FY 08/09 Annual Report July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009 Researchers at Northern Arizona University calculated the total economic impact of Arizona State Parks on the state in FY07 was over $266 million. Report released February 2009. FY 08/09 Annual Report July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009 Governor of Arizona Janice K. Brewer Executive Directors Ken Travous (until May 30, 2009) Renée Bahl (starting June 2, 2009) Assistant Directors Jay Ream Jay Ziemann Cristie Statler Mark Siegwarth (until Sept. 28, 2008) Arizona State Parks 1300 W. Washington Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Phone & TTY (602) 542-4174 Toll Free (800) 285-3703 from 520 & 928 area codes Fax (602) 542-4180 State Parks Board William C. Scalzo Phoenix Reese G. Woodling Tucson Arlan Colton Tucson William C. Cordasco (until Dec. 31, 2008) Flagstaff Larry Landry Phoenix Tracey Westerhausen Phoenix Mark Winkleman State Land Commissioner Equal Employment Opportunity Agency. This document is available in alternative formats. Contact the ADA Coordinator at (602) 542-7152. On the cover: Catalina State Park in Tucson is home to thousands of giant Saguaro cacti. The picture was taken on the Canyon Loop Trail. 2 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Table of Contents List of Figures & Tables ..........................................................4 Director’s Message...................................................................5 Parks Division Agency Map . ...........................................................................6 Operations . ..............................................................................7 Kartchner Caverns ..................................................................9 Northern Region ................................................................... 11 Eastern Region . .....................................................................14 Western Region . ....................................................................16 Southern Region . ..................................................................18 State Parks FY09 Visitation ..................................................19 Volunteer Programs...............................................................21 Interpretive Education .........................................................27 Gift Shop Program ................................................................28 Development .........................................................................30 Resource Management .........................................................35 External Affairs & Partnerships Division Grant Programs .....................................................................41 Public Information Office ....................................................49 Research & Marketing ..........................................................55 State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).........................65 Administrative Services Division Financial Management..........................................................68 Budget Office .........................................................................69 Procurement Services............................................................70 Human Resources .................................................................71 Computer Support.................................................................73 Appendix 1: Source & Disposition of Funds FY 2009 . ....75 Appendix 2: AZStateParks.com Visitors ...........................79 Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 3 List of Figures & Tables Figure 1. Table 1. Figure 2. Table 2. State Parks Visitation FY09 .........................................................19 Value of Volunteer Time, FY09 . .................................................25 Gift Shop Revenue .......................................................................29 RTP Fund Grants Awarded by the Parks Board for the FY09 Grant Program........................................................43 Table 3. RTP Fund Grants Awarded by County in FY09 ......................43 Table 4. Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Fund Grants Awarded by the Parks Board for the FY09 Grant Program .............................................................44 Table 5. Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Fund Grants Awarded by County for the FY09 Grant Program . ............................................................................44 Table 6. LEBSF Fund Grants Awarded by County in FY09 ..................45 Table 7. Summary of 2009 Grant Awards for all Grant Programs . .....46 Table 8. FY09 Grant Program Funds Distribution by County .............46 Table 9. Website Subscribers .....................................................................56 Table 10. ASP Advertising Outlets, July 2008 to March 2009 . ...............59 Table 11. RAM Major Outreach Events, FY09 ..........................................63 Imagine camping among 100-foot pine trees beside a quiet lake at a cool 6,300 feet in elevation. Year-round camping, fishing, picnicking, boating and wildlife viewing opportunities make Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area, in Show Low, a popular park. 4 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Director’s Message Dear Friends, Arizona State Parks was not immune to the bumpy ride through our Great Recession during fiscal year 2009. Our loss of financial resources left no option but to close some parks, reduce days of operations at others, eliminate many worthy statewide programs, and discontinue grant cycles, which support our statewide system of parks. There is no doubt the result of this economic downturn hurt our residents’ health and well-being, as well as tourism and local economies. It is not a place we want to stay. However, for the last 50 years we have thrived as a department — from a forward-thinking State Historic Preservation Office, to awarding hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to our partners, to coordinating trails and open space statewide, to managing and developing thirty of the most spectacular parks you will ever find. While this recession may slow us down, it will not deter us from continuing to be a keystone to Arizonan’s quality of life. This crisis has also given us a chance to refocus on how we will emerge, and learn what really matters to our visitors and communities. We learned: • Our parks and programs provide a sense of place by connecting our past to our future. • You value our environment and support conservation. • Local economies are dependent on open and operating parks. Simply put, Arizona State Park represents the values of, and is valued by, Arizonans. With your support, I am confident our future will include a stable funding source to operate parks and manage programs that are meaningful to you. The Governor’s Task Force on Sustainable Park Funding has made a number of recommendations to permanently fund your system. I know you will hear more about these in 2010 and encourage you to be actively engaged in the solutions. We took hard hits this last year, but we will persevere through this fiscally turbulent time and re-emerge as bright as ever. It is your park system; please make a resolution to visit parks with your family and friends. We look forward to seeing you. Sincerely, Renée E. Bahl Executive Director Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 5 6 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Operations The Operations Section is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all of Arizona’s state parks, natural areas and historic and cultural areas. State Parks in Arizona attract over 2.3 million visitors a year, making a positive impact of over $266 million to the Arizona economy annually. Severe budget cuts have resulted in the section suffering a loss of its staff; in addition, many parks have instituted reductions in hours. Just over 140 permanent and approximately 10 temporary personnel, assisted by almost 800 volunteers, staff our parks in order to keep them safe, clean and enjoyable. Park Rangers are trained in law enforcement, first aid, CPR, water/wastewater management, wildland firefighting, curation & preservation of historic artifacts & buildings, interpretation, customer service, gift shop management, blood borne pathogens, historic restoration, biology, history, ecology, range management and a variety of other subjects. On top of all that, Rangers keep the restrooms clean, the parks litterfree, the trash and recycling cans empty and the fish cleaning and RV dump stations in tip-top shape; providing a safe and enjoyable outdoor experience for our park visitors 365 days a year. The most frequently stated reason that visitors come to our parks is to ‘enjoy nature’. They picnic, hike, swim, horseback ride, fish, water-ski, attend classes and campfire programs or just relax with friends and family. They also get married, hold family reunions, celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, visit Santa (at Riordan Mansion) and the Great Pumpkin (at Oracle), hold memorials for loved ones and participate in their hobbies (including: car, boat and RV shows; nature / environmental/ holiday fairs; community events; art installations; fishing tournaments; archeology and cultural events; civil war reenactments; boating safety classes; birding/wildlife viewing; photography and plant sales). Lastly, but probably most importantly, thousands of Arizona’s school children visit our parks every year to learn about their state and its natural and cultural heritage. Camping Cabins, a popular overnight option, are available at three parks. Fiscal Year 2009 was a year of reductions, transitions and new beginnings. The local and national economic situation resulted in three parks being closed to the public and eleven parks operating with reduced days and hours. In addition, most seasonal staff and a portion of permanent staff, including the Interpretive Education Program staff, were eliminated. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 7 On February 21, 2009, Cattail Cove State Park hosted its annual Geo-Cache Bash. Geo Caching is related to orienteering where people find their way using a compass, except that Geo Caching takes advantage of personal, handheld Global Positioning Systems, commonly referred to as GPS, to seek out a specific location. The event was very successful. The Operations Section is committed to moving into the future with a positive attitude and with the goal of providing our core service — helping the public enjoy our outstanding parks & open spaces — with the excellent service we have come to be known for. We 8 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 will continue to leverage our paid staff with volunteers; continue to partner with local communities; and continue to work with community support organizations to meet these goals, now and in the future. Kartchner Caverns Highlights at Kartchner Caverns State Park for July 1st, 2008 through June 30, 2009: Probably the biggest change at Kartchner was that its very structure was altered to treat it more like a region, since it rivals most regions in number of employees and revenue generation. Kartchner’s organization chart is now structured with a Superintendent at the top of the flow chart who will oversee a Park Manager and Assistant Park Manager. Budget cuts forced the loss of many of our cave tour guides, which threatened a possible closure of one of the two caves. We have currently funded these positions and are able to offer tours in both caves for our busy season. Due to the ongoing effects of the drought, ground water levels continue to drop. Water conservation efforts such as low flow urinals and showers are currently underway while we explore other water sources. We were able to secure a free geophysical sounding of the hillside that covers the Big Room and Rotunda Throne Room. This resulted in the discovery of another very large, unexplored room to the west of the existing caves. Employees, volunteers and our friends group planned for the upcoming 10th anniversary of the opening of Kartchner Caverns to the public. The park offers two tours: the Rotunda Throne Room Tour and the Big Room Tour. New 10th Anniversary text treatment for Kartchner Caverns. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 9 The annual Slide Rock Apple Festival took place in September, 2008. The event featured live music, activities for children and adults, food, arts & crafts, natural exhibitions, educational booths, face painting, apple-themed activities, live demonstrations and more. 10 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Northern Region All state parks north of Phoenix are included in the Northern Region. The Northern Region is unique in a variety of ways. It houses the only archaeologic park in the system: Homolovi Ruins. In addition it has the agency’s first Natural Area: the Verde River Greenway. The region also has three historic parks: Fort Verde, Riordan Mansion and Jerome. It also has an educational park: Red Rock; and two recreational parks: Dead Horse Ranch and Slide Rock. The eight parks that make up the Northern Region accounted for revenues of $1.6 million and hosted over 580,000 visitors. Fiscal Year 2009 will be known as the year of significant change and challenges in the Northern Region (NR). Faced with unprecedented budget shortfalls and significant staff reductions, the region had to rally all remaining staff to ensure we still met the expectations of the visiting public. Despite the economic downturn and the closure of Jerome, the NR saw a Revenue and Visitation increase in Fiscal Year 2009. This goes against conventional thinking but supports the theory people tend to seek out recreation activities closer to home during bad economic times. Due to structural uncertainty, Jerome State Historic Park was closed in March 2009. Dead Horse Ranch State Park (DHR) continued its upward trend in visitation and revenue in Fiscal Year 2009. Its large volunteer base is instrumental in DHR’s success and helping staff stay ahead of maintenance issues. Trail Horse Adventures, one of our concessionaires, also saw an increase in customers. We hope to expand Trail Horse Adventures, , programming in FY10 The Verde River Greenway State Natural Area (VRG) acquired the Rockin’ River Ranch (RRR) November 08. This adds nearly 250 acres to the VRG, more importantly, RRR comes with historic downstream water rights ensuring continued water flow in the downstream portion of the Verde Valley. Despite limited staff, Fort Verde State Historic Park began the restoration of the surgeon’s quarters. The restoration is being completed by staff and volunteers. The park also held a number of events including History of the Soldier, Fort Verde Days, a Frontier Military Christmas exhibit, and Buffalo Soldiers. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 11 Riordan Mansion in Flagstaff presents monthly Brown Bag Lunch Lectures as well as an Evening Slide Presentation Series. In December the mansion is festively decorated in turn-of-the-century style with wreaths, garlands, greenery and a towering fir tree trimmed with old-fashioned ornaments. Red Rock State Park (RR) completed its Kingfisher Bridge rehabilitation project. The project was a joint effort by RR staff and volunteers. RR staff also installed a large screen TV and computer in their training center, enhancing RR’s training abilities. Funding for the TV and computer were provided by the park’s non-profit friends group, the Benefactors of Red Rock State Park. Over 3500 visitors attended Slide Rock State Park’s Apple Festival 12 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 this FY. The program continues to grow and is turning into one of ASP’s premier events. The park continues to have very high visitation. Riordan Mansion State Historic Park continued to offer guided tours of the unique mansion filled with original artifacts, handcrafted furniture, and personal mementos of the Riordan families. The park continued to host the Brown Bag Lunch Lectures series, as well as an Evening Slide Presentation Series. Homolovi Ruins State Park held another successful Suvoyuki Days this Fiscal year. The event features corn roasting, a morning run, archaeological information, and artist demonstrations. On July 11th & 12th, 2008, Homolovi Ruins State Park held its annual Suvoyuki Days. “Suvoyuki” translated in the Hopi language means to accomplish work through a “joint effort.” Suvoyuki Days celebrates the partners who have helped to protect and save the area’s archaeological and cultural sites from destruction. