Oak Creek Watershed Council
Protecting one of Arizona’s greatest treasures – and the habitat it supports
The Oak Creek Watershed Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to preserving the health and integrity of Oak Creek. Oak Creek is a perennial, spring-fed stream that stretches fifty miles from its headwaters in Oak Creek Canyon, and flows through Sedona, Page Springs, and Cornville to its confluence with the Verde River. As one of the last free-running streams in Arizona, Oak Creek is a precious jewel of riparian habitat in the desert Southwest, where human activity has destroyed over 90% of all rivers and streams.
With increased tourism and visitation, Oak Creek’s unique riparian ecosystem is being challenged like never before. Sedona alone gets an estimated three million visitors per year, and many of those visitors naturally want to be in or around Oak Creek. It’s simply beautiful, and a great place to be – particularly in warm weather. Sadly, the result is massive increases to littering, wildlife disruption, habitat degradation, and microbial contamination. Oak Creek is being loved to death.
Oak Creek Watershed Council works to mitigate that through stewardship engagement; partnering with local agencies and interest groups; outreach and education; and scientific monitoring.
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Our Mission
Maintaining a standard of excellence for watershed stewardship and preserving the integrity of Oak Creek.
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Hablemos de 💩. Los desechos humanos en las vías fluviales pueden convertirse en un vector de propagación de enfermedades y lo hacen asqueroso para los demás visitantes. Puede mantener limpio Oak Creek (#KeepOakCreekClean) usando los baños públicos que están disponibles en las áreas de uso diurno, los comienzos de los senderos, los campamentos y los centros de visitantes.
Si absolutamente tienes que ir y no hay ningún baño cerca, aún puedes ir sin dejar rastro (#LeaveNoTrace). Camina por lo menos 60 metros (70 pasos grandes) del arroyo, busque un lugar privado y cavar un hoyo https://lnt.org/how-to-poop-outside/
#CuidaElAmbiente #SedonaCares #AppreciateAZ #LeaveNoTraceSedona #SustainableSedona
Aprenda mas en: bit.ly/OakCreekCaretaker
Let's have a quick chat about #2. Human waste in waterways can become a vector for spreading disease and makes it gross for others who visit. You can #KeepOakCreekClean by using public toilets that are available at day-use areas, trailheads, campgrounds, and visitor centers.
If you absolutely have to go, and there’s no nearby toilet, you can still #LeaveNoTrace and walk at least 200 feet away (70 big steps) from the creek, find a private spot, and dig a cathole: https://lnt.org/how-to-poop-outside/
Learn more: bit.ly/OakCreekCaretaker
#SedonaCares #AppreciateAZ #LeaveNoTraceSedona #SustainableSedona
Todo lo que dejamos en la cuenca termina en el arroyo. Cosas como la basura y los desechos humanos agregan contaminantes y parásitos a la fuente de agua cuando los dejamos atrás. Podemos evitar esto empacando nuestra basura y usando baños en los senderos. ¡Vamos a mantener limpio Oak Creek (#KeepOakCreekClean) y no dejar rastro (#LeaveNoTrace ) en nuestra visita a la cuenca!
#CuidaElAmbiente #SedonaCares #AppreciateAZ #LeaveNoTraceSedona #SustainableSedona
Aprenda mas en: bit.ly/OakCreekCaretaker
Anything we leave in the watershed ends up in the creek. Things like litter and human waste add pollutants and parasites to the water source when we leave them behind. We can prevent this by packing out our trash and using toilets at trailheads. Let's #KeepOakCreekClean and #LeaveNoTrace on our visit to the watershed!
#SedonaCares #AppreciateAZ #LeaveNoTraceSedona #SustainableSedona
Learn more: bit.ly/OakCreekCaretaker
Green Jacks NAU club cleanup event on 4/1 - this is not a joke! Come join us for some fun while picking up trash in Oak Creek Canyon. RSVP using the QR code for a seat!
¿Te gusta Oak Creek? ¡Conviértete en un Cuidador de Oak Creek!
Con el aumento del turismo y las visitas, el ecosistema único de Oak Creek en el norte de Arizona está siendo desafiado como nunca antes. La cámara de comercio de #Sedona y la Oficina de Turismo (@SedonaChamberofCommerce) se han asociado con la ciudad de Sedona (@CityofSedonaAZ), Consejo de Cuenca de Oak Creek (@Oak Creek Watershed Council) y el Departamento de Calidad Ambiental de Arizona (@azdeq) para continuar promoviendo las formas como Leave No Trace (@LeaveNoTrace) hace la diferencia cuando pasamos tiempo afuera.
Involucrate visitando: bit.ly/OakCreekCaretaker
#CuidaElAmbiente #SedonaCares #AppreciateAZ #LeaveNoTraceSedona #SustainableSedona #KeepOakCreekClean
Do you love #OakCreek?Become an Oak Creek Caretaker!
