SCORP Resources
This list of outdoor recreation resources is the result of participant suggestions that we collected during the SCORP process and public comment period. Please check back often, these resources will be updated regularly.
Send additional resource suggestions to scorp@azstateparks.gov. We would love to include even more helpful info!
Astrotourism
Arizona Office of Tourism - Visit Arizona https://www.visitarizona.com/places/dark-skies/ Arizona dark sky parks and areas.
Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative https://extension.usu.edu/iort/cp-darkskies/ A collaborative effort to educate, protect, and inspire wonder in our natural night skies. The Cooperatives bring together land management agencies with tribal partners, businesses, and nonprofits to celebrate the cosmos, minimize the impact of outdoor lighting, protect and restore natural darkness, and promote astronomy-based outdoor recreation and tourism. Encourages landscape scale approaches to dark sky conservation.
International Dark Sky Association https://www.darksky.org/ Purpose of the group is to protect the night sky from light pollution, by providing leadership, tools and resources. This site is helpful for individuals interested in learning more about the conservation of dark skies and its benefits.
Equestrian outdoor recreation activities
American Horse Council - Economic Impact of the Horse Industry https://horsecouncil.org/resources/economics/ In 2017, roughly 3.4 million horses were ridden for recreation in the U.S. The study indicates the horse industry contributed approximately $50 billion in direct economic impact to the U.S. economy, and had a direct employment impact of 988,394 jobs. Additionally, the industry itself contributes $38 billion in direct wages, salaries, and benefits
From those direct effects, the horse industry’s contribution ripples out into other sectors of the economy. Adding these ripple effects results in an estimate of the total contribution of the horse industry to the U.S. economy of $122 billion, and a total employment impact of 1.7 million jobs. The full study is available for purchase at the link above.
Outdoor Recreation Programs
Chain Reaction AZ http://chainreactionaz.org/ Chain Reaction AZ is a private, newly formed nonprofit in the Verde Valley whose mission is to provide refurbished bicycles, helmets, locks and safety information to select veterans, homeless and/or low-income residents of the Verde Valley who are in need of transportation and cannot afford a bicycle.
Outdoor Recreation Partnerships
Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund https://redrocktrailfund.org/ This nonprofit organization partners with the Forest Service to build, improve and maintain the Red Rock Trails beloved by many. Some of the current or planned projects consist of maintenance to widely used trails, archaeological surveys and a trail census to better understand use.
Verde Front https://sites.google.com/site/verdefront/teams/trails-working-group?authuser=0 A regional collaborative in the Sedona-Verde Valley that fosters proactive dialogue, coordination and collective action on stewardship of natural and cultural resources. The Vision of the group is: Citizens, organizations, agencies, and local governments collaborate to protect ecosystem health, natural and cultural resources, and promote robust economies in the cities and towns of the Verde Valley, with emphasis on well-managed recreation, education, and restoration that sustainably connect people to the land.
Partners’ Plans (Land or Resource Management Plans, Recreation Plans, etc)
United States Forest Service
Connecting People with America's Great Outdoors: A Framework for Sustainable Recreation (2010) https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5346549.pdf
Land Managment Plan for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (2017) https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/asnf/landmanagement/planning
Land and Resource Management Plan for the Coconino National Forest (2018) https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/landmanagement/planning/?cid=stelprdb5334655
Coronado National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (2018) https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/coronado/landmanagement/planning
Land and Resource Plan for the Kaibab National Forest (2014) https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/kaibab/landmanagement/planning
Land and Resource Management Plan for the Prescott National Forest (2015) https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/prescott/landmanagement/planning
Tonto National Forest Land Management Plan (2022) https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/landmanagement/planning
