Rio Cleanup with United by Blue on June 29th

Date: June 29, 2018

Location: Rio de Flag
5000 – 5324 Historic Route 66
Flagstaff, AZ  86004

Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Join United by Blue,  Peace Surplus, the City of Flagstaff, Friends of Rio de Flag, and Natural Restorations  for their first ever joint waterway cleanup in Flagstaff, AZ! This cleanup is one of 20 that United by Blue is co-hosting nationwide this summer, from June-August, to establish community partnerships between their specialty retailers, conservation or municipal partners, and volunteers.

Join us as we contribute to the cleanup, restoration, and education work that the Friends of Rio de Flag and Natural Restorations do to keep Rio de Flag healthy and beautiful all year round. We will clean up trash and debris along the shoreline of the river, preventing it from flowing downstream and harming wildlife along the way. Kick your weekend off right with an evening of cleaning, games, and protecting the Rio de Flag ecosystem!

United By Blue provides all cleanup supplies, snacks, and drinking water. Please wear sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty or wet. Learn more about the cleanup calling 215-278-7858 ext. 4 or by emailing cleanup@unitedbyblue.com.

June 19th: A Peoples’ Public Hearing

Hikers enjoy a guided hike at the Rio (I-40) wetlands, the first hike of our summer walk series

Michael Rotter, PhD candidate at Northern Arizona University, leads a guided hike at the Rio (I-40) wetlands on urban ecology. All photos courteous of Tom Bean Photography.

Thank you to all the hikers who joined us last night, Thursday, June 7th, at the Rio (I-40) wetlands! We hope to have you along again for the rest of our hikes that will occur this summer each month.

Thanks also to Michael Rotter, PhD candidate at Northern Arizona Universtiy, and Allen Haden, aquatic ecologist with Natural Channel Designs, for leading this informative hike.

All hikes are posted to this website and our Facebook page. Please consider signing up as a member (it’s free) to receive notifications about hikes directly to your inbox.

June 7th: Guided Hike at Rio (I-40) Wetlands

The Rio Wetlands as seen from a high point in Flagstaff, Arizona. Photos courteous of Tom Bean Photography.

Guides: Michael Rotter, NAU PhD Candidate; Allen Haden, Natural Channel Designs
Date: Thursday, June 7th at 5:30pm
Where: Meet at southwest corner of Sam’s Club Parking Lot

The Rio Wetlands as seen from a high point in Flagstaff, Arizona. Photos courteous
of Tom Bean Photography.

Urban wetlands support an incredible variety of plant and wildlife species while
also providing recreationists with a chance to enjoy nature within city limits.

Mike Rotter examines an insect at Leroux Springs during his 2016 field season.

On Thursday, June 7th we will uncover the often overlooked world of urban ecology
through a guided hike at the Rio (I-40) Wetlands with Michael Rotter. As a PhD candidate
at Northern Arizona University, Michael studies plant-insect interactions through
the lens of an evolutionary ecologist. On Thursday, Michael will discuss the importance
of urban wetlands in supporting habitat for local flora and fauna.

Co-leading the hike will be Allen Haden, aquatic ecologist at Natural Channel Designs, who will provide insight about the unique hydro-geomorphological characteristics of wetlands. Allen will shed light on how local communities build and sustain wetlands in Arizona for a range of purposes beyond wildlife habitat. Allen currently serves as a Board Member with the Friends of the Rio.

We look forward to seeing you next week for a great hike! Meet at 5:30pm at the
southwest corner of the Sam’s Club parking lot.

We are suggesting a $5/participant donation for this guided hike.