With increased tourism and visitation, Oak Creek's unique ecosystem in northern Arizona is being challenged like never before. @SedonaChamberofCommerce and @CityofSedonaAZ have partnered with @Oak Creek Watershed Council and @azdeq to continue promoting the ways that @LeaveNoTrace makes a difference when we spend time outside.
Get involved today by visiting: bit.ly/OakCreekCaretaker
#SedonaCares #AppreciateAZ #LeaveNoTraceSedona #SustainableSedona #KeepOakCreekClean
¿Ha visitado el área de Sedona? Atravesando la ciudad se encuentra Oak Creek, una importante vía fluvial que nutre el ecosistema que la rodea y apoya a las comunidades de #AZ. Millones de nosotros visitamos el arroyo y disfrutamos de su abundancia de actividades al aire libre cada año, y eso significa que podemos impactar la salud de esta cuenca.
¿Será usted un cuidador de Oak Creek y ayudará a mantener limpio Oak Creek (#KeepOakCreekClean) cuando visite? Estos son los cuatro consejos más importantes a tener en cuenta para no dejar rastro (#LeaveNoTrace).
Have you visited the #Sedona area? Running right through town is Oak Creek, an important waterway that nourishes the ecosystem around it and supports #AZ communities. Millions visit the creek and enjoy its outdoor activities every year, and that means we can impact the health of this watershed.
Help #KeepOakCreekClean when you visit by following these four important #LeaveNoTrace tips:
💧Protect watersheds
💩Have a poop plan
🗑️Trash your trash
🥾Stick to trails
Get involved ➡️ bit.ly/OakCreekCaretaker
#SedonaCares #AppreciateAZ #LeaveNoTraceSedona #SustainableSedona
Happy #MeetTheBoardMonday ! Oak Creek Watershed Council is continuing to introduce you to its board members in 2023. Read more about the Board of Directors here: https://oakcreekwatershed.org/about-us/board-of-directors/
On this fifth #MeetTheBoardMonday, we’d like you to meet our Board Member, Judy Lewis!
🌱 How long have you been a board member?
Since 1997 when it was operating as Oak Creek Canyon Task Force.
🌱 Why did you become a board member?
I wanted to contribute to the protection of Oak Creek and my summer home is within a mile of where Oak Creek begins at Sterling Springs.
🌱 What is your role on the board?
I have been a past treasurer for the past four years, and now I am on the committee for fundraising and community outreach.
🌱 What are your goals as a board member for OCWC in 2023?
I plan to bring more community residents and businesses to support our mission with time and investment.
🌱 How do you spend your time in Oak Creek?
Not only do I live on Oak Creek but I love to explore through projects of our organization and recreation time to discover areas on the creek that I haven’t experienced.
🌱 What animal do you think most closely matches your personality and why?
I relate to the dragonfly that has flying, dancing patterns over the water. I, too, am mesmerized by the flowing creek, and the peace that it brings me.
Yesterday was #worldwildlifeday and we just wanted to share about a particularly cool reptile that lives in Oak Creek Canyon! One of the most charismatic, in our opinion, residents of Oak Creek Canyon is the nonvenomous Narrow Headed Gartersnake! They are one of five garter snake species found in Arizona and also currently designated as Threatened by the USFWS. Narrow Headed Gartersnakes are found along the Mogollon Rim in New Mexico and Arizona within riparian zones. Their namesake narrow snout allows them to focus on eating fish, linking them to bodies of water. It is theorized that population decline began about two decades ago with pressures including habitat loss, nonnative predators, and loss of native fish species contributing to their Threatened status. Oak Creek Canyon is designated as critical habitat to the Narrow Headed Gartersnake due to its steeply sloped canyon walls providing ideal brumation (reptile version of hibernation) habitat. Have you seen or had any chance encounters with the Narrow Headed Gartersnake?
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Slide 1: Photo by Jana Maravi
Slide 2: Photo by Jeff Servoss
Slide 3: A picture of the Narrow Headed Gartersnake’s range vis USFWS
Sources
https://in.nau.edu/gartersnake-research-project/narrow-headed-gartersnake/
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/2204
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-10-21/pdf/2021-20962.pdf#page=1
Happy #MeetTheBoardMonday ! Oak Creek Watershed Council is continuing to introduce you to its board members in 2023. Read more about the Board of Directors here: https://oakcreekwatershed.org/about-us/board-of-directors/
On this fourth #MeetTheBoardMonday (we took a little break), we’d like you to meet our Board Member, Sally Gebler!
💦 How long have you been a board member? 1 year
💦 Why did you become a board member? Long-time board member, Judy Lewis, encouraged me to join because of my passion for Oak Creek & the fact that we live right on the creek (thanks to my husband's family). Having our up-close-&-personal perspective, I wanted to give back to this unique place & help protect it for generations to come.
