Parks and open spaces are the backbone of a healthy and sustainable environment, offering public recreational benefits as well as a respite from fast paced urban living. Benefits include preservation of native plant and wildlife habitat and conservation of critical ecosystems. The Phoenix Mountain Preserves also offer a variety of recreational opportunities as well as important archaeological features. Phoenix has a rich history of citizen involvement in creating and maintaining its park system and strives to support a balance between protection and recreational use of the land by implementing aggressive strategies for sustainable parks and recreation.
Phoenix Parks & Conservation Foundation
In 1979, the Phoenix Parks and Conservation Foundation (parks foundation) was established to help the city of Phoenix create and maintain a well-equipped and safe park system. The nonprofit parks foundation is a partner with the city of Phoenix and serves in a valuable land trust role, by seeking and accepting contributions from the public. They also facilitate private sector and community participation in special projects and in the restoration, development, and preservation of Phoenix parks and preserves.
Phoenix Parks and Preserve
The Parks and Preserve Programs have a rich history, which exemplifies citizen involvement and action. In 1924, residents began early efforts to save the mountain preserves. These efforts coalesced into the Phoenix Mountains Preservation Council in 1970. Aided by community leaders, a number of successful city bond issues resulted in the acquisition of various parcels of mountain land by the city. The Phoenix Parks Preserve Initiative, approved by the voters in 1999, increased the total open space for parks and preserves to 30,000 acres, with 107 miles of developed and maintained trails. By 2006, eight regional parks were developed, over 160 park improvements were made to community and neighborhood parks, and over 3,000 acres of Arizona State Trust Land was acquired for the Sonoran Preserve.
In 2000, the Parks and Recreation Department established a Natural Resources Division to provide stewardship and development of natural park areas and to maintain a balance between protection and recreational use of the land. Highlights of the city's Parks and Preserves are summarized below.
South Mountain Park/Preserve - The 16,000 acre South Mountain Park/Preserve was purchased by the city in 1929 and is the largest municipal park in the country, attracting over 2 million visitors each year. It includes 58 miles of trails for horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking for all ability levels. A series of trails from the Environmental Education Center, including a wheelchair accessible trail, provides easy access to explore the desert. The South Mountain Environmental Education Center and ranger-led outdoor programs allow visitors to gain new insights into the richness and diversity of the Sonoran Desert ecosystem.
North Mountain Park and Visitor Center - At 2,104 feet, North Mountain Park is a landmark Phoenix peak and offers an array of trails. The North Mountain Visitor Center now serves as a gateway to the vast and rugged North Mountain Park. The Center hosted more than 20,000 visitors in 2005 and offers educational classes and displays to understand the Sonoran Desert. The North Mountain Visitor Center also boasts a 3,150 watt Photovoltaic system which offsets power from the utility grid.
Camelback Mountain - In 1965, Barry Goldwater spearheaded community efforts to save the Camelback Summit from development. This 2,704-foot mountain is now one of the most popular hiking trails in the Phoenix area.
Papago Park - In cooperation the with Arizona Game and Fish Department, the city has restored over 1,000 feet of shoreline in two ponds in Papago Park to improve the fish habitat. Several areas have benefited from re-vegetation projects. Over 100 native plants and trees have been added to the park and invasive plants have been targeted for removal.
Reach 11 - Reach 11 Recreation Area is 1,500-acres of xeroriparian habitat owned by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and managed by the city of Phoenix, Parks and Recreation Department through a land use agreement established in 1986. The primary function of Reach 11 is as a flood detention basin to protect flood waters from damaging the CAP canal. Its secondary function is for recreation, with 18 miles of multi-use trails frequented by hikers, bikers and horseback riders. The park also features a 90-acre equestrian center with four lighted arenas, a 1-1/2 mile Barrier Free Accessible trail and a 100-acre sports complex with 10 lighted soccer fields.
Forestry
The Phoenix Urban Forestry Program, in the Parks and Recreation Department (Parks), provides educational information and instruction programs to increase awareness of proper planting and tree care practices. These activities include puppet show presentations for elementary schools, adult information booths available for special events, cost matching programs for individuals and communities to plant on right-of-ways and school grounds, and a Living Tree Memorial planting program in public parks. During fiscal year 2006-07, the program provided 237 presentations serving over 12,000 students. A total of eight community cost-match projects planting 124 trees and 16 Living Tree Memorials were completed. Another 148 trees were planted through community programs in celebration of Arbor Day. In addition, PRD planted over 2,900 trees in public parks and in street landscape areas.- Parks Forestry field crews maintain trees in streetscapes and parks and are responsible for the care of approximately 33,000 palms and more than 200,000 hardwood trees located throughout the city. Forestry provides training for city personnel concerning tree biology and maintenance, and is helping to develop a plan for the sustainable management of shade and tree planting. Forestry is partnering with local electric utilities to champion the concept of "Right Tree, Right Place" to alleviate problems with trees and power lines, and piloted a green waste reduction program at Paradise Valley Park.
- The Neighborhood Services Department (NSD) Neighborhood Coordination Division also facilitates the planting of trees in the community through the Fight Back Program in conjunction with Urban Forestry. The focus is on low water use trees and beautifying neighborhoods.
- The city of Phoenix was honored by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA for the twenty-first straight year. The city also received a 10-year Sterling Growth Award from the National Arbor Day Foundation for having demonstrated continual improvement and growth of its Urban Forestry Program over the past 11 years