The Verde River Corridor Project was a total "unknown entity" when it began over a year and a half ago in September of 1989. Today it has a life and momentum of its own and has made a positive contribution to the Verde Valley and will continue to do so for decades.
The VRCP was intended as a communication, education, participation, cooperation, and coordination tool powered by local citizens to plan for the future of the Verde River. The Verde River is a precious resource to local citizens and to visitors alike; and the purpose of the VRCP is to ensure that recreational, cultural, scenic, economic, and environmental values of the river are maintained for present and future generations in their cleanest and purest form.
In an effort to conserve them in the most comprehensive and sensitive manner, the VRCP presents this report. It expresses their vision, goals, and recommended actions to inspire future coordination and cooperation among citizens, government agencies, and private organizations for the benefit of this unique resource, the Verde River. The willingness of local citizens to grapple with the often conflicting issues that surround the Verde River has demonstrated their status as a unique resource in their own right.
Although the Verde Valley has avoided many of the pressures of land development thus far, it is evident that a comprehensive strategy for the river corridor to solve impending problems and resolve issues is needed. The maze of land management along the Verde River places responsibility on a number of state, local, and private entities for the many uses of the resources; however, no single agency does, or can, do it all.
The intent of the Verde River Corridor Project Final Report is to guide the various individuals, groups, and agencies through suggested actions. The Report makes several suggestions of "who, how, and when" these actions can be achieved, and references and technical information are included to help guide those who continue on as participants in the Verde River Corridor Project. Hopefully, it will also foster ongoing recognition of the special cultural, natural, and recreational values that make the Verde River a unique Arizona resource.
It is important to emphasize that this report is only a beginning of conservation and planning efforts to maintain the Verde River Corridor, around which life here revolves. The future of the river resources will depend upon the active participation and cooperation of everyone. The National Park Service, Arizona State Parks Board, several local governmental entities, and many private conservancy groups stand by to offer whatever assistance they can. In fact, several federal and state agencies have expressed significant interest in and, even, commitment to implementation of several of the Project's recommended actions.