Conservation

Mission

By working to maintain clean and beautiful parks, we are promoting sustainable communities, providing valuable outdoor spaces for native plants and animals, and supporting the well-being of those living within the community.

Objectives

Get Involved with Adopt-a-Park Volunteer Events – Make a Difference in Your Community!

The Adopt-a-Park Program invites individuals of all ages and backgrounds to join our volunteer events, where you can contribute to preserving and enhancing our green spaces while gaining valuable skills and experience in ecological conservation.

Why Volunteer with Us? As a volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Gain Hands-On Experience: Learn essential skills like invasive species identification and removal, while deepening your ecological knowledge and understanding of local ecosystems and conservation practices.
• Collaborate with Local Community Members: Work alongside passionate individuals who share your commitment to protecting the environment. Together, you’ll contribute to the health of local habitats and foster a strong sense of community responsibility.
• Make a Real Impact: Each event supports the conservation of our green spaces, ensuring they thrive for future generations, while giving you the tools to apply sustainable practices in your daily life.

Whether you’re looking to build new skills, get involved in meaningful environmental work, or connect with your local community, Adopt-a-Park volunteer events offer a rewarding experience for all.

Conservation Programs

Adapt A Park / Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area (Ongoing)

AZSA is working with the City of Phoenix on a long-term project to clean up the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area, a 5-mile stretch of land alongside the Salt River that was historically used as a dumping ground. This comprehensive restoration effort involves removing invasive species, cleaning up trash, planting native trees and pollinators, and revitalizing trails and habitats that are frequented by both the community and wildlife. 

The project not only improves the local environment but also supports biodiversity by enhancing habitats for native species. The Nina Mason Audubon, City of Phoenix, Arizona Sustainability Alliance, Tiger Mountain Foundation, Protectors of the Salt River, SEWA USA, and the Sierra Club have come together as partners to contribute their expertise and resources to the initiative. 

In addition to ecological restoration, the project incorporates community engagement and education, offering opportunities for local residents to get involved through volunteer work and educational programs, ensuring the long-term health of the area. 

By collaborating with diverse organizations and fostering community involvement, the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area project exemplifies a holistic approach to environmental restoration and sustainability.

Green Career Pathways

The Green Career Pathways (GCP) workforce development program is focused on accomplishing two essential tasks for Arizona: providing essential job skills to students from underrepresented communities and meeting labor demand for the sustainability sector. By collaborating with Title I schools and public and private partners, this program provides students with technical job skills in various clean energy and conservation career pathways. This program benefits high school students from communities that have historically lacked access to equitable educational opportunities and career pathways while also being disproportionately impacted by environmental justice issues. By empowering youth from these communities to acquire job skills in the sustainability sector, this program aims to simultaneously address equity and environmental justice issues. 

The GCP program runs for a full academic school year, with one semester learning about clean energy and another focused on conservation. During the conservation semester of the program, students engage with professionals in the field, conduct experiential learning site visits, and participate in hands-on conservation and restoration projects that benefit local ecosystems. By establishing cross-sector partnerships between AZSA, Phoenix Union High School District, and participating environmental organizations, the GCP program is committed to fostering stewardship and workforce skills to develop the next generation of conservation leaders.