Sedona AZ (September 3, 2015) – Keep Sedona Beautiful, Inc. will kick off its 2015-16 Preserving the Wonder(tm) Speaker Series on Wednesday, September 9th featuring Nicole Branton, Red Rock District Ranger of the Coconino National Forest. The title of her presentation is “Mudslides, Waterfalls, and Sustainable Recreation: The Year in Good Work and Tough Problems on the Red Rock Ranger District.”
Members, residents and visitors are all welcome to join Keep Sedona Beautiful (“KSB”) at 5:30 pm at its historic Pushmataha Center on 360 Brewer Road to hear Nicole discuss the current state of the Red Rock Ranger District. A question and answer session will follow the presentation.
Red Rock District Ranger since the spring of 2014, Nicole Branton is an archaeologist by training with a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Arizona. Her archaeology career focused on cultural landscapes, oral history and historical archaeology, as well as cultural resource management. Nicole has worked for the USDA Forest Service for over 17 years on National Forests and Grasslands in Arizona, Colorado, Utah, South Dakota, Wyoming and Washington, D.C.
World-famous for its red rock vistas, desert waterfalls, and two wild and scenic rivers, the Red Rock Ranger District averages 2 million visitors per year and is located in a landscape populated with numerous threatened and endangered species, archaeological sites, and fragile soils. It is also home to the largest volunteer program in the National Forest System and a place where environmental and economic partners come together to solve the challenges that this dynamic system presents. As the summer wraps up, Nicole will share some of the highlights of the past year on the Red Rock Ranger District, from the Slide Fire recovery to sustainable recreation and habitat improvement. She’ll also talk about emerging challenges for the National Forest and our local communities.
Please note that the Forest Service does not have an opinion on the proposal for the Red Rock National Monument and that this subject will not be discussed.
The evening will include complimentary appetizers donated by El Rincon Restaurante Mexicano and refreshments provided by Keep Sedona Beautiful (KSB).
Keep Sedona Beautiful welcomes the community and visitors alike to its monthly Preserving the Wonder(tm) Speaker Series, which is held the second Wednesday of each month from September to June. KSB’s Speaker Series focuses on presenting a diversity of programs relevant to the unique environment of our region.
Keep Sedona Beautiful, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that, by acting through the stewardship of its members and volunteers, is committed to protecting and sustaining the unique scenic beauty and natural environment of the Greater Sedona Area. For more information about Keep Sedona Beautiful, please call 928.282.4938, or visit http://www.keepsedonabeautiful.org/.