article click here].

Arizona Game and Fish to restore river bed

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[Source: WMIcentral.com] – The Arizona Game and Fish Department is implementing a water quality improvement project along the banks of the Little Colorado River on its Wenima Wildlife Area located just north of Springerville. 

The 355 acre property is managed for native wildlife, and includes 2.5 miles of the Little Colorado River.  Some of the river’s stream banks are very unstable, and large amounts of soil is washed downstream when water levels rise.  The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality funded a water quality improvement grant to address these eroding banks. The Department originally purchased this 355 acre property in 1993 with the aid of the Heritage Fund, which utilizes Arizona lottery monies to protect habitat for threatened and endangered species.  Since the 1993 acquisition, the habitat within the Wenima Wildlife Area boundaries has greatly improved, but a few sections of the river continue to experience excessive erosion events during spring run off and after large monsoon rains.

The Department applied for and was awarded a water quality improvement grant administered by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. [to read the full article click here].

Accomplishments of the Arizona Heritage Alliance 2010-2011

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  • In the spring of 2009 and again in 2010, we arranged a trip to the Vermilion Cliffs in Marble Canyon to spend time with a biologist from the Peregrine Fund to get an up close and personal glimpse of the free flying California Condors, an Arizona Heritage Fund project.

 

  • In spring 2010, we were invited by the Director of the Arizona Lottery to assist with the reauthorization of the Lottery at the Legislature. We also worked with the League of Arizona Cities and Towns in this endeavor.

 

  • Also in 2010, in collaboration with the film’s producers, we organized screenings of the documentary, Postcards From The Parks, in Flagstaff, Tempe and Tucson. The film’s goal is to spread the word about the challenges of our State Parks, and to encourage other Arizonans who care about history, our natural treasures, and the outdoors to get involved. After the film’s viewing at these three a facilitated discussion and question and answer period will be was led by Vincent Murray, a historian with Arizona Historical Research, in cooperation with the filmmakers and other parks advocates.  An invitation to all local elected officials was made to these events. They were free and open to the public.

 

  • We also arranged to have the film shown at the 2010 Arizona Preservation Foundation Conference in Flagstaff; the 2010 Arizona Highways Travel Show in Phoenix and the 2010 Arizona Parks and Recreation Association Conference in Paradise Valley.

 

  • In 2011, we were instrumental in getting the strike-everything amendment, HB2425 – Heritage Fund; Reinstatement, introduced in the House of Representatives. This Bill would put the State Parks Heritage Fund back into statute. The Bill passed unanimously out of the Agriculture & Water Committee.

 

  • We continue to expand partnerships with historic preservation groups, Arizona League of Cities and Towns and other appropriate organizations.

Goals of the Arizona Heritage Alliance

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1) Increase public awareness of the purpose, benefits, and opportunities of the Arizona Heritage Fund:

  • Compile and disseminate e-newsletter to all internal and external key publics, including members, state legislators and staff, city officials, county officials, affiliate organizations, and interested citizens
  • Maintain and update database of internal and external key decision makers
  • Communicate updates in e-newsletter
  • Participate in key statewide conferences
  • Hold public education workshops
  • Organize speakers bureau of volunteer board members, communicate availability, and schedule speaking engagements
  • Produce and secure placement of positive public service announcement.

 

2) Protect the integrity and existing funding levels of the Arizona Heritage Fund

  • Develop informational packet
  • Meet with targeted legislators and executive branch representatives to establish rapport and support; distribute informational packet
  • Keep current on proposed legislation; analyze and respond to proposed legislation
  • Broadcast “Action Alerts”

 

3) Update the Arizona Heritage Fund to reflect anticipated future funding needs and programs

  • Develop and implement comprehensive communications, marketing, and coalition-building plan
  • Meet with representatives of the Arizona Heritage Fund Coalition to discuss existing and anticipated funding strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and recommendations; and to gain support for any fund-raising campaign
  • Update statewide poll to determine baseline support for future Arizona Heritage Fund needs and programs
  • Secure representation on any organization, coalition, or effort that may impact future Arizona Heritage Fund needs and programs