Friends of the Verde River recently hosted a day of Eco Flights for donors and partners in Cottonwood, offering a rare opportunity to view conservation work from the sky. The flights, held on May 22, provided participants with an aerial perspective of Fossil Creek and the surrounding Upper Verde River watershed, showcasing the results of years of collaboration and restoration.
EcoFlight is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to use small aircraft to provide the aerial perspective needed to educate and advocate for the protection of our remaining wildlands, watersheds and culturally significant landscapes. From the air, EcoFlight connects stakeholders with differing viewpoints to promote conservation and environmental justice. Their work is rooted in partnering with affected voices and communities to support policies that protect both people and place. By “meeting people where they are,” EcoFlight elevates awareness and understanding through the powerful, shared experience of flight, according to a press release.
Friends of the Verde River coordinates these flights periodically to help partners, supporters and community members better understand the scale and effects of watershed restoration efforts. Among the early morning passengers was Dana Walsh, a board director for Friends of the Verde River. “It was such a great opportunity to take a flight with Eco Flights over Fossil Creek.” Walsh said. “It was so amazing to see the work of partnerships. The whole restoration would not have been possible without people working together — with tribes, the legislature, Friends of the Verde River, Wild Arizona — all working together to restore and conserve such a gorgeous, gorgeous area that’s really such an important part of central Arizona’s heritage.”
Mason Bradshaw, another passenger, was struck by the scale of the invasive species removal efforts.
“It was definitely fascinating to see everything that they’ve done to clear out all the invasive species,” Bradshaw said. “It’s a very hard task, and to clear that many acres out in that area is quite phenomenal. Seeing it from an aerial view — I’ve definitely been down in the Fossil Creek area many times — but seeing it from the air is a different experience.”
“It was very cool just to get a different perspective of things,” Jordan Ford said. “I grew up camping and hiking down there, and it’s cool to get the bird’s-eye view and see the interaction between the topography.”
The Eco Flights event is part of Friends of the Verde River’s ongoing commitment to engaging the community and partners in watershed stewardship and conservation. By offering these flights, Friends aims to inspire continued investment and collaboration in preserving one of Arizona’s most vital and beautiful river systems.
For more information about Friends of the Verde River and upcoming stewardship opportunities, visit verderiver.org.