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 13 Eastern Region Made up of all the state parks which are east and northeast of the Phoenix metropolitian area, the Eastern Region is composed of eight parks totaling over 12,000 acres and includes a historic park: McFarland State Historic Park; and two educational parks: Boyce Thompson Arboretum and Oracle. The region also includes five recreational parks, including: Tonto Natural Bridge, Lyman Lake, Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area, Lost Dutchman and Catalina. The eight parks in the Eastern Region accounted for revenues of $1.6 million and hosted over 572,000 visitors. Construction work continued at McFarland. Pictured here, concrete bases for the storm drainage collectors in progress. Boyce Thompson Arboretum • Completion of the Australian Pavilion. • Development and construction of the Australian seep area. • Installation of a new aeration system in Ayer Lake. • Participated in the Agency Aldo Leopold Celebration. Catalina State Park Catalina had its best year ever with 185,000 visitors and $570,000 in revenue. • The Equestrian Center was expanded to meet higher demand as there are fewer and fewer places for people and their horses to go and enjoy the great outdoors. • Catalina started a very aggressive recycling program 14 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 that was so well received by our visitors that the park’s trash load dropped by almost half. Fool Hollow Lake State Recreation Area • Fool Hollow broke its all time revenue record and surpassed the $400,000 mark by collecting $416,963 for the year. • Fire-wise Grant: over $120,00 in-kind services donated by local agencies & groups and a prescribed burn of 150 acres took place in FHLRA involving 7 agencies. • The 1st annual Northern Arizona Fire Association Annual Wildland Fire Refresher Training was held at FHLRA involving local, state & federal agencies. Over 300 Firefighters received their mandatory annual training including all rangers from FHLRA. • Park interpretive numbers increased in both programs & attendance. Programs averaged over 78 people per program, with over 220 showing up for the Smokey Bear presentation. Lost Dutchman State Park • Major construction of new wastewater plant & leach field. • Utilities were extended to the west side of the park for the future new restroom building. • The original lift station and dump station were completely renovated. The 9th Annual Fiesta de las Calabazas (Harvest Festival) was held October 25, 2008 at Oracle State Park. The event featured plenty of food and fun for visitors. Oracle State Park is a 4,000 acre wildlife refuge and educational center in the northern foothills of the Catalina Mountains. Once part of the Kannally family cattle ranch, the unique Mediterranean style ranch house in the park is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. • Utility hookups were installed at two camp host sites and the group camping area. • Through a federal grant, a four-week trail maintenance program was completed. Lyman Lake State Park • Park staff completed the construction of the park maintenance shop. • Nearly 7,000 people attended the Annual Fireworks show. • Participated in the agency’s Aldo Leopold Celebration. McFarland State Historic Park • A major stabilization project was completed on the courthouse. • A new fire and security monitoring system was installed in the courthouse and the archives building. Oracle State Park • Through the efforts of park staff and the Friends of Oracle, Arizona Department of Transportation installed new directional signs on Highway 77. • Participated in the agency’s Aldo Leopold Celebration. • New information signs installed on hiking trails. Tonto Natural Bridge State Park • The Tonto Lodge Stabilization project began in FY 09. Project will be completed in FY 10. • Major repairs were made to the bridge observation deck. Park staff and volunteers completed the work. • The ADOT cabin road plans have reached 60% completion. • Boy scouts began trail realignment to the Gowan Trail. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 15 Western Region Consisting of the all the state parks which line our border with California, the Western Region is composed of five parks totaling over 7,000 acres and includes two historic parks: Yuma Territorial Prison and Yuma Quatermaster Depot; and four recreational parks: Alamo Lake, Lake Havasu, Cattail Cove and Buckskin Mountain. It also contains River Island, a subunit of Buckskin Mountain. The five parks in the Western Region accounted for revenues of $2.5 million and hosted 650,000 visitors during the fiscal year. Yuma Territorial Prison hosts a popular Gathering of the Gunfighters event, held annually in January. The Western Region office is moving to the maintenance building at Lake Havasu State Park. The water safety center is in the process of being leased to the Western Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy. Previously they were leasing half of the building. The new location of the western region office will save about $10,000 a year. One of the projects of the Western Region office this year has been to work on partnerships with local communities and agencies. This has resulted in the donation of goods and services to the parks. In February 2009, Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park took part in the City of Yuma’s annual Yuma Crossing 16 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Day, which highlights Yuma’s past. Visitation and revenues at this park slightly decreased this Fiscal Year. The Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area paid to move the steam locomotive that was housed at the park to Pivot Point. The locomotive now sits at the exact point where the 1800s railroad crossed the Colorado river. In January, Old West re-enactment groups rode into Yuma for the Annual Gathering of the Gunfighters at Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park. The event brought hundreds of people to experience old west lore in the territorial prison setting. For the Fiscal Year 2009, revenues and visitation slightly decreased at the park. Alamo Lake State Park opened their new store/office in January. The increase in sales for the store has been phenomenal the gross revenue for this fiscal year has been $16,900. A new boat storage garage was built earlier this year. This will protect their boat and garbage truck. The Buckskin Center has been the focus project for Buckskin Mountain State Park. This building is being completely renovated by the staff. New steel doors have been installed. The interior has been furred out The 2nd Annual Night Under the Stars took place November 22, 2008 at Alamo Lake State Park. Nearly 250 people stopped by to gaze through the many large telescopes brought by Arizona astronomy groups. and insulation and new wiring installed. The staff will use this building for a gift shop and interpretive center. Some of the great volunteers at the park will be operating the store. River Island has the same issues with their water system and also their restroom needs to be replaced. The staff built a new group use ramada this year. They are working on beautifying the area around the ramada so that more visitors will be attracted to the park. The rangers at Cattail Cove State Park strive to provide the best customer service of all the parks in the state. The park is always beautifully kept and the comments from visitors’ shows that they appreciate the work they do. The wastewater plant has been the focus of major projects for this year. The staff has replaced, rebuilt and fabricated many parts of this very sophisticated system this year. Another project that involved rangers and volunteers was the rehabilitation of all the boat-in campsites. They removed arrow weed and salt cedar that was encroaching on the campsites and repaired and painted the tables and grills. The staff at Lake Havasu State Park worked on park beautification projects. New irrigation has been installed and new trees have been planted. Several large events also took place. The 2009 Bluegrass Festival had 9,500 attendees for the 2 day event. The Busses by the Bridge event had 2,400 attendees during the 3 day event. Both events were held at Windsor 4. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 17 Southern Region The state parks south of Phoenix make up the Southern Region. It includes two Natural Areas: Sonoita Creek and San Rafael Ranch; two historic parks: Tombstone Courthouse and Tubac Presidio; and three recreational parks: Patagonia Lake, Roper Lake and Picacho Peak. There are also two sub units: Dankworth Ponds (at Roper Lake) & Sonoita Creek (at Patagonia Lake). Anza Days at Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, held annually, brings the history of Juan Bautista de Anza to life. The seven parks that make up the Southern Region accounted for revenues of $1.3 million and hosted over 417,000 visitors. Most attendance and revenue remained close to the same with Roper Lake State Park continuing to climb due to the “on park“ reservation system. Picacho Peak State Park initiated construction of a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Visitor Center. The building is awaiting its certification. The Visitor Center is expected to enhance revenue and attendance. In March of 2008 Patagonia Lake State Park replaced three aging restroom/shower buildings. These new facilities replaced buildings from the 1970s. This park, which fills to capacity every summer, is served well by these new larger, accessible facilities. 18 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Sonoita Creek State Natural Area located next to Patagonia Lake continued to operate a number of regular interpretive events like bird walks, boat tours, and evening programs, along with specialty hikes such as the Petroglyph Hike and Moonlight Hike. In October 2008, Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park held another “Power from the Past Show”. Visitors attending the power show got to see antique engines pump water, make ice cream, generate electricity, and more. This event was held in conjunction with the city of Tombstone’s Helldorado Days; the city’s oldest event. Arizona’s first state park, Tubac Presidio State Historic Park celebrated the 150 year anniversary of Arizona’s first newspaper, The Arizonian. A commemorative edition of the newspaper is still printed on the original hand press, which was restored by staff and volunteers. The park also held its annual Anza Days, a living history presentation about Juan Bautista de Anza’s life. San Rafael Ranch State Natural Area remains closed to the public. There has been a number of drug incidents and alien border crossings on the U.S./Mexico boundaries. Border Patrol has engaged in several situations. State Parks Visitation FY09: 2,409,224 Notes: Data was obtained from Park Summaries and Revenue and Visitation worksheets. Data compiled on 11/30/09. Jerome SHP, McFarland SHP, and Tonto Natural Bridge SP, were closed to the public starting in March 2009. In April 2009, Yuma Quartermaster Depot SHP, Yuma Territorial Prison SHP, Tubac Presidio SHP, and Tombstone Courthouse SHP switched to 5 day schedules — closed Mondays and Tuesdays. In May 2009, Fort Verde SHP & Oracle SP also switched to 5 day schedules. On May 25, 2009, Tonto Natural Bridge opened again on a weekend-only basis. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 19 Park Volunteers and Site Stewards at the opening presentation by Dr. Robert Casavant at the annual Volunteer Venture and Site Steward Conference March 20, 2009. This year’s recognition and training program took place at Kartchner Caverns State Park. 20 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Volunteer Programs Currently in its 26th year, the Arizona State Parks Volunteer Support Team utilizes the time and talents of over 800 volunteers, in every park in all regions of the State. These volunteers are involved with general park operational needs such as staffing the contact stations or visitor centers, trimming trees, watering, cleaning restrooms, assisting campers and gift shop sales. In addition, volunteers support educational programming from presenting activities to school groups, to guiding hikes, campfire presentations, brown bag lunch presentations and even in-school pre and post visit presentations. Volunteers are also involved with specific recreational group activities such as presenting Kayaking lessons, guiding horseback riding groups and supporting group fishing events. The Arizona Site Steward Program was incorporated into the Arizona State Parks Volunteer Program. This is an award-winning program that utilizes volunteers as monitors of significant archaeological and historical sites on public lands throughout the State. The program is being sustained by the incredible support of many committed volunteers, some staff time, and the addition of a new web-based database management system. Kartchner Caverns State Parks has the largest volunteer program within our parks, and has the largest number of volunteers who live on-park with our staff. In addition, Lyman Lake State Park and Alamo Lake State Park added the staffing and support of the markets at the parks to staff and volunteers (usually handled by concessionaires). This required additional volunteer recruitment, training and support. Highlights • Volunteers at Kartchner Caverns provided 100% coverage of tram driving and 47% coverage as lead tour guides. • Pre and Post visit presentations by volunteers were conducted at area schools in Flagstaff to support Riordan Mansion State Historic Park programming. • The gift shop at Red Rock State Park is 100% managed by volunteers. • A volunteer instructor held kayaking classes last spring at Lake Havasu State Park. • With limited outside funding, the Volunteer Venture and Site Steward Conference – events held to train and recognize Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 21 outstanding accomplishments of volunteers — were combined and held at Kartchner Caverns State Park. • The Hummingbird Research Project, a partnership research program with the Audubon Society and the Hummingbird Monitoring Network established a volunteer program at Sonoita Creek State Natural Area. The program includes: Banding assistants, Feeder Watch counters, Data entry and Feeder Patch maintenance volunteer support. Two other stations Volunteer slogan: are planned to be added next Be Active, Fiscal Year at Boyce Thompson Be the Difference, Arboretum State Park and the Be an ASP Volunteer. Verde River Greenway State Natural Area. • Events were held with volunteer support at Ft. Verde Days and History of the Soldier at Ft. Verde State Park, Anza Days at Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, GeoCache Bash at Cattail Cove State Park, Verde River Day at Dead Horse Ranch State Park, The Slide Rock Apple Festival at Slide Rock State Park, Victorian Holiday at Riordan Mansion State Historic Park. 