WRRC Participates in Cobre Valley and BKW Farms Events
In recent weeks, WRRC staff participated in two community events with longstanding partners. On October 11, Program Manager Garland Speight and Associate Director Jamie McEvoy traveled to Globe, AZ, to meet with members of the Cobre Valley Watershed Partnership. Chris Jones, the University of Arizona’s Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Programs in Gila County, organized the meeting to discuss updates and possible new projects in the watershed. Jones is initiating a Stinknet Patrol project to control the spread stinknet, an invasive annual weed that crowds out native plants and becomes a fire hazard in summer. The meeting included a trail clean-up and tour of Stairizona, an urban hiking trail that explores Globe’s historic Works Progress Administration-era staircases and passes murals and steps painted by local and regional artists. On October 12, McEvoy attended an 85th Anniversary Celebration at BKW Farms in Marana, AZ. The farm has been owned and operated by the Wong family since 1939, and they take pride in using sustainable agricultural practices to provide locally grown grains and mushrooms to the community. The WRRC was one of several partner organizations invited to share information about themselves at the event, so McEvoy stocked the WRRC table with flyers, copies of the Arroyo, pens and other fun giveaways. The gathering featured homemade ice cream provided by the Wong family and was greatly enjoyed by all.