An organization that focuses on forest health in Northern Arizona took the top honor at Arizona Forward's annual awards ceremony last month.
The group's Environmental Excellence Awards, presented at the Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale on October 23, honored the Northern Arizona Forest Fund with the President's Award. As Arizona Forward notes in a news release:
Northern Arizona national forests provide the majority of water to the Salt and Verde Rivers. This water flows from the high-elevation forests, down to the desert below and eventually into the homes of millions of metro Phoenix residents. But the health of the forests and watersheds is threatened. The Northern Arizona Forest Fund was created to address these declining forest health conditions. To date, the Northern Arizona Forest Fund has completed over 10,000 acres of projects, reducing severe fire risk by about 25 percent.
The Governor's Award for Arizona's Future went to the Arizona Pure Water Brew Challenge:
The Arizona Pure Water Brew Challenge overturned a long-standing legal prohibition against potable water reuse. It also used craft beer to educate the public about the benefits of the “toilet to tap” revolution. The team took to festivals, conferences, parades and expos to get their message out, which resulted in changing a law and changing many minds statewide.
Other environment-themed awards were given to honorees that included Wurth House, Ocotillo Restaurant and the city of Phoenix.
Arizona Forward, which began in 1969 as Valley Forward, aims to encourage public dialogue on regional issues and improve the sustainability of the state's communities. To learn more, visit the organization's website.