22 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 • The Tonto Volunteer maintenance team has continued to work to maintain the park even when closed. • The evening lecture series at Lost Dutchman State Park was planned, developed, and implemented by volunteers. • For the first time, systemwide donated hours have exceeded the two hundred thousand level. Initiatives The Resource Inventory and Monitoring Program (RIM) was developed in 2005. In 2006 the Pilot program at Sonoita Creek State Natural Area resulted in the publication of the Biological Monitoring Report For Sonoita Creek State Natural Area. • For the second successive year, Salt River Project volunteers supported the Slide Rock Apple Fest. In 2007 – 2008 the multi-park Dragonfly Project was initiated, as well as the continuation of the Red Rock Floristic Analysis. In April 2009 four projects have been posted on the Arizona State Parks website, and a recruitment plan is in development. The projects are: Agave and Bat Study at Kartchner Caverns, Sahuaro Study at Picacho Peak, Mammal Inventory at Sonoita Creek, Hummingbird Observation and Monitoring at Boyce Thompson. We hope to increase the size and scope of this program into the next fiscal year. • Reenactor volunteers supported the Sprouts campaign. The Outreach Ambassador Program was initiated in April 2009. This project will utilize volunteers specifically in the Maricopa County area to market Arizona State Parks effectively at community information events. In addition, it will provide more standardized training to all volunteers who participate in outreach throughout our parks. The Managed Service Project Program is modeled on the Volunteers for Outdoor Arizona and non-profit “Make a Difference” programs. This model uses key volunteers in leadership roles to facilitate the development and implementation of service projects at parks, and to leverage the support of additional volunteers. The leadership volunteers take on the responsibility of scheduling and supervising other volunteers so that staff time is minimal. The Pilot Project in April, 2008 lead to the successful installation of a connector trail at Dead Horse Ranch State Park. The Volunteer Voice is an emailed newsletter sent quarterly during Fiscal Year 2009. This cost effective way to communicate with volunteers is created in cooperation with the Research & Marketing section. Above is an example of the Janurary 2009 issue. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 23 Volunteer Program Statistics The Parks Volunteer Support Team (PVST) has approximately 800 volunteers FY 2007/2008: • PVST donated 174,063 total hours • Average hours per volunteer = 218 • Number of FTE’s represented by total hours = 83.68 FY 2008/2009: • PVST donated hours = 204,098 total hours • Average hours per volunteer = 255 • Number of FTE’s represented by total hours donated = 98.14 Value FY 2007/2008: Cost savings to the agency using the Independent Sector volunteer hourly rate of $20.25 is approximately $3,500,000. FY 2008/2009: Cost savings to the agency using the Independent Sector volunteer hourly rate of $20.25 is approximately $4,100,000. Historical Re-Enactor Volunteers help support Special Events. Pictured here are Re-enactors from the 2008 Fort Verde Days celebration at Fort Verde State Historic Park in Camp Verde. Park Visitors get to see and experience the past through living history demonstrations, a fashion show, and the annual vintage baseball game. 24 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Table 1. Value of Volunteer Time, FY09 Park/Program Alamo Lake Boyce Thompson Arboretum Buckskin Mountain Catalina Cattail Cove Dead Horse Ranch Fool Hollow Lake Fort Verde Homolovi Ruins Jerome Kartchner Caverns Lake Havasu Lost Dutchman Lyman Lake McFarland Oracle Patagonia Lake Picacho Peak Red Rock Riordan Mansion Roper Lake San Rafael Sonoita Creek Slide Rock Tombstone Courthouse Tonto Natural Bridge Tubac Presidio Verde River Greenway Yuma Quartermaster Depot Yuma Territorial Prison Special Projects RIM Project Totals Value of Time Hours 5,865 17,091 5,645 13,251 2,845 28,720 9,718 2,947 5,386 1,515 40,249 4,942 4,552 3,737 232 5,232 1,666 3,909 14,808 5,077 5,847 29 8,714 1,022 64 4,767 1,222 1,209 1,425 618 627 1,167 204,098 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ FTE Equiv. 118,766 346,093 114,311 268,333 57,611 581,580 196,790 59,677 109,067 2.82 8.22 2.71 6.37 1.37 13.81 4.67 1.42 2.59 $ 30,679 $ 815,042 $ 100,076 $ 92,178 $ 75,674 $ 4,698 $ 105,948 $ 33,737 $ 79,157 $ 299,862 $ 102,809 $ 118,402 $ 587 $ 176,459 $ 20,696 $ 1,296 $ 96,532 $ 24,746 $ 24,482 $ 28,856 $ 12,515 $ 12,697 $ 23,632 $4,132,988 0.73 19.35 2.38 2.19 1.80 0.11 2.52 0.80 1.88 7.12 2.44 2.81 0.01 4.19 0.49 0.03 2.29 0.59 0.58 0.69 0.30 0.30 0.56 98.14 Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 25 Arizona Site Stewards Formed in 1986 by the Governor’s Archaeology Advisory Council upon request by then Governor Bruce Babbitt, the Arizona Site Steward Program (ASSP) currently has approximately 800 volunteers. Twenty-four highly trained, extremely committed Regional Coordinators, who are themselves volunteers, manage these people, and the monitoring of the sites in their region. The Arizona Site Stewards program logo. The Regional Coordinators are assisted by archaeologists who work for the Land Managers in their regions. The archaeologists help train new volunteers, followup with reports of vandalism or site disturbance, and answer technical questions as needed. The program also receives technical assistance from the State Historic Preservation Office. The program currently has 15 Land Manager Partners: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 26 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 AZ State Land Department Arizona State Parks Archaeology Conservancy Kofa National Wildlife Refuge Luke Air Force Base Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Reclamation National Forest Service Maricopa County Pima County Town of Prescott Valley National Park Service - Sahuaro Lake Mead NRA Dr. Van Keuren (white cowboy hat) talks to the Region 16 group. • Organ Pipe National Monument The program received financial support from several partners in the Federal Fiscal Year 08/09. This aid, which averages $20,000 per year, provides a budget for the program and the partial support of a Program Coordinator position. Volunteers are currently monitoring nearly 2,000 sites in all areas of the State. Unfortunately, due to the uncertainty over the last year with the Program Coordinator position, and other funding issues, the program has remained stable, but has not grown. Interpretive Education The Interpretive Education (IE) section strives to provide a meaningful, high quality, educational experience at Arizona State Parks to customers of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Interpretation also fosters an awareness and appreciation for Arizona’s natural, cultural, and historic resources. The IE section had a busy year across the state in spite of budget concerns. The Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival was again very successful. The event provides a unique recreational experience with field trips, bird watching opportunities, and talks about the importance of habitat for all life in the Verde Valley. Another event the IE section programmed was the 2nd Annual Night Under the Stars at Alamo Lake. This event included lots of great information including booths by NASA Educator’s Resource Center and EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University, and Stargazing for Everyone, LLC. The event provided an array of educational activities and information including “make your own sundial,” and a fun constellation drawing activity. The evening Star Party was a big success with nearly 250 people stopping by to gaze through the many large telescopes brought by astronomy groups. Visitors got to see Jupiter and three of its moon, the Pleiades, and many other great astronomical features. Visitors also got a chance to experience a unique solar system simulation in Voyager, a mobile trailer. The IE section also participated in the many Aldo Leopold Centennial Events events across the state with activities for children and information for adults. The events kicked off a yearlong celebration of Aldo Leopold’s arrival in the southwest (in Springerville, Arizona in 1909). The IE section also produces and publishes the InterpParks newsletter, which tells interesting stories about the parks from the people who work at them. The Junior Ranger Program got a lot of publicity via the Arizona State Lottery Heritage Fund advertisements both on television and in print media. More and more “super junior rangers” (children who had traveled to every state park and completed each Junior Ranger program) started to appear. A sample activity from each park’s Junior Ranger program was added as a download to the agency website. Junior Ranger program logo. The Spring 2009 issue of InterpParks, an interpretive newsletter. By mid-year, most of the IE staff were re-assigned to parks to work on non-IE projects. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 27 Gift Shop Program The Arizona State Parks Gift Shop Program is in its fifth year under the Parks Division, Operations Section, and continues to excel. specific items. In their first six months of operation they nearly doubled their previous record sales by bringing in over $85,000. In January 2009, Alamo Lake State Park opened a new market/gift shop in the park. Visitors are now able to purchase camping, fishing, and boating supplies as well as a full line of souvenirs and park Other successes this year: Fort Verde State Historic Park, up by $5,000; Lost Dutchman State Park, up by $7,200; and Roper Lake State Park, up by $6,000. The new Alamo Lake market / gift shop carries fishing and camping items like fishing licenses, boating supplies (boating flags, life jackets, boat cushions, ropes, anchors, battery clamps, etc.), and firewood. They also feature park specific items like shirts and hats, patches, walking sticks, pins, books, and more. Food items for sale include ice cream, soda, water, milk, eggs, canned vegetables, candy bars, condiments, hot dogs & buns, marshmallows & graham crackers, personal hygiene items, and more. 28 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Gift Shop Revenue FY09: $598,314.00 Gift Shop Program Revenue FY03 to FY09 $700,000.00 $600,000.00 $500,000.00 $400,000.00 $300,000.00 Dollars $200,000.00 $100,000.00 $0.00 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 Fiscal Year Jerome SHP, McFarland SHP, and Tonto Natural Bridge SP, were closed to the public starting in March 2009. In April 2009, Yuma Quartermaster Depot SHP, Yuma Territorial Prison SHP, Tubac Presidio SHP, and Tombstone Courthouse SHP switched to 5 day schedules — closed Mondays and Tuesdays. In May 2009, Fort Verde SHP & Oracle SP also switched to 5 day schedules. On May 25, 2009, Tonto Natural Bridge opened again on a weekend-only basis. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 29 Development The Development Section is responsible for the design, construction and overall maintenance of State Parks and Natural Areas. Major responsibilities include the selection of consultants for project design and monitoring/ inspection of projects from conception to completion. We prepare the Agency’s Two-Year Capital Improvement Plan which totals over $16 million and the annual Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) / State Parks Road Improvement Plan of $2 million. The Section provides facilities to give the visiting public a variety of recreational and educational opportunities to enjoy. The Section consists of multi-talented experts in the field of engineering, architecture, construction, water/ wastewater, carpentry/millwork, concrete, electrical, and contract management. These experts are a Registered Engineer and Architect, Licensed Engineering & Building Contractor, Certified Building, Fire, Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Inspector along with a Certified Plans Examiner. Certified Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Wastewater Operator/Inspector, Carpenter and Electrician. The Development staff dedicates their time, skills, and knowledge to the conservation, development, 30 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 and protection of State Parks and Natural Areas for the safety, benefit, education, and enjoyment of the visiting public. The variety of construction projects undertaken by this Section range from small repairs of existing facilities, trail construction, wastewater systems, stabilization and restoration of historic buildings, along with multi-million dollar construction of new facilities and infrastructures. This includes in-house design as well as outside consultants. Personnel in the Development Section address the agency’s efforts to protect its resources. These experts work with the Department of Administration’s Facilities Construction Section, Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) Risk Management, Attorney General’s Office, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, State Fire Marshall’s Office and various other agencies to construct, stabilize and repair State Parks’ historic, cultural, recreational facilities along with Natural Areas. Development staff insures that the agency meets the vast array of regulatory compliance issues. All projects comply with Arizona Department of Administration Procurement Rules, Building Codes as well as Planning Guidelines, State and National Historic Preservation Acts, Americans with Disabilities The “Notice to Proceed with Construction” was issued Monday, May 18, 2009, for “Structural Repairs and Roof Replacement” at the Historic Tonto Lodge. New glu-lam beams and support posts have been added under the dining room and lobby floors. Guidelines, the Corps of Engineers, the State Fire Marshall, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, and Risk Management Division. The primary goal of this section is to maximize the expenditure of allocated funds while working within applicable statutory requirements for the needs and management of our State Parks and Natural Areas. Park; $1,086,000 • New Wastewater Treatment Plant at Lost Dutchman State Park; $745,000 • New Visitors Center/Gift Shop and Interpretive Building at Picacho Peak State Park; $1,334,000 Total $9,565,000 Projects in design, in the bidding phase, or under construction: Major Accomplishments In Design: • Continuation of Scope of Work for ADEQ Consent Order P-113-04. In the process of designing construction plans for compliance. Completion for this Multi-Park project is scheduled for January 2012 at an agency cost of approximately $6,400,000. • Infrastructure including water, sewer, fire protection and electrical to the Lodge at Tonto Natural Bridge State • Electrification of 111 campsites at Patagonia Lake State Park • New pre-manufactured log type cabins (4) at Alamo Lake State Park • Fire suppression to buildings at various parks • Security systems to Museum Buildings at various parks • Upgrades to Potable water treatment plant at Buckskin Mountain State Park – River Island Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 31 • New pre-engineered restroom/shower building at Buckskin Mountain State Park – River Island • New pre-engineered restroom/ shower building at Lost Dutchman State Park • Historic Building Preservation Plan for Jerome State Historic Park • Reroof various buildings at Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park • New 8” fire main at Lake Havasu State Park • Electrification of 38 campsites at Lost Dutchman State Park • Electrification of 47 campsites at Lake Havasu State Park • • • • • Pending Projects/Bidding Phase/ Under Construction • • Under construction the retrofit of existing Wastewater • Treatment Plant at Picacho Peak State Park; $167,000 Stabilization, ADA Modifications and new roof to the Lodge at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, under construction $336,000 Repairs to manufactured residential park staff homes at Homolovi Ruins State Park, construction to start soon; $9,000 Repair to ramada at Slide Rock State Park, construction to start soon; $5,000 Termite Treatment to six buildings at Red Rock State Park, to bid soon; $10,000 Buckskin Mtn.