Friends of the Tonto National Forest

Friends of the Tonto National Forest is a volunteer-based non-profit that assists the US Forest Service in its critical mission of natural and cultural resource and visitor use management. We promote public understanding of the Tonto National Forest, and develop opportunities to participate in resource management through community outreach, volunteer projects and educational outings. 

Friends of the Tonto National Forest was founded in 2014 by Patti Fenner who had spent her career with the United States Forest Service. Patti worked as a District Range/Watershed Staff, then as the Forest Noxious Weed Program Manager. Upon retirement, Patti founded Friends to provide assistance to the USFS on the many projects that are needed to be done in Tonto National Forest.

The Tonto National Forest is the largest national forest in Arizona, covering almost 3 million acres, about the size of Connecticut. Needless to say, this is a huge area to manage! Our programs rely on volunteer power, grant funds, and philanthropic donations to protect natural resources, monitor riparian areas, encourage safety in the outdoors, and protect cultural sites.

This year for Arizona Gives Day, we are asking for your support to help us grow our programs. Funds raised will go toward the following projects:

-The Saguaro Monitoring Program began last year, with a goal to train and mobilize volunteers to assess the health and survival of saguaros, and to monitor saguaro plantings in the Forest.  Our fundraising goal of $3,000 will go towards funding technical assistance for the Field Maps app we created to track the saguaros.

-The Invasive Plant Management Project focuses on removing, mapping, and monitoring non-native plants in the Tonto National Forest. We focus on two prevalent species - fountain grass and buffelgrass - and we host removal events twice a month from October to April where volunteers manually remove invasives. This year we have added a stinknet removal project in the Tonto Basin, which will be launched in March. Our fundraising goal of $1,500 will go towards tool replacement and repair,  volunteer supplies, and brochure printing. 

-The Milkweed for Monarchs Project is part of an international effort to help bolster declining monarch populations by planting native milkweed and nectar plants from Canada to Mexico. Monarchs lay their eggs exclusively on the milkweed plant, which the monarch larvae rely on as a food source. With the help of the USFS and dedicated volunteers, we've planted and maintained milkweed in multiple locations on the Tonto. Our fundraising goal of $2,000 will support the purchase of milkweed and nectar plants, soil, cloth and signage. 

-The Riparian Photopoint Project documents riparian areas by taking repeat photographs of vegetation and streambanks at exact spots to show wildlife impacts, results of flooding, fire and drought, impacts by livestock, and improvement in conditions from management strategies over time. Photos are posted on our website, and ecologists who do research on the Tonto have come to depend upon information these photos provide. Our fundraising goal of $1,500 will go towards printer ink, photo paper, envelopes, and postage.

-The Trail Maintenance Project helps keep hiking trails in the Forest in good condition and safe for users. We currently work on the Cave Creek Trail system. Trail work includes trimming vegetation, improving signage, closing social trails, and constructing rock cairns. Our fundraising goal of $2,000 will go towards hiring crews to work on challenging sections of the trail. 

-Our General Fund supports our operations, and allows us to grow our work. Our fundraising goal of $5,000 will go towards office supplies, administrative staff support, software programs and storage fees. 

Testimonials

This is such a rewarding volunteer opportunity. I volunteer on the Riparian Photopoint project. You get to travel somewhere beautiful that is truly off the beaten path AND positively contribute to crowd sourced science! How could it get any better? - Shaina S.

"I have volunteered with this group for several years, mostly with the riparian monitoring project but also with invasive grass removals. The mission of Friends of the Tonto is much larger. When you look at the totality of their work, they study and protect wildlife, native vegetation, cultural resources, water resources, recreational resources, and archeological history. Even better, this group is led by outstanding people with good leadership skills and even bigger hearts. One thing is certain - when you come out to help with any of the interesting projects, you will have fun, you'll make new friends, and you'll know you're making a real difference in protecting and improving our amazing Arizona lands." - Dave E.