District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — Public trashing Coconino National Forest

“We never know how our small activities will affect others through the invisible fabric of our connectedness. In this exquisitely connected world, it’s never a question of ‘critical mass.’ It’s always about critical connections.”

― Grace Lee Boggs

These figures are updated and will be shared every morning at 10:00 am in order tocoincide with the Arizona Department of Health Services release of data. We will continue sharing these figures in our daily newsletter.

Here is the information as of 05/19/2020:

AZDHS just updated their COVID-19 website which now includes race and ethnicity on confirmed cases, location of confirmed cases by zip code, ages & gender of related deaths, and number of hospital beds & ICU beds available.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., May 18, 2020 — Every year, national forests in Arizona deal with trash being dumped and left behind by members of the public and irresponsible campers, and this problem continues to be widespread and increasing across Coconino National Forest.

Forest Service personnel are encountering garbage piles stacked up along forest roads—some even right in front of large signs that state there is no garbage service and to take your trash with you. When one person leaves their garbage bag behind, it attracts others to leave theirs—resulting in trash bags stacked up, making the national forest look like a dump site.

Leaving your garbage behind creates an array of problems. Not only are these dump sites visually obtrusive, they often contain materials that may not decompose naturally in our lifetime. Protection of wildlife habitat and groundwater quality is also at stake. The groundwater that originates in northern Arizona national forests is the same groundwater that supplies water to areas such as Phoenix.

One trade-off is Forest Service employees and volunteers are having to redirect some of their time to pick up garbage at the expense of other important programs for the forest and community.

Disappointingly, the national forest will continue to look like a dump site, as the Forest Service does not have enough personnel to provide garbage services over the 1.8 million acres that comprises Coconino National Forest. With violators often returning to the national forest time and again, leaving their garbage behind, your national forest is becoming a landfill.

Please help take care of your national forest and heritage—especially as Memorial Day weekend approaches. Practice Leave No Trace ethics, and take your trash with you after you’ve enjoyed camping or visiting the national forest. Though violations are punishable up to $5,000 and/or six months in jail, unfortunately violators often get away with trashing the forest. This is not a Forest Service problem. This is a public problem—and one simple action of packing out what you pack in can solve it.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., May 14, 2020 — Coconino National Forest will begin reopening some recreation sites as early as tomorrow, while other recreation sites remain closed for a while longer as personnel work with limited personal protective equipment and sanitizing products to ensure the sites are clean and ready for reopening in the future.

The current status of all recreation sites, trailheads, and developed campgrounds is always listed in alphabetical order on the Coconino Recreation web page, which will be updated whenever a recreation site opens or closes. Regardless of where you decide to recreate, you are responsible for your health and well-being. Do not overcrowd sites, and be sure to take your trash with you to keep the forest clean!

The following list refers to some of the more popular recreation sites at each district and their date scheduled for reopening, but does not include a comprehensive list of everything across the national forest. For most developed campgrounds on Coconino National Forest, check Recreation.gov for dates of availability.

Flagstaff Ranger District

Dispersed camping is currently available across most of this district, but a campfire and charcoal ban is still in effect across the entire national forest. The following developed campgrounds are scheduled to open next week, while the rest of the developed campgrounds on this district remain closed indefinitely.

Opening May 20:

Mogollon Rim Ranger District

All developed campgrounds on the Mogollon Rim Ranger District remain closed for the time being and will be closed for Memorial Day weekend. However, dispersed camping is currently available on this district. Boat ramps at Knoll Lake and Blue Ridge Reservoir remain open, but have limited space. Do not leave your garbage when camping or visiting open sites. Take your trash with you!

Red Rock Ranger District

Many, but not all, Coconino NF recreation sites within the Sedona area and Oak Creek Canyon will reopen tomorrow, but some will remain closed until May 20. Palatki, V Bar V Heritage Site, and all Fossil Creek recreation sites are scheduled to reopen sometime in the latter half of June. Please keep in mind these dates could change, so check the Coconino Recreation web page for current status updates:

Opening May 20

The national forest is not a dumping site for your trash. With the increase of dispersed camping and people visiting the forest, there has been an increase of trash left across Coconino National Forest. Each year, valuable personnel time and funds meant for important restoration and watershed protection projects are redirected to deal with trash, debris, feces, and junk left by campers and people recreating.

Dumping on the national forest destroys the beauty of the landscape and your natural forest heritage. Violations are punishable under the Code of Federal Regulations, with possible fines up to $5,000 and/or six months in jail. Additional State and Federal penalties may also be applicable. Pack out what you pack in!

If you have not yet filled out the 2020 Census, please do so! By filling out the census, you are ensuring that our community is counted and can receive the necessary resources we need to keep our community safe, healthy, and thriving!

Other important things to keep in mind:

You have the option of completing the questionnaire by phone.

To begin, call 844-330-2020 for English or 844-468-2020 for Spanish.

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