-new ranger residence/pending, bids soon; $125,000 Stabilization to Douglas Mansion at Jerome State Historic State Park; $700,000 Lost Dutchman-new hvac unit The new Visitor Center at Picacho Peak State Park has been completed. The building has been submitted for review to the U.S. Green Building Council; its certification as Gold in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is pending. 32 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 • • • • at contact station/to bid soon; $8,000 McFarland courthouse rehabilitation, under construction; $671,000 New Wastewater Treatment Plant, New pre-engineered restroom, Retrofit and Remodel existing restroom, New pre-engineered maintenance building at Slide Rock State Park, under construction; $1,963,000 Retrofit Lift Station at Buckskin Mountain State Park/to bid soon; $105,000 Sonoita Creek State Natural Area, continued fencing in Fresno Canyon; $45,000 Total estimated Design/ Construction costs for these projects will be $4,144,000 Small Dollar Purchases Small dollar purchases include materials only, materials/ installation, professional services, and construction. Projects completed in this category include electrical upgrades and repairs at Alamo Lake, Buckskin Mountain, Fort Verde, McFarland, Oracle and Yuma Territorial Prison State Parks. Water related upgrades and repairs in this category, which included replacement of various types and sizes of pumps, piping and motors were completed at Alamo Lake, Buckskin Mountain, Cattail Cove, Dead Horse, Homolovi Ruins, Kartchner Caverns, Lake Havasu, Lost Dutchman, Lyman Lake, Patagonia Lake, Picacho Peak and Roper Lake State Parks. New HVAC Systems/AC units/ air handlers/repair projects were completed at Buckskin River Island, Cattail Cove, Fort Verde, Homolovi Ruins, Lake Havasu, Lyman Lake, Picacho Peak, Roper Lake, Tubac Presidio and the Water Safety Center (Lake Havasu) State Parks. Lightning Suppression / Discovery Center & Cave Hill at Kartchner Caverns State Park, Picacho-erect new ramada/in-house construction, Slide Rock-new entrance gate. Various parks received ramadas, picnic tables, fire rings and new signage. Numerous other completed projects throughout the park system were flood damage/ erosion control, irrigation repairs, roof repairs, interior/exterior painting, new floor coverings, lighting fixtures, surveying, pest/termite control, concrete/ carpentry, repair fire & security systems. Projects in this category range from $100 - $50,000. Total small dollar costs for Fiscal Year 2009 were $205,000. Road Improvements Various road improvement projects through the Arizona Department of Transportation State Parks Roads Program were also completed. This is an ongoing, joint effort between Arizona State Parks and Arizona Department of Transportation. The primary goal of this program is to maintain safe ingress and egress along with sufficient parking. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 33 Participants at a Trail Building Workshop went to Thunderbird Conservation Park and examined an active construction site with trails in progress. A number of federal, state, county and city agencies participated and had a chance to see specialized machines used for trail construction and maintenance. 34 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Resource Management Planning & Recreational Trails Key accomplishments of this unit in Fiscal Year 2009: • Developing the Arizona Trails 2010: Statewide Motorized and Nonmotorized Trails Plan through a partnership with Arizona State University. This work focused on conducting trend research and surveys to determine what the public and trail users think are the management and funding priorities regarding Arizona’s motorized and non-motorized trail resources. • The Arizona State Committee on Trails reviewed and nominated 37 trails for the State Trails System, totaling approximately 128 miles. • Staff hosted a series of trail trainings for both trail volunteers and agency staff to enhance their knowledge and skills on trails. Topics included trail crew leader training, trail design and layout. • Staff worked with the Arizona Trail Association, partners agencies and conservation corps to construct some of the remaining 40 miles (out of 820 miles) of the Arizona Trail, purchase trail easements and maintain area of the trail that are severely overgrown and eroded. • The off highway vehicle program staff and the Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Advisory Group assisted land managers in addressing OHV recreation needs statewide, which included projects to provide route evaluations, mitigation, signage, maps, and trail maintenance at high use sites. Additional work was done with the OHV Ambassador Program, which partners land management agencies with law enforcement officers and OHV volunteers to increase presence at high use OHV sites to encourage compliance of laws, enhance visitor safety, and maintain recreational opportunities. The Arizona Trails 2010 Plan was completed. It is available for download at AZStateParks.com Research & Science Program The research and science program manager coordinated a variety of projects in Fiscal Year 2009, including: • Patagonia Lake State Park geophysical 3D surveys of both the dam (core consistency) and lake sediment (bathymetry levels, sediment volume/ bedrock depth; internal integrity/structural variation of dam visualized. A small sampling of the fungi recovered from Kartchner Caverns growing on agar plates. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 35 • Invasive species management: staff participated and supported field exercises and planning workshops; the agency helped fund and develop a final county and state-wide plan for the inventory, monitoring and management of the highly invasive, fire-prone buffelgrass. • At Kartchner Caverns , the agency continued to support the National Science Foundation/University of Arizona study relating to microbial observatories. Acquisition & Planning The Resource Ecologist inventories and monitors resources within Arizona State Parks, including helping the Hummingbird Monitoring Network. In Fiscal Year 2009 the agency acquired three new 10 year State Land Department leases at Kartchner Caverns for a well site, access right-of-way and an associated water purchase. There were two major acquisitions in Fiscal Year 2009. The first was the Picket Post property at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. The property includes a historic house and the surrounding 32 acres. The other major acquisition was the Rockin’ River Ranch, located at the confluence of the Verde River and Clear Creek, just south of the Town of Camp Verde. This is an addition to the Verde River Greenway (VRG) linear park project. The property has approximately ¾ mile frontage on the Verde River, a mature ±100 acre mesquite bosque and over 54 acres of irrigated pasture land, and a 1.5 acre pond. Other activities included: 36 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 • Coordinating with the Geographic Information System (GIS) section to create and maintain real estate information for the enterprise GIS. • Maintaining an up-to-date database of Park’s real estate assets to support the Parks Asset Management System (PAMS). PAMS is a subset of the enterprise GIS. Information provided for each park includes; conveying instrument, land size, recording information and pertinent comments. Resource Ecology The resource ecologist assisted the Natural Areas Program Advisory Committee (NAPAC) in conducting property evaluations, management planning and research proposal review. There were two active sub-committees, Natural Resources Management Policy and Guidelines, and Prioritization Process for proposed Natural Area Acquisitions. The resource ecologist coordinated Federal and State Scientific Permits and annual reports and served as technical advisor to ensure compliance with state and federal plant, wildlife and endangered species laws and regulations. Program staff worked with the Hummingbird Monitoring Network (HMN) Research Partnership, which is a multiyear, multi-park program that began with Sonoita Creek State Natural Area in February 2009, and expanded research to include monitoring nest success in relationship to distance from raptor nest as a comparative site to other HMN monitoring data collection sites. The resource ecologist reviewed and coordinated various research and Inventory and Monitoring proposals such as the Picacho Peak Investigation of three bat species and the Homolovi Floristic Inventory and Herbarium. maintains the official ADEQ water quality compliance files for all Agency regulated water and wastewater utilities. Water Program The agency water program produced reports to establish several new water rights and to verify compliance with other permits. Several additional water level recorders and rainfall recorders were added to the network of gauges during Fiscal Year 2009. The agency provided water resources data to other federal and state agencies and the state universities. Cattail Cove State Parks has fantastic hiking trails on the Colorado River. Water Quality The water quality control specialist developed, reviewed and approved Task Assignments for park units contracting with outside contractor certified operator services regarding the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance requirements. Staff also performed data entry of water quality lab data for Total Coliform and Total Nitrates samples collected for SDWA and CWA requirements. This unit Research & Science Program aims to understand the natural systems present at the park and watershed scales. The water program manager participated on a variety of committees as a representative of State Parks as a stakeholder in various on-going water management activities, adjudications, and water rights settlements. Staff assisted the University of Arizona (U of A) Hydrology Department with their annual State Parks/U of A Hydrology Field Camp. The water program manager assisted the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other federal and state agencies, in developing the Coordinated Resource Management Handbook. Coordinated Resource Management (CRM) is a voluntary natural resource planning process to enhance resource management and resolve resource issues. As part of Smarth Growth, this map shows Arizona Preserve Initiative (API) eligible areas. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 37 Rockin’ River Ranch located at the confluence of the Verde River and Clear Creek, has been acquired as an addition to the Verde River Greenway. The property has approximately ¾ mile frontage on the Verde River. Smart Growth & Open Space Program staff worked with other state agencies on the Smart Growth Interagency Committee to provide technical assistance to AZ communities regarding growth challenges, especially preservation of open space. They worked with the committee to implement the new Smart Growth Scorecard, which ties discretionary funds (grants) to a statewide report card on how communities are handling growth issues. Staff compiled and standardized data on open space, parks and trails statewide as part of a joint effort with the Office of Tourism, AZ Game and Fish and the AZ State Museum to provide better 38 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 statewide data on natural, cultural and recreational resources. Staff worked with AZ Game and Fish, Pinal County Partnership and the AZ Land and Water Trust to collect data and map ‘protected lands’ throughout the state, and worked with AZ Parks and Recreation Association on the annual open space and sustainability conference. Curator/Exhibits Coordinator Program Staff focused on exhibits and collections at McFarland, Picacho Peak, Yuma Quartermaster Depot, Yuma Territorial Prison, Homolovi Ruins and Tubac Presidio State Parks. Exhibits, clockwise from top left: New carpet and paint were installed for an exhibit makeover that focuses on uniforms at Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park. At Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, new printing plates of the Weekly Arizonian were created for the newspaper’s 150th anniversary. It is Arizona’s first printing press. A model of the Douglas Mansion’s main parlor is used to plan a proposed seating area and gift shop at Jerome State Historic Park. A new interpretive kiosk at the Homolovi 1 site was installed at Homolovi Ruins State Park. Repairs were finished on a damaged Apache Scout Exhibit at Fort Verde State Historic Park. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 39 Split-funded grant sources of LWCF & LRSP, assisted the City of Glendale with the Western Regional Area Park, Phase II. Funding amounts included LWCF = $192,675 and LRSP = $707,325. This is a completed project from grant award year 2005. 40 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Grant Programs The Grants Section of Arizona State Parks is responsible for managing eight grant programs administered by the Arizona State Parks Board (Board). Typically more than $32 million is available annually to Arizona communities, resource managers and agencies to preserve and enhance Arizona’s significant natural open space, cultural and recreational resources. Programs include three components of the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund: The Historic Preservation (HP) Grant Fund Program, the Trails Grant Fund Program and the Local, Regional and State Parks (LRSP) Grant Fund Program. In addition to the Heritage Fund Programs, the Grants Section also manages the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant Program, the Federal Recreational Trails Grant Program (RTP), the State Lake Improvement Fund (SLIF) Grant Program, the Law Enforcement Boating Safety Fund (LEBSF) Grant Program, and the Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Grant Fund Program. Grant administration is accomplished through the development of application guidelines and a priority rating system, the execution of Participant Agreements and Preservation Conservation Easement Deeds with grantees, and the subsequent monitoring of administrative compliance, expended funds, and project work. To assist with this responsibility, the Grants staff works with the following advisory committees: the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (HPAC), the Arizona Outdoor Recreation Coordinating Commission (AORCC), the Off-Highway Vehicle Advisory Group (OHVAG), the Arizona State Commission on Trails (ASCOT), and the Conservation Acquisition Board (CAB) to develop policies and criteria that enable the competitive, equitable distribution of grant funds. The advisory committees also review eligible project applications and make recommendations for grant funding levels for consideration and final action by the Arizona State Parks Board. Traditionally, the Board reviews staff’s recommendations for awarding grants from the previous fiscal year grant cycle to eligible projects in September of each year. The availability of funding in each program is based upon the actual amount of revenue received in the prior fiscal year in each fund. During fiscal year 2009 Arizona State Parks suffered severe budget sweeps. On February 20, 2009 the Board authorized the Executive Director to take necessary measures to address the budget issues, which included but was not limited to suspending or canceling grants. Through this authority 22 active Heritage Fund grants Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department received $86,194 from SLIF toward the Lake Pleasant Sunset Ridge Day-use Area. This is a completed project from grant award year 2004 & 2005. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 41 The city of Queen Creek’s Horseshoe Park/Equestrian Centre received grant funding of $935,000 from LWCF. This is a completed project from grant award year 2005. totaling $3,854,818 were cancelled, 42 were suspended totaling $6,145,099, and 4 were closed totaling $18,353. On April 3, 2009, following an updated report on the status of the budget and grants, the Board reaffirmed their decision to cancel the grants that had not started, suspend the grants that were 1-90% complete, and to allow the grants that were 91-99% complete time to finish and close their projects. Funding for the Federal Recreational Trails Program, 42 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund Program, and Growing Smarter State Trust Land Grant Program was not impacted by the suspension and cancellation of state grants. In August 2009, the Board voted unanimously to reinstate the funding of the suspended Heritage Fund Grants. This action took place following the favorable review by the State Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the approval of the Environmental Budget Reconciliation Bill. Recreational Trails Program (Motorized Portion) The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is a Federal program to help the states provide and maintain recreational trails for both motorized and non-motorized recreational trails use. Arizona State Parks is responsible for administering RTP funds in Arizona. Forty-four percent (44%) of Arizona’s RTP funds are available for competitive motorized trails project grants. Arizona’s competitive grant program provides funds for all kinds of motorized trail uses, including snow-mobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, support facilities, and education programs. A total of three projects totaling $521,560 were awarded for the Fiscal Year 2009 RTP grant cycle through competitive grants. These awards were approved by the Board on September 11, 2009. Table 2. RTP Fund Grants Awarded by the Parks Board for the FY09 Grant Program Applicant BLM – Hassayampa FO BLM - Arizona Strip FO Town of Eagar Project Title Grant Award Table Mesa/Hieroglyphics OHV Area Development GCPNM Travel Info/Signage Development Saffel Canyon Trail Renovations Total 3 Projects $ 203,815 $ $ $ 41,445 276,300 521,560 Table 3. RTP Fund Grants Awarded by County in FY09 County Maricopa Mohave Apache Grants Awarded Grant Award 1 1 1 Total 3 Projects $ $ $ $ 203,815 41,445 276,300 521,560 The Tot Lot, a protected riding area for young riders, at the Boulders OHV Area. The Boulders was developed with Recreational Trails Program funding by BLM and is located just north of State Hwy 74. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 43 Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Grant Program The Growing Smarter Act consists of comprehensive municipal, county and State Land Department land use planning and zoning reforms, provides for the acquisition and preservation of open spaces and establishes a program for continuing study and consideration of pertinent issues relating to public land use policies, all in order to further the best interests of our citizens by protecting our natural heritage and wisely managing the growth of our communities. The purpose of the Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Grant Program is to fund grants from monies in the Land Conservation Fund “to conserve open spaces in or near urban areas and other areas experiencing high growth pressures.” This is accomplished by awarding grants for the purchase or lease of State Trust land that has been classified as suitable for conservation purposes by the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD). The passage of Proposition 303 on November 3, 1998 established an annual $20 million appropriation by the Arizona State Legislature from the General Fund to the Land Conservation Fund. This annual appropriation began in FY2001 and continues through FY 2011. With the passage of Senate Bill 1071 in 2003, State Parks will transfer $2 million annually to the Livestock and Crop Conservation Fund administered by the Department of Agriculture. As a result, an $18 million annual appropriation is available for the Growing Smarter grant program. The amount available revenue for grants for FY. Table 4. Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Fund Grants Awarded by the Parks Board for the FY09 Grant Program Applicant Phoenix Scottsdale Pima County Project Title Grant Award Phoenix Sonoran Preserve - Priority 2C (294.567 acres) McDowell Sonoran Preserve (398.91 acres) Valencia Archaeological Site Total 3 Projects $ 5,258,000 $ 3,575,000 $ 517,000 $ 9,350,000 Table 5. Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Fund Grants Awarded by County for the FY09 Grant Program County Maricopa Pima Grants Awarded Grant Award 2 1 Total 3 Projects 44 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 $ 8,833,000 $ 517,000 $ 9,350,000 Law Enforcement and Boating Safety Fund (LEBSF) The Arizona State Legislature established the LEBSF in 1981 to provide grants to County Boards of Supervisors for the purpose of supporting boating law enforcement and safety activities. Revenue is derived from a percentage of the watercraft license tax collected by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Funds are allocated to counties annually based on boating law enforcement needs. The Statute (A.R.S. § 5-383) specifies that LEBSF funds be granted for boating law enforcement, personnel, equipment, and training. In the past, due to limited available funding, LEBSF monies were limited to be spent on boating law enforcement personnel and/or equipment needs. Eligible equipment included only items to make a patrol boat minimally operational, such as the boat trailer, motor, radios, lights, and first aid equipment. In March 2007, the State Parks Board approved the addition of the following specific items that are allowable under Statute (A.R.S. § 5-383): GPS, sonar/radar equipment, diving equipment, portable intoxication equipment, hazard buoys and signs, warning devices, navigational aid devices, accident investigation tools, personal protection equipment, mobile data terminals, training and operation and maintenance (specifically repair costs to keep the boat and allowable equipment functional). The amount available for distribution from Fiscal Year 2009 revenue is $ 1,804,423. Table 6. LEBSF Fund Grants Awarded by County in FY09 County Coconino Gila LaPaz Maricopa Mohave Navajo Yuma Grants Awarded Grant Award 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Total 7 Projects $ 191,249 $ 153,767 $ 302,222 $ 297,320 $ 597,417 $ 68,459 $ 193,989 $ 1,804,423 The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office purchased a Watercraft/ Airboat, with help from SLIF funding of $93,749. This is a completed project from grant award year 2007. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 45 Summary of all Grant Programs Table 7. Summary of 2009 Grant Awards for all Grant Programs Amount Available Program Local, Regional, State Parks Heritage Grant Fund Program (LRSP) and Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Historic Preservation Grant Fund Program (HP) (Second Cycle 08) Historic Preservation Grant Fund Program (HP) (First Cycle 09) Trails Heritage Grant Fund Program Recreational Trails Program (RTP) State Lake Improvement Fund (SLIF) Law Enforcement Boating Safety Fund (LEBSF) Growing Smarter State Trust Land Acquisition Grant Fund Total Grants Awarded Amount Awarded $ 0 0 $ 0 $ 0 0 $ 0 $ 0 0 $ 0 $ $ $ $ 0 647,923 0 1,804,423 0 3 0 7 $ $ $ $ 0 521,560 0 1,804,423 $ 95,680,785 3 $ 9,350,000 $ 98,133,131 13 $ 11,675,983 Table 8. FY09 Grant Program Funds Distribution by County County Apache Coconino Gila La Paz Maricopa Mohave Navajo Pima Yuma Grants Awarded Grant Award 1 1 $ $ 276,300 191,249 1 $ 153,767 1 $ 302,222 4 $ 9,334,135 2 $ 638,862 1 1 1 $ 68,459 $ 517,000 $ 193,989 $ 11,675,983 Total 13 Projects 46 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 With sufficient rainfall wildflowers make a stunning display at many Arizona State Parks. For the second year, the agency has posted an online Ranger Cam that allows the public to view the blooms weekly at AZStateParks.com/RangerCam. This photo of Brittlebush, Lupine, and Owls Clover was taken at Alamo Lake State Park. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 47 Media impressions that the agency was able to capture for Fiscal Year 2009, were more than 336 million. Stories about Arizona State Parks were featured in many international, national, and regional publications and multimedia outlets, including TV, radio, and the internet. 48 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Public Information Office Communications The Public Information Office develops communications plans and strategies for informing Arizona’s residents and visitors about the programs and projects being managed by the Arizona State Parks department. The mission of the agency is to manage and conserve Arizona’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources for the benefit of the people, both in our parks and through our partners. The public information officers communicate this message to these audiences and support the divisions for public involvement, planning, educational projects, research, natural resource planning, and partnerships for the agency. Each year the goal of the Public Information Office is to promote the mission and vision of the agency to many different audiences. One of the key audiences is the media who then report the news to the public about issues that relate to State Parks programs, open space, nature resource planning, cultural preservation, off-highway vehicle education, and grants to communities. The in-house staff does not use outside assistance and manages their own media lists and contacts, thereby increasing impressions of statewide projects within the agency for a very small investment in time. The public information office staff assist both internal and external customers who have thousands of questions relating to this state agency and the programs. Veterans Annual Pass Program The types of activities handled by the Public Information Office include customer service (both internally and externally) as well as the management of the nearly 1000-person Veterans Annual Pass Program. This program serves Veterans who are 100% disabled and Arizona residents. For the next fiscal year, in order to save in overhead costs, the pass will be issued as a four-year Pass. This will eliminate many of the administrative costs for printing, mailing etc. Veterans Pass Media Measurement The overall public relations and marketing strategy is to enhance the public’s awareness while being guided by the mission and vision statement. Utilizing free media exposures, partnerships through promotions, special events, and special projects, the PIO staff build media impressions on projects and activities that provide income through gate fees. The two PIO were able to generate more than 2,429 free print stories this year. That number includes more Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 49 than a hundred television and radio programs about the State Parks agency. The media impressions that the agency was able to capture for the Fiscal Year 2009, were more than 336 million. The agency encourages Arizona’s residents to take advantage of the various opportunities for recreation and cultural advancement in the State Park system, as well as informs them of the various uses of their grant fund monies distributed statewide. Historic preservation compliance issues, workshops, and natural resource protection are all part of the effort to educate the public about the resources provided by each division within the State Parks agency. The types of media activities include coordinating radio and television interviews and public service announcements statewide. Staff spokesperson training, a handbook and other information developed for the agency are used to increase the level of knowledge for spokespersons for the agency. The PIO office also coordinates the Phoenix office vehicle fleet. 50 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Television news spots are developed regularly in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Yuma for Arizona State Parks. Video produced by the agency, runs regularly on City cable channels, network channels, and national PBS networks. The Arizona State Park’s web page is promoted in every release and stories specifically written for trade journals that deal with camping, hiking, birding and RVing. Media Tools A variety of tools are used to assist the reporters to increase the value of the stories written by reporters. Those tools include free raw event and park video, still photos, press releases, and written stories. CDs with photos and material are utilized instead of printed press kits and are mailed to media internationally. Stories about programs have been written and published in travel and trade magazines as well as major national newspapers such as the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and Chicago Tribune. International coverage for the State Parks and rural communities are generated for stories in newspapers and magazines worldwide. Travel guides, maps, books, web pages, and other types of publications receive updated information and pictures to enhance exposures. The PIOs consult with journalists to produce information for textbooks and tourism-related books such as Frommers and Fodors travel guides. Speaking engagements are coordinated throughout the year with non-profit organizations statewide to help increase awareness of the Parks and activities within the divisions. Kartchner Caverns State Park is now world renown because of the stewardship tactics taken by this agency and that message goes out worldwide on a regular basis. Ongoing scientific stories have resulted in added publicity for the cave in many scientific journals and magazines. Media stories about Kartchner Caverns have generated a strong response in sales as indicated in all the media tactics tracking statistics. The highest numbers of reservations are attributed to free newspaper articles where coverage seems to attract the most attention by the public and generate calls to the reservation area. Arizona Public Broadcasting “EIGHT” Partnership Last year a series of 13 short stories was completed with the local PBS Channel. Those pieces were broadcast individually and included in the EIGHT series called “Arizona Stories.” The final component was getting those stories transferred to DVDS and on the market for sale by EIGHT and also distributed through the Park’s gift stores. The Park’s onsite exhibits will be dramatically enhanced when those videos are incorporated into each park interpretive program. Arizona Lottery Partnership The Arizona Lottery chose one of the Park’s most passionate Junior Ranger volunteers, Sydney, to represent the Heritage Fund in advertising and marketing statewide last year. She is sharing her enthusiasm with other kids, inspiring others to get outside and learn from nature. She became an ambassador for nature through the State Parks programs and with the support of the Arizona Lottery. Media Partnerships Public broadcast television shows are continuing to run in major markets with support from the Arizona Office of Tourism, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Department of Commerce, Arizona Lottery, Arizona Highways Magazine, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, and the Tucson Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. All the partnerships with these entities help support State Parks’ efforts and help educate the public about their State Parks system. Arizona Stories, produced by PBS, featured the history of many Arizona State Parks. Volunteers Encouraging the public to volunteer for the State Parks through the media has helped increase the volunteer base to more than 800 volunteers who are now assisting parks and monitoring archaeological sites statewide. Press releases encouraging volunteering for the parks and the Site Steward program are developed in conjunction with the parks and communities. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 51 Social Networking Last year the agency initiated a social networking “Twitter” page. This service now has 1300 people following the tweets. This is another tool to reach reporters and the public to inform them about activities in the parks. The PIO Office also coordinates with Research & Marketing to operate other social networking tools including Facebook, MySpace, and a YouTube Channel. Facebook Fans: 800 Facebook.com/AZStateParks Twitter Followers: 1,300 Twitter.com/AZStateParks 52 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 MySpace Page: Myspace.com/AZStateParks YouTube Channel YouTube.com/AZStateParks Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 53 The revised agency website launched in Fiscal Year 2009. Besides more detailed park information, the site presents interactive driving directions, live weather data, photo galleries, feature stories, podcasts, and more. The Trails portion of the site won the 2008 American Trails Website Contest for the category of “State Agency Site.” 54 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Research & Marketing The Research and Marketing (RAM) section seeks to raise awareness about Arizona State Parks and encourage new and repeat visitation. We market our parks and programs to various audiences through advertising, events, our website, email communication, and collaboration with our partners. We conduct research on our customers, Arizona residents, our parks, trends in the recreation and tourism industry, new marketing strategies, and fill requests for information from agency decision-makers, the media and the public. We also provide graphic design assistance for the agency, as well as maintain and update the agency’s website. Revised Website Launches In Fiscal Year 2009, RAM launched the agency’s revised website, AZStateParks.com. The site has expanded features for the visitor and provides in-depth information about the park system, including a photo gallery of each park, easyto-use driving directions, specific park fees, and much more. The entire project has been a concerted team effort of not only RAM staff but also park staff across the agency, affectionately called “the Web Team.” The ASP site typically receives 2,000-4,000 visitors a day, and the new site attempts to convert web visitors into park visitors by showcasing what activities are available at the park, how to get there, and how much it costs. Some of the specific features of the new website design include: • individual sites for each park with expanded information • photo galleries with interpretative captions for each park • interactive map with satellite and terrain views • interactive driving directions to each park with GPS coordinates • downloadable and printable park maps • volunteer position information for each park • detailed facility information, including group day use and camping facilities • easier to understand fee structure • downloadable Junior Ranger activities for kids • history of each park • email newsletter sign up box • science page with ecology, archaeology and cultural history information • area attraction information • enhanced visitor tracking • “find a park” feature allows visitors to locate a park based on interest Example of the newly re-designed park brochures for Buckskin Mountain. The new Press Room area of the website makes it easier for journalists to find out information about current and upcoming events at the parks. Besides a Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 55 downloadable media calendar, the Press Room also features an RSS feed which allows the media various ways to receive automatic notifications of new press releases. In addition to the information about parks, sections for OHV, Trails, SHPO, and the Volunteer Program were also launched. These sections were created with help of others agency personnel. For Fiscal Year 2009 the website had 1,493,083 visits with 7,281,506 pageviews. Average time spent on the website was 3:26, and the average number of pages per visit was 4.88. See more detailed website data, including where visitors are from, in the Appendix. Trails Section of Site Wins Award The Arizona State Trails Program portion of the website won the 2008 American Trails Website Contest for the category of “State Agency Site (for state trails program or trails in state parks).” Arizona State Parks was selected among an large number of applicants in this annual contest. The new and updated Trails section of the agency website launched November 11, 2008. It was created in cooperation with Resource Management. The site offers comprehensive information on the State Trail System, Historic Trails of Arizona, and more. The American Trails (AT) contest seeks and recognizes the best websites in cyberworld focusing on trails and greenways. AT looks for sites that really make trails come alive, and provide effective information delivery, support 56 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Trails Home page at AZStateParks.com/trails volunteers, and engage the public. In short, AT wants to showcase ways that advocates and agencies are making a difference for trails. Monthly Parks Newsletter / Email Database In an effort to promote ASP events and the agency mission more effectively, RAM sends out a monthly Parks Email Newsletter. The Newsletter is used to promote upcoming special events and accomplishments within ASP, including cultural and conservation efforts. It also contains a monthly calendar of events. Table 9. Website Subscribers Month September 2008 October November December January 2009 February March April May June Subscribers 157 139 111 unknown 737 291 185 110 97 128 Our Newsletter is sent to approximately 12,000 subscribers per month. This list is comprised of people who signed up to receive the emailed newsletter via raffle slips at outreach events, signup sheets at the parks, and by subscribing directly on the website. At a cost of approximately 1¢ per email, it’s the most economical way to reach customers. Each month, emails that “bounce” are removed. The number of people who have subscribed from our website since launching the new site is displayed in the table (previous page): Education RAM targets educational opportunities for life-long learners through Arizona State Park’s educational programs, curricula, and creative ventures. These programs benefit State Parks by enhancing the agency’s image and name recognition. Park programs also highlight the relevance and importance of information provided for a well-rounded educational experience in Arizona. These goals are also accomplished through participation in special events, conferences and workshops geared specifically toward educational groups. ASP partnered with both the Arizona Plein Air Painters and the Tucson Plein Air Painters Society to host a series of Plein Air “paint outs” at the Arizona State Parks. These paintings capture the magnificence of nature and raise awareness of the need Example of the May 2009 monthly Parks Newsletter which is sent to nearly 12,000 subscribers. The Newsletter features stories, upcoming events, links to park website pages, and more. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 57 “Green Guide” Publication The “The Green Guide” premiered in May 2009. It’s a beautiful, glossy, information-packed, fullcolor, 64-page, magazine-style publication that shows people what they can find at Arizona State Parks. The Green Guide publication is the primary marketing collateral for Fiscal Year 2009. A page on the agency website shows the public where they can pick up a copy: from our parks, the Phoenix office, or one of our many Distribution Partners. to be stewards of our parks for artists, collectors and visitors for generations to come. A gallery showing occurred at Tubac Presidio State Historic Park’s Otero Hall in January 2009, and at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona from February to March 2009. Partnerships with the Girl Scouts (including the Sahuaro and Cactus Pine Councils) have resulted in the creation of park-specific Girl Scout patches. Patches have already been created for Red Rock State Park and Kartchner Caverns State Park, and a new patch was created for Riordan Mansion State Park. 58 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 The agency did not pay any money to print this publication. This publication was funded by the American Park Network, a company that produces similar guides primarily for National Parks. The Arizona Lottery also has an advertisement in the guide which contributed to the production. No funding came out of ASP Heritage Fund or any other ASP funds. The Green Guide is the most in-depth marketing piece ever produced for the agency, with information about every state park, volunteering, the junior ranger program, partners, natural resources in the statw, plus a fold out agency map. The content was created by RAM and the PIO section. The Green Guide is eco-friendly too, and is printed on 100% recycled paper, is produced without chlorine, and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. RAM received a shipment of over 160,000 guides and used a multi-tiered distribution plan. Green Guides were distributed via tourism centers, rest areas, hotels, chambers of commerce, gas stations and more. To save costs, no Green Guides were mailed out. Table 10. ASP Advertising Outlets, July 2008 to March 2009 Magazines National Parks Raising Arizona Kids Travel 50 & Beyond RV Journal Arizona Drive Guide Sunset RV West Wavelength (w/Public Radio) Tucson Destination Planning & Visitor Guide Phoenix Valley Guide Highroads (AAA) True West Phoenix Magazine Backpacker Fitness Plus Sweat Radio KTAR/KMVP KTAR/KMVP InternetKids Yavapai Broadcasting KJOK & KLJZ radio Television Impressions 669,900 360,000 759,000 680,000 200,000 4,873,000 90,000 50,000 180,000 245,000 2,066,400 600,000 800,000 1,200,000 2,100,000 360,000 Impressions 486,540 54,808 40,000 37,000 Impressions KAET 1,371,429 Other Impressions College Times Bowl Guide Riley Maps (Northern Arizona - 6 parks) Cottonwood Connect Yuma Maps - Metro Mktg Tucson City Map Woodalls Trailer Life 75,000 8,975 20,000 40,000 500,000 233,180 600,000 Total Impressions All Paid Media: 28,648,990 Data from July 2008 to March 2009. Due to budget restrictions, all paid advertising ceased starting in April 2009. Example of a quarter-page ad that ran in AAA’s Highroads magazine. Newspapers Impressions Winter Getaways (Insert) Cactus League (Insert) Lovin’ Life New Times AZ Tourist News Arizona Republic Arizona Daily Star Arizona Daily Sun East Valley Tribune Larson Newspapers Tri Valley Dispatch Wick Communications Yuma Daily Sun Tucson Weekly Lake Havasu Area White Sheet ANA Advertising Todays News Herald Parker Pioneer San Manuel Miner, Copper Basin, Sun (Superior) Northwest Explorer Oracle News 500,000 1,000,000 420,000 305,000 1,050,000 1,001,483 2,000,000 609,180 585,000 225,000 108,750 161,370 756,000 450,000 236,000 107,425 112,500 22,500 42,800 250,000 5,750 Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 59 Advertising RAM places paid advertising in select media to more effectively reach target markets, whether it is in-state residents or out-ofstate visitors. The tables (previous page) show Fiscal Year 09 advertising that includes the publication name and the number of impressions generated. In total, from July 1, 2009 through March 2009, we had nearly 29 million impressions at a cost of approximately $74,000, or 392 impressions per dollar spent. A focus of our recent ads has been to drive more traffic to our website by advertising that park maps, photo galleries, interactive driving directions, and Junior Ranger activities are all available on the revised website. Given budget restrictions all paid advertising stopped in April 2009. Much like the rest of the agency, RAM is currently working on finding creative ways to do more with less, but will continue to promote ASP and make sure our potential customers are aware of our parks. Research Research is the backbone of a high-quality marketing program and informs the strategic planning process at Arizona State Parks. Internally, research is used to support special projects or needs, and assess agency functioning. Externally, research is used to determine recreation trends, in our parks, in the state, regionally and nationally, to assess the public’s awareness and image of our parks, 60 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 the economic impact of parks on surrounding areas, and visitors’ satisfaction and demographics. RAM section evaluates visitor experiences at our parks using Special Event Surveys, such as the Fiscal Year 2009 Suvoyuki Days Visitor Survey, the Pay for Performance evaluation, the Kartchner Caverns Exit Survey and larger scale surveys, such as the 2006/07 Visitor Survey. Employees’ experiences are also solicited on surveys such as the 2008 Employee Survey, Pay for Performance evaluations, the Strategic Plan on Talent (SPOT)’s Retention and Staff Development surveys, and the 2008 Teamwork and Training Conference Evaluation. These surveys provide information that can be used to improve the experiences of both internal and external customers, and continue to ensure that Arizona State Parks are high quality places to visit and to work at within the state. RAM staff also respond to public, partner and agency requests for information. For example, in Fiscal Year 2009, RAM staff provided information on trends in outdoor recreation, visitation and revenue within ASP and other state parks systems, and other topics as requested by the Governor’s Task Force on a Sustainable State Parks system, the Arizona State Parks Board, ASP’s Executive Staff, the Arizona legislature, the media and the public. In combination, the goal of these efforts is to allow Arizona State Parks to continue to strive to provide the best and most relevant opportunities possible to personnel, Arizona tourists, and residents of Arizona. Below is a more detailed list of several of the research projects RAM has undertaken or attempted to undertake in Fiscal Year 2009: Arizona Residents In 1994, 1997 and 2003, Arizona State Parks, in collaboration with partners such as Arizona State University, conducted studies of Arizona residents to determine: 1) recreation usage patterns, 2) recreation motives, 3) leisure constraints, 4) preferences for services and facilities at Arizona State Parks, 5) attitudes towards fees and park policies, 6) preferences for information about ASP, and 7) resident demographic characteristics. These studies included telephone surveys of randomly selected residents, and follow-up mail surveys for respondents who agreed to participate. Although we attempted to replicate this study in 2008/09, due to budget restrictions, we were unable to collect this information. In the meantime, we are examining secondary sources (e.g., Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 2008; National Survey on Recreation and the Environment, 2008 and others) to identify the preferences and outdoor recreation activities engaged in by Arizona residents. The third ASP Visitor Survey was completed