May 2022 - Sugar Loaf OHV Area - Cleanup Project

Our Dedicated Restoration Team removed 5,220 pounds (2.61 tons) of trash & 1 tire from Sugar Loaf OHV Area on the Tonto National Forest - Mesa Ranger District. Thank you to everyone at the Tonto National Forest Service for your support of this project!

Check out the pictures below from our project, including before and after photos.

When we showed up to our dumpster, this pile was dumped by the side of our dumpster. It’s sad and maddening to see people unwilling to do the right thing when no one is looking. We’ve had people try to argue that at least it’s next to the dumpster, but how would you feel if someone dumped their garbage in front of your house, but argued that it was right next to your trash bin? When you’re done eating, do you throw your food on the floor next to the garbage? Of course not! Leaving trash like this is a huge hazard for people and wildlife.

Before & After Photos

CLICK ON A PICTURE FOR FULL-SIZE IMAGE GALLERY. 

Action Photos

For anyone who goes target shooting and does something this dangerous, please educate yourself on why this is such a terrible idea.

This person was target shooting in an area with no backstop and you can clearly see tire marks going through the wash. How are they going to know if someone is coming down the trail on the other side of those trees?

They won’t see or hear anyone coming from that direction. This is how people get seriously injured or killed.

This exact situation has happened to Justin from Natural Restorations on the Rim. A group of people were target shooting at a pond with no backstop and bullets were flying by people’s heads as they ran for cover. The target shooters were totally oblivious to anyone but themselves.

Please educate yourself on proper target shooting safety and etiquette before heading out to a public space. Think about more than yourself, think about the people out riding the trails who want to go back to their families. They don’t want to get shot at and potentially not make it home because someone didn't educate themselves.

On our way to our project site we found two abandoned tents along Bush Highway so we stopped to pick them up before they started to fall apart and become even more of a hazard to wildlife.

 

View more projects completed by our Dedicated Restoration Team HERE.

THANK YOU TO THE ARIZONA OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE (OHV) RECREATION FUND ADMINISTERED BY ARIZONA STATE PARKS & TRAILS FOR AWARDING A GRANT TO NATURAL RESTORATIONS AND OUR DEDICATED RESTORATION TEAM!