Standing in front, from left, are Kim Grady, Susan Insalaco, Barbara Linkins, Friends of Lost Dutchman State Park. Seated in the Kubota is Amy Schnoes, park ranger/manager.
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By Kim Grady, Friends of Lost Dutchman State Park Board member
The Friends of Lost Dutchman State Park recently donated a Kubota RTV520 to the park.
Such vehicles are used by park rangers and volunteers to manage and maintain the 292-acre park and connecting trails at 6109 N. Apache Trail, Apache Junction.
Donations such as this are just one way the FLDSP has assisted the park.
Friends has been a big part of the park’s events over the past 14 years, holding one of the parks largest annual events, the Picture Perfect Park Wine Tasting fundraiser. Through that event and our many other activities, FLDSP formed many connections with the surrounding community and visitors from around the world.
We capitalize on the relationships formed to accomplish many things for the park and for our community. We helped reopen SR88, the historic Apache Trail; we act on behalf of the park to get grants and donations; and currently we are assisting with mitigation of invasive species threatening the ecosystem, health and safety of the park, the Tonto National Forest, and the nearby neighborhood.
Friends groups form when there is a need, a threat or a cause. In 2010, 13 of our state parks were threatened with closure, Lost Dutchman was one of them.
This government action would’ve endangered the surrounding community, hurt businesses, resulted in loss of Federal Financial support, and devastated county economic development. Local action, forming of Friends groups, stopped the closures.
In our mission we promise to protect and preserve our open spaces and access to Pinal County’s natural resources. We do this through advocacy, and education. Friends of Lost Dutchman State Park can be found on Facebook.
