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Photo courtesy of Lars Romig

Working to Sustain and Enhance the Red Rock Trail System

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Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund

Vision – Self-sustaining funding source(s) to help maintain and enhance the non-motorized Forest System

trails near Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek.

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Who We Are – What We Do

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How We Do It

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What Does the Effort Cost?

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Results

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Who We Are - What We Do

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Who we are/What we do

  • Founded in November 2013 due to community concerns shared by City Government, businesses and citizens about the state of the trails
  • A volunteer coalition of hikers, bikers, equestrians and outdoor enthusiasts
    • Officers
      • Kevin Adams – President (a fundraiser with a MTBing & hiking problem)
      • Sandi Heysinger – Vice President (hiker and outdoor enthusiast)
      • Dick Williams – Secretary (hiker and outdoor enthusiast)
      • Mark Bealafeld – Treasurer (hiker and outdoor enthusiast)
    • Board of Directors
      • Jennifer Burns – Hiker
      • Marty Glinsky - MTBer and hiker
      • Tanja Gunsburger – Equestrian
      • Mike Raney – MTBer
      • Sophia Sweeny - Hiker

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Who we are/What we do

Our Mission:

To gather donations toward the maintenance and enhancement of non-motorized National Forest trails in, and around Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek

Funds raised thru 5 major groups

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Who we are/What we do

  • Annual donations have shown excellent growth since 2014
  • Coconino RAC meets 9/29/2022, with potential to increase donations to over $600,000 for FY2022

Annual Donations by Major Donor Group

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$161k

$381k

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What We Don’t Do

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  • Set annual maintenance requirements
  • Establish trail design parameters
  • Advocate for new trails or existing trails authorized uses

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How We� Do It

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How We Do It

Three Committees

    • Philanthropy
    • Community Outreach
    • Grants

Endowment

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How We Do It

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How We Do It

Community Outreach

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Trail Keepers

  • Original Program - $370,000 raised over 5 years (2017-2021)
  • Trail Keepers 2.0 - 52 businesses should raise over $500,000 (2022 – 2027)
  • City of Sedona provides matching funds thru Bed Tax;
  • Sedona Chamber of Commerce provides administrative support (billing, signage)
  • ”Support the Businesses that Support the Trails” signs at 30 trailheads

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Business Involvement

  • Recreation Resource Management ($25- 50k annually)
  • Enchantment Resort
  • Hydro Flask
  • 1% for the Planet

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Trail Bucks (primarily targeting visitors)

  • Opt-In at Check In at Hotels, tourist attractions
  • Stickers, Donation Boxes, Cairns at outdoors retail establishments

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How We Do It

Grants

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  • Sorting Hat…Matching RFP’s to Trail Needs
  • Many Repeats—Established Track Record of Completion
  • Wide Variety
    • Family Foundations
    • Arizona Community Foundation
    • Yavapai and Coconino RAC’s
    • Multiple State of Arizona Opportunities
    • National Forest Foundation
    • Oil and Gas Companies
    • Outdoor Gear Companies

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LANGSTON FAMILY FOUNDATION

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How We Do It

Endowment

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    • Held by Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona
    • Initially funded in July 2019 with $101k
    • Anonymous $500k match donation
    • Current balance over $677k
    • # 1 Board Priority – self-sustaining fund source

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What Does the Effort Cost �(and who pays for it)

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What Does the Effort Cost

Fiscal Year 2023

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Cash

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$K

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Forest Service Personnel

508.1

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Upper Cathedral Rock Trail Project

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    • ACE Crew

49.0

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    • Summit To Sea

30.0

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    • Rock Work Specialty Tools

26.5

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Archaeology Field Assessment

100.0

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Volunteer Workday Refreshments

3.0

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Total Cash Outlay

716.6

Non-Cash

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Volunteer Workday Hours

57.1

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Equipment Depreciation

6.9

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Total Non-Cash

64.0

Total Cost

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780.6

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Who Pays for the Effort

In the past couple of years, Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund has funded 65-70% of an expanded budget for the Red Rock Ranger District.

Cash Funding Sources for the Red Rock Ranger District

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Results

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Results

FY22 1st Half Results

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    • Personnel
      • FS Crew – 2 Full Year and 11 Seasonal Trail Crew
      • Ancestral Lands Crew
      • 281 volunteers
      • 1,124 volunteer hours
    • Maintenance and Enhancements
      • 155 miles of trails maintained
      • 1,188 drains cleaned
      • 1,720 ft of rock work – retaining walls & armoring
      • 22 new cairns
      • 76 new signs installed
      • 10,000 sq ft rehabbed
      • 9 trees logged out
      • 1.25 miles of tread work
      • 64 old cairns removed

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Results

  • SRRTF funding has increased the Seasonal Crew from 4 to 11, Full time US FS staff from 2 moving to 4 next season.
  • Miles of trail maintenance, construction and improvements has likewise increased

Crew Accomplishments

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Results

New trail construction has benefitted all users and provided more options

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Questions

www.redrocktrailfund.org