in fiscal year 2006/2007. The ASP Visitor Survey is a social science research project conducted once every five years in collaboration with the Arizona Hospitality Research and Resource Center at Northern Arizona University. The purpose of this survey is to: 1) identify ASP visitor profiles of activity participation, travel group and demographics; 2) identify visitor expectations and assess customer satisfaction; 3) identify preferences for communication sources and information delivery; 4) identify willingness to pay for selected state park services; 5) identify economic impacts of visitors; and 6) identify the perceived benefits and experience preferences of state park visitors. Research staff has used this information to answer questions posed by the Operations section, the Development section, specific parks, the Board, Executive Staff, legislators, the media, and community stakeholders. In addition, future plans include continuing to use this data to identify trends in outdoor recreation over time at Arizona State Parks. Data from this project has also been used to update the Economic Impact Study conducted in 2002; the most requested document in the agency. In addition, three parks have received a report, which includes specific information from the parks’ visitors, and the remaining parks will also receive them. These reports will also be used to update park marketing plans. A park specific research report for Dead Horse Ranch State Park, published Oct. 2008. In the recently updated Economic Impact of Arizona State Parks Study, researchers from Northern Arizona University’s Arizona Hospitality and Resource Research Center, in collaboration with RAM staff, found that: The combined total economic impact (direct spending, indirect and induced impacts) of each park type on Arizona counties was: Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 61 • Recreation parks – $156.8 million • Historic parks – $35.4 million • Conservation parks – $32.2 million • Calculated at the state level for FY07, the total economic impact of Arizona State Parks on the state was $266,436,582. Employee Research – RAM collects information from Arizona State Parks employees through a variety of methods and for a variety of purposes. ASP employees regularly have the opportunity to rate co-workers performance and customer service, in order to identify customer service issues and address internal problems. In addition, feedback on the Employee Survey measures employees’ perceptions of their job, their supervisor, management, agency communication, and demographic information allowing assessment of agency functioning. Park/Event Surveys – Several ongoing or annual surveys provide information and analysis for park staff for use in future planning or addressing customer service needs. Examples include: Kartchner Caverns State Park Exit Survey, the Archaeology Expo Survey, Homolovi Suvoyuki Day Survey, and the Arizona State Parks Teamwork & Training Conference. Outreach Events RAM presents park information at a number of on-park and off-park events, and engages the audiences with park-specific and special event information. Brochures and other marketing collateral are distributed to our target audiences at these tradeshows and events, including education-related events. The table (next page) highlights events RAM attended in Fiscal Year 2009. On April 18, 2009, a Plein Air “Paint Out” event took place at Lake Havasu State Park. 62 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Table 11. RAM Major Outreach Events, FY09 Event Science in the Park Verde River Days National Public Lands Day ASU Polytechnic Annual Education Fair Military Appreciation Day Operation Home Front – Fear Farm Juan Bautista de Anza Days Fiesta de las Calabazas Earthfest Educators Night, Phoenix Zoo Key Magazine “Kick Off the Season Trade Show” Night Under the Stars Maricopa County Home and Landscape Show Northern Arizona Wedding Expo Winterfest 22nd Annual Arizona Travel Show Gilbert Library – Arizona Natural Resources Day Southwest Flower and Garden Show Tres Rios Nature Festival Archaeology Expo Gilbert Feathered Friends Festival Girl Scout Leader & Community Partner Expo AZ Game & Fish Outdoor Expo Hassayampa River Preserve AZ National Guard - Earth Day Celebration Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival Nature Education Day & Art Auction at The Farm So. Mnt. Medtronic Earth Day Payson Wildlife Fair Girl Scouts Green Day at the Zoo Women’s Health Expo Arizona Highways Travel Show National Get Outdoors Day SHPO Historic Preservation Conference Summer Agricultural Institute Sprouts Farmer’s Market Promotion, multiple events The RAM Outreach booth at the 2009 Arizona Archaeology Expo held at the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park in Phoenix. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 63 On March 14 & 15, 2009, nearly 1,500 people attended the Arizona Archaeology Expo which was held at the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park in Phoenix. The Archaeology Expo is sponsored by the SHPO, Arizona State Parks, the Governor’s Archaeology Advisory Commission, and the City of Phoenix. Many other partners joined together to present a varied format offering two days of educational, hands-on archaeology programs to the public. 64 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) The responsibilities of the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) are defined in state and federal law (A.R.S. 41-861-864 and 41-511.04: P. L. 86-665, National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended). Programs include: • Comprehensive historic preservation planning • Survey and inventory of heritage resources • National/State Register of historic Places nominations • Review and compliance of federal undertakings and state plans • Federal grants and Federal and State Tax incentives administration • Certified Local Government oversight • Public education Statewide Preservation Planning: The Arizona Historic Preservation Plan was approved and published. A planning charrette was held in Nogales that encompassed the downtown area on both sides of the border. National and Arizona Register of Historic Places Newly listed Arizona/National Register Nominations included: Apache County • Sage Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, National Historic Landmark, Ganado (1/16/2009) Cochise County • Chiricahua National Monument Historic Designed Landscape (10/31/2008) • Fry Pioneer Cemetery, Sierra Vista (1/15/2009) Coconino County • Sedona Ranger Station, Sedona (8/29/2008) • Babbitt Brothers Ice House, Flagstaff (4/8/2009) Maricopa County • Bragg’s Pies Building, Phoenix (1/16/2009) • Myrtle Avenue Residential Historic District, Glendale (1/22/2009) • Valley Field Riding and Polo Club, Scottsdale (2/5/2009) • La Hacienda Historic District, Phoenix (2/13/2009) • Burgess Lateral Historic District, Phoenix (4/16/2009) • George O. Dowdy Rental Cottage, Glendale (4/30/2009) • McCullough-Price House, Chandler (5/20/2009) The Little Outfit School in Santa Cruz County is a recent addition to the Arizona/National Register of Historic Places. Pima County • Barrio El Hoyo Historic District, Tucson (8/13/2008) • Empirita Ranch Historic District (1/8/2009) • Aldea Linda Residential Historic District, Tucson (6/5/2009) Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 65 Eduardo Pagan and Gwendolyn Wright, hosts of PBS’s History Detectives talk with Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard at the 2009 Historic Preservation Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. The theme of this year’s conference was “Building A Case For Communities.” Pinal County • Evergreen Addition Historic District, Casa Grande (1/22/2009) Government (CLG) program. CLG training was provided at the Statewide Historic Preservation Partnerships Conference. Santa Cruz County • Little Outfit Schoolhouse (1/8/2009) Inventory The following historic-period property surveys were done: Northfield (Glendale), Indian Hill Historic District (Tucson); Thunderbird Estates/McDonald Addition (Glendale) The AZSITE statewide inventory database and GIS system was available to preservation consultants, agencies, and researchers. There are nearly 84,000 archaeological sites in AZSITE. Over 2.7 billion acres of land has been surveyed. The Arizona State Museum, the University of Arizona, the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University, the SHPO a division of ASP, and the Museum of Northern Arizona cooperatively manage AZSITE. Certified Local Government Review and Compliance Twenty-six communities take part in the Certified Local The SHPO reviewed and commented on projects from Yavapai County • North Prescott Townsite Historic District, Prescott (5/13/2009) Survey 66 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 twenty-eight federal agencies and eight state agencies. The office also provided assistance to counties and local communities seeking advice under local ordinances. Twenty-six Memorandum of Agreements (MOA), and ten Programmatic Agreements (PA) were executed for projects and to streamline reviews. Public Programs • Co-sponsored seventh Statewide Historic Preservation Partnerships Conference held in Phoenix. 350 people attended the conference. • Coordinated and co-sponsored the Archaeology Expo in Phoenix and statewide Archaeology Month activities during March of 2009. • Coordination of the Site Steward Program including certification and training of more than 800 volunteer Site Stewards. • Planned and sponsored the Site Stewards Annual Conference. • Coordinated a Traditional Cultural Properties Workshop that was held in Phoenix. 150 people attended the workshop. • Held preservation planning meetings with the communities of Bisbee, Nogales, Hayden, Avondale, Peoria, Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Oro Valley, & Wickenburg. State Property Tax Program There are now over 6000 properties that have been in the State Property Tax program, over 5700 of which are currently enrolled. During the fiscal added 224 properties joined the program. The SHPO conducts reviews and advises property owners on rehabilitation plans. Nogales Director of Planning Georges Linero chats with architect Will Bruder while leading a tour of downtown Nogales during the Nogales charrette. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 67 Financial Management Financial accountability and proper financial management remain a top priority for the Division. More than $69.9 million was deposited with the agency. Over $34.6 million was reverted to the State General Fund in Fiscal Year 2009. An additional $19.7 million was obligated but not expended during Fiscal Year 2009. An extensive accounting structure combined with on-time investment practices and expenditure tracking continue to enhance fund stability and oversight. Preparing financial and statistical information for internal and external users remains a high priority. The financial management team provides concise, targeted information as well as advice and interpretation for increasingly complex executive decision making. At Lost Dutchman State Park, 40 miles east of Phoenix in Apache Junction, visitors can take trails from the park into the Superstition Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. 68 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Budget Office The Budget/Payroll Office provides the annual budget request to the Governor and Legislature and information on budget allocation, expenditure tracking, and oversight of the twelve funds used by the agency to the various internal agency users. An Operating Budget is produced for the current fiscal year, balancing to the Appropriations and to the Other Funds budget as approved by the Board. The Operating Budget is loaded into the accounting system (AFIS) and becomes the basis for tracking expenditures and making financial decisions. The Budget/Payroll Office also ensures that over 350 employees (including a shifting number of seasonal employees) receive accurate paychecks in a timely manner. The Budget/Payroll Office worked closely with Financial Management on program budgeting accounting structure, budget revisions and reductions and expenditure tracking reports. The two offices worked together on managing fund expenditures, appropriations, transfers and cash. The work with Financial Management is critical to the successful operation of the agency. The Payroll Office responded to requests from management for existing and ad hoc reports from HRIS to better manage employee leave time; the Payroll Office also responded to many request from employees and supervisors regarding payroll issues. The Payroll Office ensured the timely payment of employees impacted by the Reduction in Force. The Budget Office is responsible for agency payroll. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 69 Procurement Services Procurement Services provides service in the areas of procurement, intergovernmental agreements, contract administration, concession contract management, procurement card program management, rules review and other general office management support. The Procurement Services Section strives to provide proactive and courteous customer service. The focus of the procurement function is to obtain quality products or services at competitive rates by the identified deadline in accordance with the Arizona Procurement Code and Agency policy. In support of the Governor’s Value in Procurement Executive Order 2005-01, the Procurement Services Section has been designated a Strategic Contracting Center. Additionally, all Procurement Services staff have attained the Certification in Arizona State Public Procurement issued by the Arizona Department of Administration State Procurement Office. Within the concession contract management function, the Procurement Services Section continues to target increasing revenues for the Agency through the identification of new opportunities and the proper management of existing contracts. At the annual Verde River Days, at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood, visitors get a chance to canoe on the lagoon. 70 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Human Resources During Fiscal Year 2009, ASP Human Resources provided services to over 350 managers, supervisors and employees in the areas of, recruitment, staffing, retirement, benefits, employee personnel actions, employee relations, classification and compensation, worker’s compensation, development of policies and procedures, employee awards, employee special events and programs, employee training, agency liaison to the Governor’s EEO Office. The Human Resources team maintained an average performance rating of 2.85 out of a total score of 3 (excellent) for courtesy, professionalism and timeliness of services provided for hiring authorities and internal and external customers and were praised for their excellent team relationships with Park managers and all State Park employees. employee and instructor travel. One hundred percent of new employees attended new employee orientation within two months of hire. Eighty eight percent of supervisors/managers attended the AZGU Supervisory Leadership Academy. Nine employees utilized the agency tuition reimbursement program totally $5763. Arizona State Park’s employees attended 233 training events conducted by State Parks. This number is significantly reduced from previous years due to budgetary constraints and a hiring freeze. Two hundred and seventy employees attended training conducted by Arizona Government University (AZGU) at an agency cost of $7,831. Two hundred and thirty-three took Arizona State Parks courses. This number is lower than last year due to the budgetary constraints that limited Approximately 4,480 applicants were reviewed to fill vacancies and over 798 candidates were qualified and forwarded to hiring authorities for consideration. The Human Resources staff attained a 100% participation rate for the Human Resources There were a total of Academy for the Phoenix Office 57 hirings in Fiscal supervisory staff in September Year 2009. 