activities · 12
what they do
direct service · 10
- Cactus and native plant salvage operations Habitat Restoration & Invasive Species ManagementSalvages native cacti and plants threatened by development or environmental damage, including over 5,500 cacti and more than 900 saguaros, for replanting in protected areas.
- Cactus and native plant salvage operations Habitat Restoration & Invasive Species ManagementSalvages cacti and other native plants from development zones or degraded areas to preserve biodiversity and support replanting efforts. The organization has salvaged over 5,500 cacti, including more than 900 saguaros, through its Dedicated Restoration Team.
- Community and youth volunteer cleanup events Community Litter and Waste CleanupsHosts seasonal volunteer cleanup events across Arizona, engaging diverse community members including youth in hands-on environmental restoration. Events rotate by region and season and have involved over 16,000 volunteers in 150 events, contributing more than 60,000 hours of service.
- Community and youth volunteer engagement in environmental restoration Community Litter and Waste CleanupsHosts seasonal volunteer cleanup events across Arizona, engaging over 16,000 volunteers who have contributed more than 60,000 hours. Events include trash and graffiti removal, replanting, and service learning for youth, with 150 events hosted statewide.
- Dedicated Restoration Team for veteran employment and remote restoration Community Litter and Waste CleanupsEmploys military veterans through a Dedicated Restoration Team launched in 2017 to restore remote, heavily impacted areas affected by illegal dumping and graffiti. The team has completed over 29,300 hours of restoration work and 240 team projects.
- Dedicated Restoration Team for veteran employment and remote restoration Community Litter and Waste CleanupsEmploys military veterans through a Dedicated Restoration Team launched in 2017 to restore remote or heavily impacted areas. The team has completed over 29,300 hours of work and 240 restoration projects, removing over 1.2 million pounds of trash.
- Replanting and ecological restoration projects Habitat Restoration & Invasive Species ManagementConducts large-scale replanting and habitat restoration in fire-affected and degraded areas, including planting over 20,000 trees in the Cactus Fire burn scar and more than 116,300 cacti and trees statewide. Focus areas include the Bush Fire burn scar at Four Peaks and Lower Sycamore (2022–2023).
- Replanting and ecological restoration projects Habitat Restoration & Invasive Species ManagementConducts large-scale replanting and ecological restoration in fire-affected and degraded natural areas, including the Lower Salt River, Bush Fire burn scar at Four Peaks and Lower Sycamore. The organization has replanted over 116,300 cacti and trees, including more than 20,000 trees in the 2017 Cactus Fire burn scar, with ongoing efforts through 2023.
- Trash, graffiti, and debris removal from wilderness areas Community Litter and Waste CleanupsRemoves trash, graffiti, and illegal dumping from outdoor recreation and wilderness areas across Arizona, with documented removal of over 2 million pounds of trash, 49,700 square feet of graffiti, and 2,498 tires. Work is conducted by both contracted crews and volunteers.
- Trash, graffiti, and tire removal from wilderness areas Community Litter and Waste CleanupsRemoves trash, graffiti, and illegally dumped tires from outdoor recreation and wilderness areas across Arizona. The organization has removed over 2 million pounds of trash, including 1.2 million pounds by its Dedicated Restoration Team and over 800,000 pounds by volunteers, along with eliminating 49,700 square feet of graffiti and recycling 2,498 tires.
capacity building · 2
- Partnership with Tonto National Forest for project funding and support Fundraising for Trail & Park MaintenanceCollaborates with the Tonto National Forest Service by using funding to support on-the-ground projects, including purchasing supplies and contracting crews for restoration work.
- Partnership with Tonto National Forest for project funding and support Fundraising for Trail & Park MaintenanceSelected by the Tonto National Forest Service to receive donations and support restoration projects, including purchasing supplies and contracting crews for on-the-ground work.
strategies · 15
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Cacti recovery and ecological replanting cacti-recovery-and-replantingSalvages displaced cacti and replants them in ecologically damaged areas such as burn scars, supporting native species recovery and habitat restoration.
- Cacti recovery and ecological replanting cacti-recovery-and-replantingSalvages, transports, and replants native cacti—particularly in burn scars and degraded areas—as part of ecological restoration to accelerate habitat recovery.
- Community and volunteer-driven restoration model community-based restorationMobilizes community volunteers through organized cleanup and replanting events to address environmental degradation, fostering stewardship while expanding restoration capacity.
- Community-driven, volunteer-based restoration model community-based restorationMobilizes community volunteers through cleanup and replanting events to address environmental degradation, while using a dedicated team to extend impact beyond volunteer capacity.
- Experiential and service-based environmental education experiential learningUses hands-on service learning and direct engagement in restoration activities to teach youth and adults about environmental stewardship, combining education with community impact.
- Experiential and service-based environmental education experiential learningBuilds long-term environmental stewardship by engaging youth and adults in hands-on service learning and educational activities that combine restoration work with team building and civic responsibility.
- Long-term conservation funding through planned giving planned_giving_for_conservationSecures sustained financial support for forest conservation by facilitating legacy gifts and planned donations dedicated to national forest restoration.
- Non-paint-over graffiti removal from natural surfaces non-paint-over graffiti removalUses physical removal techniques and avoids painting over natural rock or other surfaces to restore areas defaced by graffiti, preserving the integrity of the natural environment.