💦 What is your role on the board? Communications! I’ve helped revive and reinvent the newsletter (The Oak Creek Chronicle). I’ve shared my encounters with various critters in the canyon, which resulted in a new piece that will be on-going in the newsletter called "Canyon Critters." From black bears, coatimundis, bald eagles & otters, the wildlife presence reigns! I’m exploring artistic ideas to engage the public, from seeking musical talent for the upcoming 20th anniversary of OCWC celebration in September to a possible children's book that is all things Oak Creek Canyon!
💦 What are your goals as a board member for OCWC in 2023? To generate more awareness & interest in protecting the health & integrity of Oak Creek via the newsletter, special events & education through inspired creativity!
💦 How do you spend your time in Oak Creek? Living here on a daily basis, I take note of the flora & fauna (deer, bears, otters, herons, black hawks, bald eagles), talking to people who find their way here & sharing points of interest (like identifying poison oak!) & walking my dogs, sharing it with my grandchildren, friends & family. Before I retired as a professional interpretive dancer, I actually choreographed several dances in the creek!
💦 What animal do you think most closely matches your personality and why? Specific to Oak Creek, I would say the otter. Good swimmers, excellent hunters, playful, adaptable & they stick together.
The cleanup event on 2/25 at Mescal TH is also canceled due to adverse weather conditions right now and continuing into the weekend. Stay safe everyone and look out for future posts about more cleanup events!!
Our 2/23 event is canceled due to a major winter storm incoming and for everyone’s safety! As of right now, our 2/25 event at Mescal Trailhead (slide 2) is still happening - but we will keep everyone updated later on in the week. Thanks for your patience and support! Stay safe this week!!
Spread the word! OCWC is hosting a cleanup event at Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village on 2/23/23 🎉 Register to join us at this event at the link in our bio!
Sedona’s rocks are red ❤️
Oak Creek is blue 💙
We love this ecosystem 💦
And we hope you do too! 🌱
Happy Valentine’s Day from OCWC!
Also wishing Arizona a happy 111th birthday 🎉🥳
#oakcreekcanyon #oakcreek #sedona #sedonaredrocks #valentinesday #azbirthday
Calling all trash cleanup volunteers! 🚮
OCWC is hosting a trash pickup around the Tlaquepaque Art and Shopping Village near Oak Creek in Sedona and we’d love for you to be there! 🎉
🗑️When: February 23; 8:30am-11:30am
🗑️Where to meet: park in the spaces closest to Oak Creek across from El Rincon Restaurant
OCWC will provide trash pickup equipment and some snacks and big jugs full of water. Just bring yourself, a water bottle, and sturdy shoes and pants!
Register using this link: https://bit.ly/oakcreekfeb23 or click the link in our bio and reserve a spot today. DM us if you have any questions.
We hope to see you there! 🥳
Our partners from @azdeqgov, @U.s.forestservice, and @cityofsedonaaz (along with others) will be presenting on environmental concerns around Oak Creek on February 24. The public program is free to attend and will be held at the @sedonalibrary
Happy #MeetTheBoardMonday ! On the third #MeetTheBoardMonday , we’d like you to meet Chantal Mosman - treasurer! Read more about the Board of Directors here: https://oakcreekwatershed.org/about-us/board-of-directors/
🐈How long have you been a board member? I joined the board in February of 2022.
🐈Why did you become a board member? I have a passion for natural places, they are so important and need us to protect them! I firmly believe in community participation and making sure my knowledge & skills are used for the betterment of the world.
🐈What is your role on the board? Treasurer
🐈What are your goals as a board member for OCWC in 2023? Keep up the good work, share our story, and continue to build the sustainability of the organization.
🐈How do you spend your time in Oak Creek? I love to volunteer at clean-up events, and go swimming on hot days followed up by sipping some wine at the local wineries.
🐈What animal do you think most closely matches your personality and why? I am definitely a cat, I love to find little nooks to cozy up in, observe, be quiet, be on my own schedule.
Have you seen these beautiful trees in Oak Creek Canyon? They are Arizona Sycamores (Platanus wrightii S. Wats.), a riparian tree that can grow to be 50 - 80 feet tall! 🌳 AZ Sycamores are large trees with arched, white branches and leaves that drop in the fall. 🍂 Its outer bark is light gray with white inner bark and it is one of the largest, deciduous trees in the Southwest. Sycamores are invaluable in preventing erosion along stream banks which is important for creek health in Oak Creek Canyon! 💦 Woodpeckers and other desert birds nest in the hollow trunks of old sycamore trees. 🪺Learn more about Arizona Sycamores at https://www.internationaloaksociety.org/content/oak-creek-canyon-arizona and https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/plawri/all.html#:~:text=The%20scientific%20name%20of%20Arizona,123%2C202%2C205%5D.#funfactfriday #sycamore #oakcreekcanyon #ripariantrees
