activities · 13
what they do
direct service · 8
- Environmental Education and Community Engagement Guided Environmental Field TripsProvides educational experiences through guided group tours of its preserves, sharing knowledge about the Sonoran Desert ecosystem and conservation, and operates educational booths at community events to raise awareness and lead interactive nature activities.
- Environmental Education and Outreach Guided Environmental Field TripsProvides educational experiences through guided group tours of its preserves, sharing knowledge about the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, and operates educational booths at community events to raise awareness and lead interactive nature activities.
- Land Conservation and Stewardship Conservation Advocacy & Land ProtectionPermanently protects and stewards sensitive land in the Sonoran Desert, having conserved nearly 1,100 acres across 29 preserves since 1991. Many of these preserves are open to the public for recreation and exploration, with maintained trails and regular upkeep by Land Stewards.
- Land Conservation and Stewardship Conservation Advocacy & Land ProtectionPermanently protects and stewards sensitive land in the Sonoran Desert, having conserved nearly 1,100 acres across 29 preserves since 1991, ensuring they remain in their natural state.
- Public Access and Recreation Trail Ambassador & Visitor EngagementMaintains many of its preserves, including specific trails at Jewel of the Creek Preserve, PA Seitts Preserve at Go John Canyon, and Saguaro Hill, open to the public for exploration and recreation.
- Public Access and Recreation Management Trail Ambassador & Visitor EngagementMaintains many of its preserves, including specific trails at Jewel of the Creek Preserve, PA Seitts Preserve at Go John Canyon, and Saguaro Hill, to be open to the public for exploration and recreation, enhancing visitor experience with trail ambassadors.
- Public Education and Engagement Guided Environmental Field TripsOffers guided tours through its preserves to educate groups on the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, local history, and conservation. The organization also operates educational booths at community events and provides trail ambassadors to enhance visitor experience and share information on trails and local ecosystems.
- Volunteer Engagement for Events Volunteer Mobilization & ManagementUtilizes volunteers for various tasks at events, including setup, teardown, registration, sales, and parking logistics.
capacity building · 5
- Landowner Conservation Easement Information Planned Giving and Bequest SolicitationProvides informational flyers to landowners regarding conservation easements and enhanced tax incentives for land conservation.
- Planned Giving Program Planned Giving and Bequest SolicitationAccepts planned gifts, including bequests, real estate donations, life estates, qualified retirement plan assets, and life insurance policies, to support desert conservation efforts.
- Planned Giving and Landowner Information Planned Giving and Bequest SolicitationAccepts planned gifts, including bequests and real estate donations, to support desert conservation. It also provides informational flyers to landowners about conservation easements and associated tax incentives.
- Planned Giving and Landowner Information Planned Giving and Bequest SolicitationAccepts planned gifts, including real estate and bequests, to support desert conservation and provides informational flyers to landowners about conservation easements and enhanced tax incentives.
- Volunteer Engagement and Support Volunteer Mobilization & ManagementEngages volunteers, including board members and trail ambassadors, to support various organizational functions such as preserve maintenance, visitor assistance, and event logistics.
strategies · 16
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.
- Board Leadership and Advocacy board_leadership_modelThe organization empowers its board members to serve as advocates, fundraisers, planners, and leaders, leveraging their involvement to advance the organization's conservation goals and strategic vision.
- Board Leadership for Organizational Advancement board_leadership_modelThe organization engages its board members as advocates, fundraisers, planners, and leaders to effectively advance its organizational goals.
- Community and Volunteer Engagement for Conservation community_and_volunteer_engagementThe organization engages community members, including landowners and dedicated volunteers, in various roles such as stewardship, education, and fundraising, to support its land preservation mission and connect people to nature.
- Community and Volunteer Engagement for Conservation community_and_volunteer_engagementThe organization actively engages community members, including landowners and dedicated volunteers, in its land preservation mission through educational initiatives, outreach, and direct participation in activities like trail maintenance, preserve stewardship, and leading guided hikes, to foster a connection to nature and support conservation efforts.
