On Saturday, March 8, Arizona State Parks and Trails earned two top awards at the 43rd Environmental Excellence Awards from Arizona Forward, presented by SRP. The Kids on the Colorado River program received the Crescordia Award in the Environmental Education and Communication category, and the Artist in Residence program received the Award of Distinction in the Art in Public Places category.

"Arizona State Parks and Trails is honored to have been recognized with these prestigious awards by Arizona Forward," said Arizona State Parks and Trails Deputy Director Sarah Webber. "We are so proud of our dedicated team and program partners who work tirelessly to steward Arizona’s natural and cultural resources. These programs truly embody our mission to connect communities with the outdoors and history of Arizona. We also congratulate to the other remarkable winners and finalists. Thank you to Arizona Forward for hosting these awards to inspire us all with the incredible work being done across Arizona—from climate action and technology innovation to healthy communities, and more."

Arizona State Parks and Trails partners with Kids on the Colorado River, a nonprofit organization, to teach more than 900 middle schoolers annually about environmental preservation, recreational safety, and the cultural significance of the Colorado River and the desert. The program coordinates the involvement of more than a dozen local, state, and federal agencies to provide the children with hands-on educational activities at Lake Havasu State Park. The Crescordia Award—which Kids on the Colorado River received for Environmental Education and Communication—is the highest honor awarded in each category of the Environmental Excellence Awards and is named for the Greek term meaning "to grow in harmony."

The Artist in Residence is a project in partnership with the Arizona Commission on the Arts that launched in 2024 to host three artists for up to two weeks at Oracle State Park while living and creating art in the park. The program will continue in 2025; Arizona State Parks and the Arizona Commission on the Arts are selecting the next participating artists and host park. The Award of Distinction, which this program received, is intended by Arizona Forward to recognize outstanding achievement that distinguishes projects and initiatives that truly set the bar for others to emulate.

The Arizona Forward Environmental Excellence Awards program is held as a benchmark for economic and environmental accomplishment by organizations and agencies that work to make Arizona communities healthy, sustainable, and economically vibrant. All projects are reviewed based on the sustainability impact on communities, cities, regions, or the entire state of Arizona.