Prescott Creeks Preservation Association

PRESCOTT CREEKS IS A 501(C)(3) NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH A MISSION TO ACHIEVE HEALTHY WATERSHEDS AND CLEAN WATERS IN CENTRAL ARIZONA FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE THROUGH PROTECTION, RESTORATION, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 2021FY TOWARD THE ORGANIZATIONS PURPOSE INCLUDED PRESCOTT CREEKS WORK IN THE WATERSHED WITH THE AZ DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (ADEQ), THE CITY OF PRESCOTT, AND OTHERS. WORK WITH ADEQ CONTINUED FROM THE 2019FY PROJECT WITH OPERATION OF A PUBLIC RESTROOM STRUCTURE FOR SURFACE WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS. 2021FY REPRESENTED A COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT WITH FINAL REPORTS TO ADEQ AND AN OFFICIAL TRANSFER OF THE STRUCTURE TO LOCAL PARTNER ORGANIZATION THE COALITION FOR COMPASSION AND JUSTICE. THEY WILL CONTINUE OPERATION OF THE RESTROOM FOR THE PUBLIC.PRESCOTT CREEKS PARTICIPATED IN PLANNING FOR THE GRANITE CREEK CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT, A CITY OF PRESCOTT LED MASTER PLANNING EFFORT TO CLEAN UP AND RESTORE THE BEAUTY AND NATIVE LANDSCAPE, IMPROVE THE USABILITY OF THE TRAIL IN THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR, IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERPRETATION OF PRESCOTT HISTORY AND RIPARIAN RESOURCES, AND REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOOD CONDITIONS FOR THE PROPERTIES ALONG THE CREEK. CONSTRUCTION FOR THE PROJECT WAS SCHEDULED FOR FALL OF 2021. PRESCOTT CREEKS ALSO SERVED ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE GRANITE CREEK CORRIDOR AREA PLAN; ANOTHER CITY OF PRESCOTT SPONSORED PROJECT. THE PLAN IS INTENDED TO: BROADEN DOWNTOWN PRESCOTTS REPUTATION AS AN HISTORIC LANDMARK AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER TO INCLUDE A UNIQUE RECREATION CENTER THAT IS CONNECTED TO A RICH RIPARIAN ENVIRONMENT; CONNECT DOWNTOWN AND GRANITE CREEK, DIVERSIFYING THE RANGE OF DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE TO PRESCOTT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS; AND IDENTIFY DESIGN AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY AND DOWNTOWN LANDOWNERS AND MERCHANTS TO BENEFIT FROM A CREEK SIDE LOCATION AND PROXIMITY TO GRANITE CREEK.SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS WERE ALSO FOCUSED AT WATSON WOODS RIPARIAN PRESERVE. PRESCOTT CREEKS HOSTED ARIZONA CONSERVATION CORPS (AZCC) CREWS AT THE PRESERVE IN JULY OF 2020 AND AGAIN IN MAY 2021. AZCC PERSONNEL WERE TRAINING FOR THEIR FIELD SEASONS WHILE WORKING ON A VARIETY OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROJECTS (PRIMARILY REMOVAL OF NON-NATIVE SPECIES) IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE MANAGEMENT. SIMILAR TRAININGAND COORDINATION WERE CONDUCTED WITH LOCAL PARTNER GEM CORPS. BOTH EFFORTS WITH AZCC AND GEM CORPS WERE AT NO COST TO PRESCOTT CREEKS. THEIR INVOLVEMENT LED TO THE REVIVAL OF THE WATSON WOODS RIPARIAN PRESERVE PHENOLOGY TRAILS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PHENOLOGY NETWORK. INFORMAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRESCOTT AUDUBON SOCIETY AND THE AZ GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT (AZGFD) CONTINUED IN THE 2021FY WITH A 13TH YEAR OF ANNUAL MONITORING OF THE PRESERVES AVIFAUNA (BIRDS) AND TO MONITOR NEST BOXES INSTALLED TO SUPPORT BOTH AMERICAN KESTRELS AND WOOD DUCKS. THE NEST BOX PROJECT WAS EXPANDED IN 2020FY AND REPEATED IN 2021FY TO INCLUDE A SLOW RELEASE OF BIRDS RESCUED AND REHABILITATED IN THE PHOENIX AREA. FUTURE RESCUED AND REHABILITATED AMERICAN KESTRELS WILL BE DIRECTLY RELEASED INTO SUITABLE HABITAT WITHOUT THE SLOW-RELEASE PROCESS DUE TO THE EXPENSE OF TIME AND PERCEIVED LACK OF MATERIAL BENEFIT FOR THE BIRDS.THE PRESCOTT CREEKS IN-LIEU FEE (ILF) MITIGATION PROGRAM CONTINUED WITHIN THE PRESERVE WITH ON-THEGROUND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES AND FURTHERANCE OF DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT (CE) FOR THE PROPERTY. DISCUSSIONS HAVE RESULTED IN PLANS FOR AN EXPANDED PRESERVE AREA (FROM 126 ACRES TO APPROXIMATELY 160 ACRES). THE CE WILL PROTECT CONSERVATION VALUES IN THE PRESERVE FOR ALL TIME GOING FORWARD, AND REPRESENTS A MATERIAL ELEMENT OF BRINGING THE ILF PROGRAM INTO FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLEAN WATER ACT.MANY EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE YEAR SUPPORTED THE ABOVE PROJECTS AND THE ORGANIZATIONS MISSION OF ACHIEVING HEALTHY WATERSHEDS AND CLEAN WATERS IN CENTRAL ARIZONA. SOCIAL MEDIA CONTINUED TO BE AN EFFECTIVE CONDUIT FOR OUTREACH WITH A DECREASED EMPHASIS ON TRADITIONAL PRINT PUBLICATIONS. PRESENTATIONS WERE MADE TO BOTH LOCAL GROUPS AND REGIONAL AUDIENCES. THE ANNUAL GRANITE CREEK CLEANUP RETURNED IN 2021 AFTER BEING CANCELED IN 2020 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ADAPTATIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED TO ACCOMMODATE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND KEEP PARTICIPANTS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE WHILE WORKING TO REMOVE TRASH AND DEBRIS FROM LOCAL WATERWAYS, PARKS, AND TRAILS. SPONSORSHIP FOR THE EVENT SET NEW RECORDS AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION MATCHED THE 15-YEAR AVERAGE FOR THE EVENT. ALL PRESCOTT CREEKS FIELD ACTIVITIES AND THE CLEANUP WERE ADAPTED TO CONFORM TO THE PRESCOTT CREEKS COVID-19 POLICY AND VOLUNTEERS SAFELY SUPPORTED ALL EFFORTS OF PRESCOTT CREEKS. VOLUNTEER HOURS (2,377) INCREASED OVER 200% WITH A 120% INCREASE IN NUMBERS OF VOLUNTEERS (705). TOTAL VALUE OF VOLUNTEER EFFORTS WAS UP FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR BY ALMOST 400% ($121,013).SELECT PROGRAMMATIC SUCCESS STORIES FOR THE YEAR INCLUDE COMMON BLACK HAWKS (A SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN FOR AZGFD) NESTING WITH ONE FLEDGLING IN THE PRESERVE AFTER A SEVERAL YEAR ABSENCE (PRESUMABLY) DUE TO UNFAVORABLE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE SUMMER OF 2021 MARKED THE FIRST DOCUMENTED OCCURRENCE OF A TARGET SPECIES (FEDERALLY LISTED AS THREATENED) FOR THE RESTORATION PROJECT COMPLETED A DECADE AGO.MAJOR PLANS FOR 2022FY INCLUDE COMPLETION OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOR WATSON WOODS RIPARIAN PRESERVE, INITIATION OF THE NEXT PHASE OF STREAM RESTORATION, RETURNING STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS AS A COMPONENT OF THE GRANITE CREEK CLEANUP (PENDING FAVORABLE COMMUNITY PANDEMIC CONDITIONS), AND INCREASED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH VOLUNTEERISM AND EDUCATION.