The Scottsdale City Council recently approved participation in the Arizona Site Steward program, starting a process that will enable the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy to leverage the Arizona State Parks Foundation program.
The Arizona Site Steward program was developed by Governor Bruce Babbitt and his Archaeological Advisory Commission in an attempt to support the protection of cultural sites on public lands. Starting with three regions and four partners, the program has grown to encompass the entire state and 32 local, state, federal, and non-profit partners. Currently administered by Arizona State Parks, the program is supported by the Arizona State Parks Foundation – a 501(c)3.
Site Stewards are volunteers dedicated to protecting and preserving cultural resources and the heritage of Arizona, and eight McDowell Sonoran Conservancy stewards have already qualified as site stewards, and at least two more candidates likely will qualify soon.
Qualified site stewards look after the historic sites within a defined area to regularly review conditions based on defined parameters (see link below for much more info). The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy will start by first prioritizing the historic sites within the Preserve and regularly assessing these sites.
The next step toward full approval is the approval of the Arizona State Parks Board, expected in the coming weeks.
Read more about the Site Stewards Program here: https://azstateparks.com/arizona-site-stewards-volunteer-program