- Planned giving for long-term conservation funding planned_giving_for_conservationSecures sustainable funding for forest conservation by facilitating legacy gifts and planned donations dedicated to long-term restoration efforts.
- Portable and water-based access for remote restoration portable graffiti removal in remote areasUtilizes portable equipment, paddleboards, and boats to conduct cleanups and graffiti removal in remote, wilderness, or aquatic environments that are difficult to access with standard tools or vehicles.
- Portable and watercraft-based access for remote restoration portable graffiti removal in remote areasUtilizes portable equipment, paddleboards, and boats to conduct graffiti removal and cleanups in remote, difficult-to-access, or aquatic environments where traditional methods are impractical.
- Public-private and agency partnerships for conservation public-private_partnershipLeverages collaborations with federal and local land management agencies and private entities to fund, plan, and execute restoration projects on public lands, enhancing scalability and impact.
- Public-private and agency partnerships for land restoration public-private_partnershipLeverages collaborations with federal and local land management agencies and private entities to fund, plan, and execute conservation and restoration projects on public lands.
- Work-based service model engaging veterans and youth work-based_service_for_conservationEmploys military veterans and engages youth through service-learning and work-based conservation projects, providing meaningful employment and fostering stewardship through hands-on restoration work.
- Work-based service model engaging youth and veterans work-based_service_for_conservationEmploys military veterans and engages young adults in paid, contract-based restoration work, combining workforce development with large-scale environmental conservation.
named programs · 7
what they call their work
Earth Day Cleanup
Annual Earth Day events focused on cleaning and restoring key natural areas such as the Lower Salt River and Saguaro Lake.
Four Peaks Cleanup & Restoration
Annual multi-day cleanup and restoration effort at Four Peaks, involving trail maintenance, trash removal, and native species replanting.
Green Friday Cleanup
Annual post-Thanksgiving volunteer event focused on cleaning public lands, often at Hewitt Station, Bartlett Lake, and the Lower Salt River.
Lower Salt River Cleanup
Regular volunteer events to remove trash and debris from the Lower Salt River, often in partnership with organizations like Visit Mesa, OdySea Aquarium, and American Rivers.
National Public Lands Day Cleanup
Annual event held in September to clean and restore public lands, including the Lower Salt River and Peralta Road, in partnership with federal and local agencies.
Salty Saguaro Classic
Combination cleanup and river race event on the Lower Salt River that engages volunteers in both restoration and recreation.
Save Our Saguaros Replanting
Annual event series focused on replanting saguaro cacti in burn scars and degraded areas, particularly in the Four Peaks and Lower Sycamore regions.
relationships · 29
who they work with
- 21CSC Network — Member organization
- 21CSC Network — Natural Restorations is a member organization of the 21CSC (21st Century Conservation Service Corps).
- 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Network — Natural Restorations is a member organization of the 21CSC network.
- American Rivers Partner — Partnered for various cleanup events along the Lower Salt River.
- Apache Sitgreaves National Forest Partner — Collaborates on environmental restoration efforts in national forests.
- Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Fund Funder — Administers funding for restoration projects.
- Arizona State Land Department Partner — Collaborates on environmental restoration efforts on state lands.
- Arizona Wholesale Growers Partner — Partnered for the Four Peaks Restoration Project.
- Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. Partner — Partnered for Earth Day cleanup events.
- Boys & Girls Club Partner — Youth organization that participates in service learning and volunteer events.
- Coconino National Forest Partner — Collaborates on environmental restoration efforts in national forests.
- EcoCulture Partner — Collaborates on the Lower Salt River Restoration Project and hosts tree planting events.
- Footprints Matter to Us Partner — Partnered for the annual Hewitt Station Cleanup.
- Kaibab National Forest Partner — Collaborates on environmental restoration efforts in national forests.
- National Forest Foundation Partner — Collaborated on replanting events and cleanups.
- National Forest Foundation Partner — Collaborates on restoration projects in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
- National Honor Society Partner — Youth organization involved in service projects and team building opportunities.
- SRP Partner — Collaborated on multiple cleanup events, including the Green Friday Cleanup.
- Tonto National Forest Service Partner — Selected by the Tonto National Forest Service to receive donations for forest support projects
- U.S. Forest Service Partner — Recognized by the U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Forest Service Partner — Recognized for work on the Four Peaks Restoration Project.
- U.S. Forest Service Tonto National Forest Partner — Collaborated on cleanup and restoration projects in the Tonto National Forest.
- US Forest Service Partner — Regional Partner of the Southwest Region of the US Forest Service
- US Forest Service Tonto Partner — Collaborates on environmental restoration efforts in national forests.
- V-Dac Partner — Processes vehicle donations on behalf of Natural Restorations
- Visit Mesa Partner — Collaborated on cleanup events at Lower Salt River.
- World's Best Graffiti Removers Partner — Supplies Natural Restorations with graffiti removal products and the EcoBlaster Portable Pressure Washer & Water Source.
- Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative Partner — Partnered for the 17th annual Footprints Matter To Us Cleanup.
- friends & partners Partner — Collaborated on creating videos to share the organization's mission.