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE 2021FY TOWARD THE ORGANIZATIONS PURPOSE INCLUDED PRESCOTT CREEKS WORK IN THE WATERSHED WITH THE AZ DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (ADEQ), THE CITY OF PRESCOTT, AND OTHERS. WORK WITH ADEQ CONTINUED FROM THE 2019FY PROJECT WITH OPERATION OF A PUBLIC RESTROOM STRUCTURE FOR SURFACE WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS. 2021FY REPRESENTED A COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT WITH FINAL REPORTS TO ADEQ AND AN OFFICIAL TRANSFER OF THE STRUCTURE TO LOCAL PARTNER ORGANIZATION THE COALITION FOR COMPASSION AND JUSTICE. THEY WILL CONTINUE OPERATION OF THE RESTROOM FOR THE PUBLIC.PRESCOTT CREEKS PARTICIPATED IN PLANNING FOR THE GRANITE CREEK CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT, A CITY OF PRESCOTT LED MASTER PLANNING EFFORT TO CLEAN UP AND RESTORE THE BEAUTY AND NATIVE LANDSCAPE, IMPROVE THE USABILITY OF THE TRAIL IN THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR, IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERPRETATION OF PRESCOTT HISTORY AND RIPARIAN RESOURCES, AND REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOOD CONDITIONS FOR THE PROPERTIES ALONG THE CREEK. CONSTRUCTION FOR THE PROJECT WAS SCHEDULED FOR FALL OF 2021. PRESCOTT CREEKS ALSO SERVED ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE GRANITE CREEK CORRIDOR AREA PLAN; ANOTHER CITY OF PRESCOTT SPONSORED PROJECT. THE PLAN IS INTENDED TO: BROADEN DOWNTOWN PRESCOTTS REPUTATION AS AN HISTORIC LANDMARK AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER TO INCLUDE A UNIQUE RECREATION CENTER THAT IS CONNECTED TO A RICH RIPARIAN ENVIRONMENT; CONNECT DOWNTOWN AND GRANITE CREEK, DIVERSIFYING THE RANGE OF DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE TO PRESCOTT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS; AND IDENTIFY DESIGN AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY AND DOWNTOWN LANDOWNERS AND MERCHANTS TO BENEFIT FROM A CREEK SIDE LOCATION AND PROXIMITY TO GRANITE CREEK.SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS WERE ALSO FOCUSED AT WATSON WOODS RIPARIAN PRESERVE. PRESCOTT CREEKS HOSTED ARIZONA CONSERVATION CORPS (AZCC) CREWS AT THE PRESERVE IN JULY OF 2020 AND AGAIN IN MAY 2021. AZCC PERSONNEL WERE TRAINING FOR THEIR FIELD SEASONS WHILE WORKING ON A VARIETY OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROJECTS (PRIMARILY REMOVAL OF NON-NATIVE SPECIES) IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE MANAGEMENT. SIMILAR TRAININGAND COORDINATION WERE CONDUCTED WITH LOCAL PARTNER GEM CORPS. BOTH EFFORTS WITH AZCC AND GEM CORPS WERE AT NO COST TO PRESCOTT CREEKS. THEIR INVOLVEMENT LED TO THE REVIVAL OF THE WATSON WOODS RIPARIAN PRESERVE PHENOLOGY TRAILS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PHENOLOGY NETWORK. INFORMAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRESCOTT AUDUBON SOCIETY AND THE AZ GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT (AZGFD) CONTINUED IN THE 2021FY WITH A 13TH YEAR OF ANNUAL MONITORING OF THE PRESERVES AVIFAUNA (BIRDS) AND TO MONITOR NEST