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Friends of the Tonto National Forest –
Our Mission

Friends of the Tonto National Forest is a group of volunteers who assist the Forest in its critical mission of natural and cultural resource and visitor use management. We promote public understanding of the Tonto National Forest’s policies, programs, and projects.

Friends of the Tonto is hiring!

Friends of the Tonto is now recruiting for the position of Executive Director. We are growing, both in members and projects. Patti Fenner has done an amazing job as our Executive Director since 2015. Patti has held the position as a volunteer, and under our By-laws, she is required to step down after 10 years. She has graciously agreed to continue as our Interim Executive Director until a replacement can be found. Given our growth, the Board has voted to change the Executive Director position from volunteer to paid. The position is part-time, 30 hrs. per week. If you are interested in helping us with our mission on the Tonto National Forest, please view the job listing here.

Trail Maintenance Project

Starting in January of 2026 volunteers cleared encroaching brush and catclaw from Half Moon trail on the east side of the Mazatzal Mountains, and we have new signs for the Half Moon and Rock Creek trails. We will have events as needed to maintain Half Moon trail as well as events to repair and maintain other deferred maintenance trails in the Tonto. We are continuing trail restoration and brushing on the Cave Creek Trail system. Through grants and volunteer events, seven miles of Sheep Trail in the western Mazatzal Wilderness and Campaign and Reavis Gap trails in the eastern Superstitions were cleared.

We are actively looking for trails in need of maintenance. Does your favorite trail need a little love? We can help! Tell us about the trail, and what it needs. Friends’ volunteers can work on the trail, and we can apply for grants to hire crews for the really tough stuff.

With your help we can do much more to improve deferred maintenance trails in the Tonto. Let us know what is needed and volunteer if you can. But be forewarned, trail maintenance is addictive!

Contact jmatteson@friendsofthetonto.org.

Saguaro Monitoring

Saguaro cacti are a keystone species of the Sonoran Desert, and inhabitants of the desert ecosystem rely on them for food and shelter. When keystone species disappear from an area, the entire ecosystem changes. Saguaros in the Sonoran desert are facing a multitude of threats including wildfire, human encroachment, extreme heat and drought. While several saguaro restoration projects are currently in progress, the lack of detailed health data hinders efforts to effectively prioritize restoration areas. Better monitoring data on planted saguaros could enhance strategies for future plantings. 

To assist in these efforts, Friends of the Tonto is developing a Saguaro Monitoring Project which YOU can help with. Taking a citizen science approach, we will be training people how to document saguaro health assessments using an ESRI Fields Map app so that the condition of saguaros across the Tonto National Forest can be recorded.

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Monarch Joint Venture Partnership

We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the Monarch Joint Venture, a network of over 130 federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and academic programs working towards a common goal of protecting the monarch migration across the United States. This partnership allows us to access the latest monarch conservation, training and research information. Our milkweed conservation and monitoring efforts, in turn, will contribute to the little-understood monarch behavior and migration in the U.S. Southwest. More information may be found here.

Invasive Plant Management

Removal Events

Look what we do at a Removal Event!

Events are planned for every 2nd and 4th Saturday from October through April.

First, to participate in any Invasive Plant Management event, sign a Liability Waiver form. The liability waiver is valid for the season.  Second, it is important that you become familiar with the safety requirements which can be seen here Safety Analysis.

You can easily complete the required registration for the removal events at Removal Event Registration. We meet at different times and locations as shown in the event registration form. Additional dates will be added to the registration form as soon as the locations are determined.

Mapping and Monitoring

Mapping and monitoring is a great way to get outside and explore on your own schedule.  With the addition of the Superstition Fire Burn Area, we are asking for more volunteers to participate in this ongoing activity.  We’ll use ArcGIS Field Maps which is a free app for your smart device.  There are 4 species of non-native plants we’ll be monitoring — fountain grass, buffelgrass, stinknet and Sahara mustard. Depending on the time of year, they are quite easy to learn to recognize.  Since the plants are seasonal, there will be an opportunity and need to cover the same territory multiple times. 

We look forward to seeing you in the fantastic Superstition Mountains!

Learn more about invasive plants and Defending the Desert

Milkweed for Monarchs

Information about the Milkweed for Monarchs Project may be found here.

Watch Susan Sridharan talk about the Monarch program here!

Membership Drive

Did you know that for $25 a year you can become a member of Friends of the Tonto National Forest? Besides the satisfaction of supporting our operations, members receive a discount on Keen products, and get you on the invite list to attend members-only events. Membership also allows you to run for board and officer positions, and to vote for board members each year.

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