Shoofly Brushing Project with

the Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC)

The week of June 15, 2020, while the Bush fire was growing out of control and isolating the Town of Payson, found FOTNF Board Member Scott Wood at the Shoofly Village Ruin interpretive site north of town. Angie Abel of the Payson Ranger District of the Tonto National Forest and a six person AZCC crew joined Scott. This project initiated the care of Shoofly under FOTNF’s Adopt-A-Site agreement with the Forest.

The Crew

The AZCC crew consisted of four young men, two from Payson and two from Mesa, and their two crew leaders. Everyone worked carefully under strict coronavirus protocols.

And the work

The group cleared brush and noxious weeds and repaired trails. During the five day project this excellent crew greatly improved the visibility of the interpreted features on the site. In addition, they improved access across the non-ADA accessible portion of the interpretive trail. Most importantly, this crew laid the groundwork for continuing maintenance and improvement of the site.

Visitors to the site gave the crew well deserved compliments and expressions of thanks for their hard work!


The crew did an amazing job! Look at the difference in these Before and After pictures!