- Community and Volunteer Engagement for Conservation community_and_volunteer_engagementThe organization actively engages community members, including landowners and dedicated volunteers, in various capacities such as stewardship, education, fundraising, and strategic planning to support and advance its land preservation mission and connect people to nature.
- Connecting People to Nature through Stewardship connecting_people_to_natureThe organization connects people to nature by conserving and stewarding sensitive lands and species in the Sonoran Desert, and by encouraging responsible interaction with these natural areas through policies like "leave no trace" to protect ecosystems for future generations.
- Ensuring Long-Term Conservation Funding through Planned Giving permanent_conservation_fundingThe organization secures the future of conservation efforts by encouraging planned giving, which aligns donors' personal values with the goal of permanent land protection.
- Leveraging Tax Incentives for Conservation Easements conservation_easement_with_tax_incentivesThe organization utilizes conservation easements in conjunction with enhanced tax incentives to encourage private landowners to protect their land, thereby facilitating land preservation efforts.
- Leveraging Tax Incentives for Conservation Easements conservation_easement_with_tax_incentivesThe organization utilizes conservation easements combined with enhanced tax incentives to encourage private landowners to protect their land.
- Permanent Land Conservation through Acquisition and Easements land_conservationThe organization conserves land in perpetuity by acquiring land directly or through conservation easements, focusing on areas with high conservation value such as open spaces, wildlife habitats, riparian areas, and archaeological sites, to counter poorly planned development and protect natural and cultural resources.
- Permanent Land Conservation through Acquisition and Easements land_conservationThe organization conserves land in perpetuity by acquiring land or conservation easements, which safeguards open spaces, wildlife habitats, riparian areas, and archaeological sites, and counters poorly planned development.
- Permanent Land Protection through Acquisition and Easements land_conservationThe organization conserves land in perpetuity by acquiring land directly or through conservation easements, focusing on areas with high conservation value to protect open spaces, wildlife habitats, riparian areas, and archaeological sites from poorly planned development.
- Planned Giving for Long-Term Conservation Funding permanent_conservation_fundingThe organization uses planned giving as a strategy to secure long-term funding for conservation efforts, aligning donors' personal values with permanent land protection.
- Planned Giving for Long-Term Conservation Funding permanent_conservation_fundingThe organization employs planned giving as a mechanism to secure long-term financial resources for conservation, enabling donors to align their personal values with the permanent protection of land.
- Responsible Preserve Access and Stewardship preserve_access_managementThe organization manages public access to its preserves, encouraging a "leave no trace" policy and restricting commercial activities to protect fauna, flora, and ensure the long-term preservation of the natural environment.
- Responsible Public Access Management preserve_access_managementThe organization manages public access to its preserves by implementing a "leave no trace" policy and restricting commercial activities without prior approval, thereby protecting natural resources and ensuring their preservation for future generations.
named programs · 3
what they call their work
Community Education
Offers educational programs and events to raise awareness about conservation and the local ecosystem.
Land Stewardship
Involves maintaining the beauty and safety of preserves through volunteer efforts and community engagement.
Volunteer Programs
Engages community members in various roles, including trail ambassadors, hike leaders, and event support.
relationships · 7
who they work with
- Cave Creek Improvement Association Partner — Initially formed as a result of the vision of the Cave Creek Improvement Association.
- Foothills Community Foundation Partner — Formed with the support of the Foothills Community Foundation.
- Internal Revenue Service Government — Relies on IRS regulations enabling enhanced tax incentives for conservation easements.
- Land Trust Accreditation Commission Partner — Accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission in 2010.
- Land Trust Accreditation Commission Partner — Awarded the Land Trust re-accreditation in 2022.
- Land Trust Alliance Network — Member of the national land conservation community's voice.
- Sue Force Partner — Chief Development Officer who can be contacted to discuss planned giving options.