BOXES INSTALLED TO SUPPORT BOTH AMERICAN KESTRELS AND WOOD DUCKS. THE NEST BOX PROJECT WAS EXPANDED IN 2020FY AND REPEATED IN 2021FY TO INCLUDE A SLOW RELEASE OF BIRDS RESCUED AND REHABILITATED IN THE PHOENIX AREA. FUTURE RESCUED AND REHABILITATED AMERICAN KESTRELS WILL BE DIRECTLY RELEASED INTO SUITABLE HABITAT WITHOUT THE SLOW-RELEASE PROCESS DUE TO THE EXPENSE OF TIME AND PERCEIVED LACK OF MATERIAL BENEFIT FOR THE BIRDS.THE PRESCOTT CREEKS IN-LIEU FEE (ILF) MITIGATION PROGRAM CONTINUED WITHIN THE PRESERVE WITH ON-THEGROUND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES AND FURTHERANCE OF DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT (CE) FOR THE PROPERTY. DISCUSSIONS HAVE RESULTED IN PLANS FOR AN EXPANDED PRESERVE AREA (FROM 126 ACRES TO APPROXIMATELY 160 ACRES). THE CE WILL PROTECT CONSERVATION VALUES IN THE PRESERVE FOR ALL TIME GOING FORWARD, AND REPRESENTS A MATERIAL ELEMENT OF BRINGING THE ILF PROGRAM INTO FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLEAN WATER ACT.MANY EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE YEAR SUPPORTED THE ABOVE PROJECTS AND THE ORGANIZATIONS MISSION OF ACHIEVING HEALTHY WATERSHEDS AND CLEAN WATERS IN CENTRAL ARIZONA. SOCIAL MEDIA CONTINUED TO BE AN EFFECTIVE CONDUIT FOR OUTREACH WITH A DECREASED EMPHASIS ON TRADITIONAL PRINT PUBLICATIONS. PRESENTATIONS WERE MADE TO BOTH LOCAL GROUPS AND REGIONAL AUDIENCES. THE ANNUAL GRANITE CREEK CLEANUP RETURNED IN 2021 AFTER BEING CANCELED IN 2020 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ADAPTATIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED TO ACCOMMODATE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND KEEP PARTICIPANTS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE WHILE WORKING TO REMOVE TRASH AND DEBRIS FROM LOCAL WATERWAYS, PARKS, AND TRAILS. SPONSORSHIP FOR THE EVENT SET NEW RECORDS AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION MATCHED THE 15-YEAR AVERAGE FOR THE EVENT. ALL PRESCOTT CREEKS FIELD ACTIVITIES AND THE CLEANUP WERE ADAPTED TO CONFORM TO THE PRESCOTT CREEKS COVID-19 POLICY AND VOLUNTEERS SAFELY SUPPORTED ALL EFFORTS OF PRESCOTT CREEKS. VOLUNTEER HOURS (2,377) INCREASED OVER 200% WITH A 120% INCREASE IN NUMBERS OF VOLUNTEERS (705). TOTAL VALUE OF VOLUNTEER EFFORTS WAS UP FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR BY ALMOST 400% ($121,013).SELECT PROGRAMMATIC SUCCESS STORIES FOR THE YEAR INCLUDE COMMON BLACK HAWKS (A SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN FOR AZGFD) NESTING WITH ONE FLEDGLING IN THE PRESERVE AFTER A SEVERAL YEAR ABSENCE (PRESUMABLY) DUE TO UNFAVORABLE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE SUMMER OF 2021 MARKED THE FIRST DOCUMENTED OCCURRENCE OF A TARGET SPECIES (FEDERALLY LISTED AS THREATENED) FOR THE RESTORATION PROJECT COMPLETED A DECADE AGO.MAJOR PLANS FOR 2022FY INCLUDE COMPLETION OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOR WATSON WOODS RIPARIAN PRESERVE, INITIATION OF THE NEXT PHASE OF STREAM RESTORATION, RETURNING STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS AS A COMPONENT OF THE GRANITE CREEK CLEANUP (PENDING FAVORABLE COMMUNITY PANDEMIC CONDITIONS), AND INCREASED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH VOLUNTEERISM AND EDUCATION.