2008. Agency managers, assistant managers and supervisors received training in the areas of benefit administration, recruitment and employee relations. Additional mini-academies were conducted during the year to provide support and training to first time managers and supervisors. Annual employee turnover rate was 15.8% and the Park Ranger II turnover rate was 10.90%, reflecting an increase in turnover rates from the previous year. The Human Resource team spearheaded two initiatives this year to better serve employees. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 71 Operations staff, Park Managers, and Assistant Park Managers gathered for the 2008 Park Managers meeting. The implementation of the Driver’s license verification program, (ASEDRA), reducing administrative time frames required to perform mandatory annual reviews of employee driving records. The implementation of enhancements to the “Yes” (Your Employee Services) employees’ website provided employees with 24 hour access to payroll, taxes, benefits and annual leave information. Through the combined efforts of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Bureau of Land Management and Arizona State Parks, Parks participated in the Governor’s proclaimed, first ever “Experience Your Future Day,” event on April 30, 2009, at the University of Phoenix Stadium. The Arizona Society of Human Resource Management State Council in conjunction with the Jobing Foundation, eight elementary school districts and several private educational academies, brought together for the first time over five thousand 72 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Valley eighth grade students to experience what it’s truly like to work in a chosen trade, profession or industry. This community minded effort provided valley eighth graders with a chance to dream the dream of a future career in the areas of natural resource and wildlife conservation. Human Resources participated in all phases of the Agency’s Strategic Plan on Talent, (S.P.O.T.). S.P.O.T. was created to support an engaging work environment that attracts and retains the best employees and ensuring the agency has the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Human Resources continues to collaborate with the Arizona Department of Administration, SHRM, and the Government Recruitment, Diversity and Human Resources Professional Action Committees hosted by Jobing.com to support and ensure the quality of professionalism and knowledge in the area of human resources at Arizona State Parks. Computer Support Computer Support’s vision is to provide and maintain quality productivity services for Arizona State Parks. A new online campground reservation system is now in the planning stages. The system will enhance the agency through better capture of revenues and advanced planning for customers. Computer Support Services (CSS) provides hardware, software and communication support to sections and programs of the agency. Increased security and auditing requirements of the technical infrastructure remain high on the priority list. Further, increased efficiency through energy savings of computer equipment and reductions of paper and toner usage in printer systems have continued as a primary focus during 2009. Also in 2009, the CSS section provided development staff and technical support to develop a new Compliance Database within the State Historic Preservation Office. Combined with the already existing Historic database application, this geographic information and database system provide policy makers, educators, and partners with land management informationaffecting the the natural, cultural, recreational and conservation themes of Arizona State Parks. Computer Support has continued the general development of agency business processes that reflect the core value of sustainable economics of visitation, within the context of preserving natural and cultural assets. An example of this is the planned campground reservation system, a new tool to manage park access in both peak and non-peak seasons. Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 73 Appendices 74 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Source & Disposition of Funds FY 2009 Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 75 Source & Disposition of Funds FY 2009 76 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 Source & Disposition of Funds FY 2009 Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 77 Source & Disposition of Funds FY 2009 78 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 AZStateParks.com Visitors The data below represents the agency website’s visitor information and traffic patterns. On the following pages are geo-visual representations of website visitors on state, national, and global maps. azstateparks.com Jul 1, 2008 - Jun 30, 2009 Jul 1, 2008 - Jun 30, 2009 Dashboard Comparing Dashboard Comparing to: Site Site The top viewed pages on the website are the Agency Home Page, the Park Map page, the Findto: azstateparks.com a Park page, and the Kartchner Caverns Home Page. 8,000 8,000 4,000 4,000 Visits Visits 8,000 8,000 For Fiscal Year 2009 there were more than 7 million page views and nearly 1.5 million visits. 4,000 4,000 Arizona sends the most website visitors, followed by California, Texas, New York, and Illinois. 0 0 0 0 Jul 7 Aug 9 azstateparks.com Jul 7 Aug 9 Dashboard Sep 11 Sep 11 Oct 14 Oct 14 Nov 16 Nov 16 Dec 19 Dec 19 Jan 21 Jan 21 Feb 23 Feb 23 28 30 2 Jul 1,Mar2008 -AprJun 30,Jun2009 Mar 28 Apr 30 Comparing to: Site Site Site Usage Usage 8,000 4,000 0 43.31% Rate 43.31% Bounce Bounce Rate 7,281,506 7,281,506 Pageviews Pageviews 00:03:26 Time on Site 00:03:26 Avg. Avg. Time on Site Aug 9 Sep 11 Oct 14 Nov 16 Dec 19 Site Usage Visitors Visitors Overview Overview 0 0 Jul 7 Jul 7 Sep 11 Oct 14 Nov 16 4.88 Sep 11Pages/Visit Oct 14 Nov 16 Aug 9 Aug 9 Visitors Visitors 7,000 7,000 0 0 Dec 19 Jan 21 Dec 19 Jan 21 Feb 23 Mar 28 Apr 30 Feb 23 Mar 28 Apr 30 Jun 2 Map Overlay world 1 Visitors Search Search Engines Engines 7,000 641,369.00 (42.96%) 641,369.00 (42.96%) 3,500 Referring Referring Sites Sites 489,776.00 (32.80%) 489,776.00 (32.80%) 0 Sep 11 Oct 14 Apr 30 Direct Traffic Direct Feb Traffic 23 Mar 28 Apr 30 361,919.00 (24.24%) 361,919.00 (24.24%) Nov 16 Dec 19 Jan 21 Visitors 1,140,739 74.99% % New Visits Jun 2 Jun 2 Visits Visits 1 Visitors Overview Traffic Traffic Sources Sources Overview Overview Aug 9 Mar 28 00:03:26 Avg. Time on Site 3,500 3,500 1,140,739 1,140,739 Jul 7 0 74.99% New Visits 74.99% % % New Visits Feb 23 4,000 43.31% Bounce Rate Visitors Visitors 7,281,506 Pageviews 3,500 3,500 Jan 21 8,000 Map Map Overlay Overlay world world 1,493,083 Visits 7,000 7,000 Visits 1,493,083 1,493,083 Visits Visits 4.88 4.88 Pages/Visit Pages/Visit Jul 7 Jun 2 Other Other 19 (> 0.00%) 19 (> 0.00%) 7,000 3,500 0 Jun 2 Content Content Overview Overview Pages Pages Pageviews Pageviews % % Pageviews Pageviews /find/map.html /find/map.html 205,239 205,239 2.82% 2.82% /find/index.html /find/index.html 160,161 160,161 2.20% 2.20% /Parks/KACA/index.html /Parks/KACA/index.html 150,595 150,595 2.07% 2.07% /parks/kaca/index.html /parks/kaca/index.html 115,134 115,134 1.58% 1.58% Pageviews % Pageviews /index.html /index.html 690,884 690,884 Visits 1 Traffic Sources Overview 1,416,801 1,416,801 1,416,801 Content Overview 9.49% 9.49% Search Engines Pages Referring Sites /index.html 690,884 9.49% Direct Traffic /find/map.html 205,239 2.82% 641,369.00 (42.96%) 489,776.00 (32.80%) 361,919.00 (24.24%) Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 79 azstateparks.com azstateparks.com azstateparks.com Arizona Arizona Arizona State Detail: State Detail: State Detail: Visits Visits Visits 1 1 1 Jul Jun 2009 Jul 1, 1, 2008 2008 -- Comparing Jun 30, 30, to: 2009 Site Jul 1, 2008 - Jun 30, 2009 Comparing to: Site Comparing to: Site 165,215 165,215 165,215 This This state state sent sent 791,936 791,936 visits visits via via 199 199 cities cities This state sent 791,936 visits via 199 cities Site Usage Site Usage Site Usage Visits Visits Visits 791,936 Pages/Visit Pages/Visit Pages/Visit 4.94 Avg. Time on Site Avg. Time on Site Avg. Time on Site 00:03:40 % New Visits % New Visits %69.67% New Visits Bounce Rate Bounce Rate Bounce Rate 41.99% % of53.04% Site Total: 53.04% Site4.88 Avg:(1.37%) 4.88 (1.37%) Site00:03:26 Avg: (6.70%) 00:03:26 (6.70%) Site74.99% Avg: (-7.10%) 74.99% (-7.10%) Site43.31% Avg: (-3.06%) 43.31% (-3.06%) 791,936 % of Site Total: 791,936 % 53.04% of Site Total: City City City Phoenix Phoenix Phoenix Tucson Tucson Tucson Tempe Tempe Tempe Mesa Mesa Mesa Chandler Chandler Chandler Scottsdale Scottsdale Scottsdale Glendale Glendale Glendale Paradise Valley Paradise Valley Paradise Valley Gilbert Gilbert Gilbert 80 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 4.94 Site Avg: 4.94 Site Avg: 4.88 (1.37%) 00:03:40 Site Avg: 00:03:40 Site Avg: (6.70%) 00:03:26 Visits Visits Visits 165,215 165,215 165,215 143,165 143,165 143,165 72,510 72,510 72,510 57,298 57,298 57,298 38,067 38,067 38,067 35,772 35,772 35,772 30,317 30,317 30,317 27,329 27,329 27,329 26,037 26,037 26,037 Pages/Visit Pages/Visit Pages/Visit 4.86 4.86 4.86 4.79 4.79 4.79 4.69 4.69 4.69 5.34 5.34 5.34 5.39 5.39 5.39 5.05 5.05 5.05 5.11 5.11 5.11 4.43 4.43 4.43 5.61 5.61 5.61 1 1 1 69.67% Site Avg: 69.67% Site Avg: (-7.10%) 74.99% Avg. Time on Avg.Site Time on Avg. Time Site on Site 00:03:54 00:03:54 00:03:54 00:03:33 00:03:33 00:03:33 00:03:31 00:03:31 00:03:31 00:03:39 00:03:39 00:03:39 00:03:40 00:03:40 00:03:40 00:03:21 00:03:21 00:03:21 00:03:35 00:03:35 00:03:35 00:03:10 00:03:10 00:03:10 00:03:46 00:03:46 00:03:46 41.99% Site Avg: 41.99% Site Avg: (-3.06%) 43.31% % New Visits % New Visits % New Visits 60.66% 60.66% 60.66% 71.83% 71.83% 71.83% 71.48% 71.48% 71.48% 72.21% 72.21% 72.21% 72.81% 72.81% 72.81% 73.83% 73.83% 73.83% 75.78% 75.78% 75.78% 74.61% 74.61% 74.61% 72.76% 72.76% 72.76% Bounce Rate Bounce Rate Bounce Rate 45.06% 45.06% 45.06% 40.51% 40.51% 40.51% 42.78% 42.78% 42.78% 40.13% 40.13% 40.13% 40.58% 40.58% 40.58% 41.18% 41.18% 41.18% 42.07% 42.07% 42.07% 43.82% 43.82% 43.82% 39.69% 39.69% 39.69% Google Analytics Google Analytics Google Analytics azstateparks.com azstateparks.com azstateparks.com Country/Territory Detail: Detail: Country/Territory Country/Territory Detail: United States United States Jul 1, 2008 - Jun 30, 2009 Jul1,1,2008 2008- -Jun Jun30, 30,2009 2009 Jul Comparing to: Site Comparingto: to:Site Site Comparing United States Visits Visits Visits 930 930 930 791,936 791,936 791,936 This country/territory sent 1,416,801 visits via 52 regions Thiscountry/territory country/territorysent sent1,416,801 1,416,801visits visitsvia via52 52regions regions This Site Usage SiteUsage Usage Site Visits Visits Visits 1,416,801 Pages/Visit Pages/Visit Pages/Visit 4.90 Avg. Time on Site Avg.Time Timeon onSite Site Avg. 00:03:28 % New Visits NewVisits Visits %% New 74.67% Bounce Rate BounceRate Bounce 42.96%Rate % of94.89% Site Total: 94.89% 94.89% Site 4.88 Avg: (0.38%) 4.88(0.38%) (0.38%) 4.88 (1.06%) Site 00:03:26 Avg: 00:03:26(1.06%) (1.06%) 00:03:26 (-0.43%) Site 74.99% Avg: 74.99%(-0.43%) (-0.43%) 74.99% (-0.81%) Site 43.31% Avg: 43.31%(-0.81%) (-0.81%) 43.31% 1,416,801 % of Site Total: 1,416,801 % of Site Total: Region Region Region Arizona Arizona Arizona California California California Texas Texas Texas New York NewYork York New Illinois Illinois Illinois Colorado Colorado Colorado (not set) (notset) set) (not Washington Washington Washington Florida Florida Florida 4.90 Site Avg: 4.90 Site Avg: 00:03:28 Site Avg: 00:03:28 Site Avg: Visits Visits Visits Pages/Visit Pages/Visit Pages/Visit 791,936 791,936 791,936 181,821 181,821 181,821 39,538 39,538 39,538 30,340 30,340 30,340 23,094 23,094 23,094 22,558 22,558 22,558 22,295 22,295 22,295 21,050 21,050 21,050 19,078 19,078 19,078 4.94 4.94 4.94 4.91 4.91 4.91 5.15 5.15 5.15 4.37 4.37 4.37 4.82 4.82 4.82 4.99 4.99 4.99 4.06 4.06 4.06 5.01 5.01 5.01 4.89 4.89 4.89 1 11 74.67% Site Avg: 74.67% Site Avg: 42.96% Site Avg: 42.96% Site Avg: Avg. Time on % New Visits Avg.Time Timeonon NewVisits Visits Site Avg. %%New Site Site 00:03:40 69.67% 00:03:40 69.67% 00:03:40 69.67% 00:03:27 78.18% 00:03:27 78.18% 00:03:27 78.18% 00:03:18 81.46% 00:03:18 81.46% 00:03:18 81.46% 00:02:57 82.39% 00:02:57 82.39% 00:02:57 82.39% 00:03:02 84.36% 00:03:02 84.36% 00:03:02 84.36% 00:03:32 77.59% 00:03:32 77.59% 00:03:32 77.59% 00:03:31 75.64% 00:03:31 75.64% 00:03:31 75.64% 00:03:17 81.25% 00:03:17 81.25% 00:03:17 81.25% 00:02:58 83.98% 00:02:58 83.98% 00:02:58 83.98% Bounce Rate BounceRate Rate Bounce 41.99% 41.99% 41.99% 43.03% 43.03% 43.03% 43.03% 43.03% 43.03% 47.15% 47.15% 47.15% 44.63% 44.63% 44.63% 42.68% 42.68% 42.68% 44.77% 44.77% 44.77% 44.83% 44.83% 44.83% 45.35% 45.35% 45.35% Google Analytics Google Analytics Google Analytics Arizona State Parks, FY09 • 81 Jul 1, 2008 - Jun 30, 2009 Jul1,1,2008 2008--Jun Jun30, 30,2009 2009 Comparing to: Site Jul Comparing to: Site azstateparks.com azstateparks.com azstateparks.com Map Overlay MapOverlay Overlay Map Visits Visits Visits 1 1 1 Comparing to: Site 1,416,801 1,416,801 1,416,801 1,493,083 visits came from 175 countries/territories 1,493,083visits visitscame camefrom from175 175countries/territories countries/territories 1,493,083 Site Usage Site Usage Site Usage Visits Visits 1,493,083 Visits Pages/Visit Pages/Visit 4.88 Pages/Visit % of100.00% Site Total: 100.00% Site4.88 Avg:(0.00%) 4.88 (0.00%) 1,493,083 % of Site Total: 1,493,083 % 100.00% of Site Total: Country/Territory Country/Territory Country/Territory United States United States United States Canada Canada Canada Germany Germany Germany United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom Netherlands Netherlands Netherlands Mexico Mexico Mexico France France France Italy Italy Italy Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland 82 • Arizona State Parks, FY09 4.88 Site Avg: 4.88 Site Avg: 4.88 (0.00%) Avg. Time on Site Avg. Time on Site 00:03:26 Avg. Time on Site % New Visits % New Visits %75.05% New Visits Site00:03:26 Avg: (0.00%) Site74.99% Avg: (0.08%) 74.99% (0.08%) 00:03:26 Site Avg: 00:03:26 Site Avg: (0.00%) 00:03:26 Visits00:03:26 (0.00%) Pages/Visit Visits Pages/Visit Visits Pages/Visit 1,416,801 4.90 1,416,801 4.90 1,416,801 4.90 29,665 5.50 29,665 5.50 29,665 5.50 7,278 4.76 7,278 4.76 7,278 4.76 7,154 3.77 7,154 3.77 7,154 3.77 3,944 4.33 3,944 4.33 3,944 4.33 2,671 4.86 2,671 4.86 2,671 4.86 2,449 3.65 2,449 3.65 2,449 3.65 2,093 3.26 2,093 3.26 2,093 3.26 1,524 5.27 1,524 5.27 1,524 5.27 1 1 1 75.05% Site Avg: 75.05% Site Avg: (0.08%) 74.99% Avg. Time on Avg.Site Time on Avg. Time Site on Site 00:03:28 00:03:28 00:03:28 00:03:10 00:03:10 00:03:10 00:03:00 00:03:00 00:03:00 00:02:23 00:02:23 00:02:23 00:02:29 00:02:29 00:02:29 00:03:23 00:03:23 00:03:23 00:02:13 00:02:13 00:02:13 00:01:50 00:01:50 00:01:50 00:02:54 00:02:54 00:02:54 Bounce Rate Bounce Rate 43.31% Bounce Rate 43.31% Site Avg: 43.31% Site Avg: (0.00%) 43.31% Site43.31% Avg: (0.00%) 43.31% (0.00%) % New Visits Bounce Rate % New Visits Bounce Rate % New Visits Bounce Rate 74.67% 42.96% 74.67% 42.96% 74.67% 42.96% 77.93% 45.45% 77.93% 45.45% 77.93% 45.45% 80.04% 49.22% 80.04% 49.22% 80.04% 49.22% 84.57% 51.31% 84.57% 51.31% 84.57% 51.31% 82.02% 47.31% 82.02% 47.31% 82.02% 47.31% 85.89% 46.13% 85.89% 46.13% 85.89% 46.13% 87.18% 54.23% 87.18% 54.23% 87.18% 54.23% 90.25% 53.80% 90.25% 53.80% 90.25% 53.80% 80.25% 47.51% 80.25% 47.51% 80.25% 47.51% Google Analytics Google Analytics Google Analytics FY 08/09 Annual Report July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009