Outdoor Skills Network
The Outdoor Skills Network (OSN) is an extensive partnership of outdoor conservation organizations and experts. It is a one-stop resource for in the field, live hands-on events and camps that teach you about hunting, wildlife, fishing, shooting, trapping, conservation and to enjoy your harvested game meat. It’s a cooperation with the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation program and the Hunting and Angling Heritage Workgroup, and is also supported by donations from Wildlife for Tomorrow’s Arizona Celebrity Wingshoot fundraiser. Learn more at: www.azgfd.gov/OutdoorSkills.
Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation Summer Camp
The Arizona Game and Fish Department in partnership with Wildlife for Tomorrow offers a summer camp program for youth to enjoy the beauty of nature, experience wildlife and learn about Arizona's natural resources.The summer camp is held at the Hirsch Conservation Education Area. The Hirsch Conservation Education Area is located at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Ben Avery Shooting Facility in North Phoenix. This site was named after and is dedicated to Bob and Mary Hirsch, longtime Arizonans. It was Bob and Mary’s dream to have a place for youth to experience the magical wonders of nature. Whether this involved fishing, hunting, camping, boating, bird watching or other outdoor pursuits, they understood the importance nature played in shaping the lives of children. For more information, visit https://www.wildologyaz.com/summercamp
Tres Rios Nature Festival
In the early 2000’s, spearheaded by Tice Supplee, the Department and the Foundation envisioned a westside-based nature festival that would expand the message of preserving Arizona’s wildlife to that growing area of our state. Following a negotiated Memorandum of Understanding and seed money provided by the Department, a group of WFT volunteers led by Heidi Vasiloff created the Tres Rios Nature Festival, now known as the Tres Rios Nature and Earth Festival. From its humble beginnings in 2004, the Festival has grown to stand on its own two financial feet and has become tremendously popular. The event is held each March at the B&M Wildlife area on the Gila and Salt Rivers on Avondale Boulevard near Phoenix International Raceway. The Festival annually features educational booths and activities including canoeing, kayaking, fishing, birding, hiking, entertainment, food and outdoor fun. It has always been free to the public. The City of Avondale has emerged as the Festival’s most recent primary sponsor, and promises to continue to grow the Festival in conjunction with other community partners such as the City of Goodyear, Luke Air Force Base, Town of Buckeye and the Department. For more information, visit www.avondaleaz.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation/events/tres-rios-nature-festival
Mesquite Wildlife Oasis
The creation of the Mesquite Wildlife Oasis Education Project presents a perfect example of the interplay between the Foundation, the Department and the public. The development of Sempra’s plant, known as Mesquite Power, required the acquisition of nearby farm acreage for water rights necessary for power generation at the plant. Land use stipulations added by Maricopa County for the development of the site included a proviso that a portion of the otherwise vacant “water property” be developed into one of a number of conservation-oriented uses, one of which was educational uses to be developed in conjunction with the Department. Following introductions to the Department and the Foundation, Sempra Renewables spent in excess of $500,000 to develop an educational and wildlife habitat site on its property suitable for visitation by thousands of school-aged children and adults. The Mesquite Wildlife Oasis features information concerning the area’s local plant and animal life, as well as habitat and water resources. A staff overseen by the Foundation administers the program, which annually serves dozens of schools and some 3,000-plus students. Recently, Sempra Renewables sold the property to Consolidated Edison. Con Ed has continued to fund this program and contributes to other WFT programs such as the HOF banquet and Tres Rios. For more information, visit https://www.wildologyaz.com/about
Arizona Scholastic Clay Target Program
Wildlife for Tomorrow was among the initial funding sources to provide shotguns used in the Department’s Scholastic Clay Target Program, a team-based youth development program that uses the shotgun sports of trap, skeet and sporting clays to instill life skills such as discipline, safety, teamwork, ethics, self-confidence and other life values in high-school aged youth throughout Arizona. More recently, WFT leveraged its non-profit status to successfully apply for a $900,000 grant from the Midway Foundation, which funds are being used to support SCTP teams and programs. For more information, visit https://www.azgfd.com/shooting/scholastic/
Ben Avery Clay Target Center Events Facility
WFT recently served as beneficiary of remaining funds in the now-closed Phoenix Trap and Skeet Club (as well as San Diego Shotgun Sports Association) following a resolution of the boards. These funds were combined with unrestricted WFT funds to purchase a steel building and associated improvements in conjunction with the Arizona State Employees Credit Union to construct and open a fabulous new events center on the BACTC campus. Thanks to WFT and the hard work of BACTC volunteers such as Paul Doetsch, the days of sweaty events under canvas tents and eating hot dogs from a vending cart have been replaced with an air-conditioned events center with full food service capacity. WFT and the Arizona State Employees Credit Union has worked closely with the AGFD Commission under a separate Memorandum of Understanding to fund certain of the building components consistent with procurement law governing Commission assets such as the Clay Target Center. For more information, visit https://www.azgfd.com/shooting/bactc/