FY25 WTMC Annual Report of Accomplishments 4-25.pdf
Extracted text (via pymupdf)
5695 characters
White Tank Mountains Conservancy Accomplishments 2024/2025 Programming/Events: The White Tank Mountains Conservancy (WTMC) has assisted the City of Buckeye in multiple capacities throughout the fiscal year. These are specified below: Youth Programs in conjunction with City of Buckeye Parks & Recreation: There were 18 field trips in Skyline Park, with 1,636 students attending. Desert Defenders: Efforts at Skyline Regional Park were paused this spring due to limited rainfall and minimal invasive plant growth. However, WTMC remains committed to supporting the park by resuming invasive species removal as needed, assisting the City of Buckeye with mapping efforts, and expanding the program to include community Desert Defenders events when conditions allow. WTMC Trail Support in Skyline Park 1. Two Wildflower Hikes (led by Sharon Beal, WTMC Volunteer) - February and March 2025 2. Two Volunteer supported, high attendance Skyline Park events 3. Jingle Bell Hike - December 2024 4. Jurassic Hike - January 2025 Outreach Events in Buckeye: 7 Events 1. Two Coyote Library Volunteer Fairs 2. Two Victory in Verrado events 3. Two Verrado community events, including the annual Backyard Tour 4. Earth Day Celebration event at Skyline Volunteer Hours - July 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025 ● Youth Field Trips in Skyline Park: 343 Hours ● Skyline Park Trails: 565 Hours ● Verrado Trails: 168 Hours ● Outreach Events: 74 Hours White Tank Mountains Conservancy 430 South Watson Road, #107, Buckeye, AZ 85326 info@wtmconservancy.org Total Volunteer Hours Dedicated to Buckeye, July 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025: 1,150 Hours *This is likely an underestimate as not all volunteers consistently enter their hours. There were 42 Volunteer Hours recorded for Skyline Park Trails in the months of May and June 2024. This information was not reported in the 2023-2024 WTMC Accomplishments Report. This year, we will provide the City of Buckeye with updated numbers for May and June 2025 by Mid-July. Recognition: The White Tank Mountains Conservancy has made great strides in gaining recognition across the Valley throughout 2024 and into the start of 2025. In December 2024, we were honored to be named an AZ Business Angel for 2025 by AZ Big Media, winning the title of Nonprofit Organization of the Year! This incredible achievement would not have been possible without the support of our dedicated partner, Teravalis, a community of Howard Hughes, whose commitment to thoughtful development continues to help us integrate conservation into the region’s growth. We’re also thrilled to share that out of over 12,000 submissions from passionate community members, the Conservancy was voted the Best Place to Volunteer in the 2025 Phoenix Home & Garden Readers’ Choice Awards! This recognition is a heartfelt testament to the White Tank Mountains Conservancy 430 South Watson Road, #107, Buckeye, AZ 85326 info@wtmconservancy.org dedication of everyone who has contributed to preserving and protecting the beauty of the White Tanks. And earlier, in February 2024, we were proud finalists in Daily Independent’s "2024 West Valley Favorites" under the Non-Profit Civic Organization category. While we didn’t take home the top spot, the nomination alone reflects the growing impact of our mission in the West Valley community. Connectivity Initiative - Linkage Plan: In December of 2023, WTMC successfully completed its ongoing collaboration with land developers, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the Flood Control District of Maricopa County to finalize a Conceptual Wildlife Linkage. This wildlife linkage footprint has been strategically co-located within areas of existing and planned infrastructure (flood control structures, the CAP, and powerlines) and areas of low development potential (flood areas and non-development slope grade areas). Since its completion, WTMC team members Dana, Sharma, and Laurel have been actively engaging with West Valley cities and key regional organizations to educate stakeholders and explore opportunities for collaborative implementation of the Conceptual Wildlife Linkage. In addition, WTMC completed and submitted a comprehensive progress report to the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, highlighting several significant achievements, including the finalization of the Conceptual Wildlife Linkage report, a series of Brown Bag Lunches with the City of Buckeye, ongoing public outreach initiatives, and successful fundraising efforts. These accomplishments will support a third year of AZGFD partnership funding to expand surveys and further regional research efforts. Building on this momentum, Dana and Laurel have been revising the Strategic Implementation Plan for the Connectivity Initiative (CI). This updated roadmap reflects insights and progress made over the past six months, including presentations to the City of Buckeye, engagement with new leadership at Teravalis, a community of Howard Hughes, updates to master planning efforts, and discussions with new potential partners. Looking ahead, WTMC remains committed to fostering partnerships, advancing regional collaboration, and integrating conservation into future development. The progress made over the past year reflects the dedication of our team and supporters, and we are excited to build on this momentum. Together, we are shaping a future where growth and preservation go hand in hand for the benefit of both people and wildlife in the West Valley. White Tank Mountains Conservancy 430 South Watson Road, #107, Buckeye, AZ 85326 info@wtmconservancy.org