STATE OF THE ORGANIZATION 2024

Team Highlights and Accomplishment Summaries for 2024

Aspen Team

Thanks to all the team members and to Tom Mackin, Outdoor Coordinator and VP, for another amazing year of making our forests better.  The Aspen Team has roughly 28 core members, representing a high percentage of our total FoNAF membership of 57. At any given outing twice weekly during the work season from April through October, there are typically ten to twelve enthusiastic, dedicated, and knowledgeable team members signing up.

Below are the highlights of this year’s work 2024 season: 

• 80 days afield, excluding aspen exclosure steward visits,
• 30 individual projects completed, many with multiple day activities,
• 20 tons of old fencing removed,
• 10 miles of fencing removed,
• 3 trick tank/water catchment rebuild involvement
• Monitoring of 200 individual aspen exclosures sites, log worm fences and riparian exclosure sites.

We very much appreciated the support and participation from the Forest Service in our “boots on the ground” efforts.  The results this year are stellar and reflect the dedication and expertise of Tom Mackin.  He deserves our sustaining thanks for his leadership and major influence on the success of the Aspen Team.

Reflective of the Forest Service’s involvement, the Aspen Team was very appreciative of a visit received from Forest Supervisor, Aaron Mayfield.  He joined us for a full day of fence building at Broilliar Park in August. Thanks to him for coming out with us and recognizing the significant contribution our volunteers make every year.  His sincere interest in what and how we make things happen in the field is rewarding for all of us.

Cross-Cut Sawyer Team

On most every Monday during the season a group of Forest Service and FoNAF volunteers hike various trails to cut fallen trees, to trim branches hanging over the trails and to remove branches and loose rocks from the trail tread. The group is basically giving some love to our local trails and making it easier for trail users.

2024 has been a banner year with many of our volunteers discovering the cross-cutting (X-Cut) experience to be very rewarding and are sustaining contributors.  In fact, seven volunteers are now cross-cut certified by the Forest Service. Below are a few key statistics for this past season:

• Trees cut/moved = 258 through 10/14/24
• Most trees in one outing = 51 (Winter Cabin Trail)
• Outings = 23 through 10/14/24

This team’s purpose is to saw and remove trees that have fallen across some of the 420 miles of trails in the Flagstaff Ranger District.  Because the primary focus is on Wilderness areas, manual cross-cut saws must be used since mechanical tools are prohibited.  Hazardous trail problems in non-Wilderness areas such as Bismark Lake, the Inner Basin, and Griffiths Springs are also on their project lists.

The X-Cut Team has for many years been under the leadership of Jim McGeorge and his wife Pat.  For a complete summary of their contributions, please check out the profile article in the July 2022 Newsletter found on the FoNAF website. We sincerely thank them for the dedication and willingness to share their expertise.  

PSAR/Trail Ambassadors at Humphreys Trailhead

PSAR/Trail Ambassadors set a high bar again this season for delivering a valued service to hikers and for making mountain rescues rare.  Lead Forest Service volunteer and new FoNAF member, Holly Maszk, coordinates the dedicated team of Forest Service representatives and FoNAF volunteers like Curt Knight working the trailhead every weekend and holidays all summer.  This program generates a large portion of visitor interactions with the Forest Service and has been a great way to get important messages out to folks

Specifically, 1034 volunteer hours from about 6 participants at the Humphreys Trailhead were donated this season. Although visitor contact statistics are not tracked, a reliable resource confidently estimates more than 5,000 visitors received valuable information about trail conditions, safety, preparedness, wilderness ethics and pretty much anything else that visitors wanted to talk about.

Of most significance this year was the relocation and construction of a chairlift at Snowbowl near the trailhead.  It was a point of contention for some local visitors. Explaining the rationale and impact of the relocation on the aspen grove trail often required skill and patience by the PSAR team.

“Stay the Course” in 2025

Early in 2024 the Executive Committee thought it was time to get feedback from our volunteers on how the organization was performing and get their ideas and suggestions for improving the FoNAF experience.  The survey fulfilled our expectations.  It provided many action items which we completed this summer and a few still being addressed.

The overriding message was “stay the course” and do not interfere with what’s working so well. That was reassuring news expressed by the majority, but there were several important items needing attention. Below are some of the key changes already implemented and the action items remaining:

·         Executive Committee provides day-to-day approvals, problem solving and efficient decision making and should not be eliminated.

•   The board is too large; reduce through attrition, e.g. Downes not replaced.
•    Website update was completed in June. 
•    Offer more training opportunities through certifications; based on new sawyers, UTV drivers,         FS driver licenses this area of concern has positive results.
•    Enhanced working relationships with allied organizations: AZG&F and AWF.

With these constructive changes to the functionality of FoNAF in general and especially the respective teams, prospects for making greater contributions to the Forest Service and for broadening volunteer involvement is very favorable.  We will diligently focus on additional opportunities to improve, whether they are the remaining “to does” from the survey or new ones identified through regular communications from members.  They are all important and treated as such by the Executive Committee.

Closing Message from the President

A final comment is to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to all our volunteers for the outstanding work they have done in 2024.  Our leadership is solid and committed to guiding the organization toward even greater results and volunteer satisfaction. FoNAF is a wonderful organization and will continue to fulfill our mission to the Forest Service.

Besides our satisfaction in completing so many projects successfully this year, we must not overlook the comradery, being in the outdoors, and enjoying the fun of working together.  Thanks to everyone!

Bob Dyer

President, FoNA