Desert cleanup project set for April 25

Tread Lightly, a national outdoors organization that promotes responsible outdoor recreation, is joining Arizona Game and Fish and the Bureau of Land Management in a trash-cleanup project at the Sonoran Desert National Monument near Buckeye.

The Sonoran Desert National Monument contains more than 487,000 acres and three designated wilderness areas. It offers opportunities for hiking, backpacking, hunting, camping, photography, horseback riding and star-gazing.

The volunteer event is part of Tread Lightly’s “Respected Access Is Open Access” campaign aimed at protecting and enhancing access by fostering individual stewardship throughout the recreation community.

Volunteers, including recreational shooters, offroad vehicle enthusiasts and hikers,are needed.

“This cleanup effort is a great capstone to the ‘Respected Access Is Open Access’ in Arizona campaign,” said Dianne Olson, assistant director of Tread Lightly. She added that engaging the recreational-shooting community and others in addressing the issue of litter and the need for stewardship is a “proactive solution” to the problem.

Interested volunteers should bring water, work gloves and wear a hat and sunscreen. Long pants and sturdy shoes also are recommended. Trash pick-up pinchers and buckets will be needed to collect garbage. Fourwheel-drive vehicles also are helpful.

Volunteers should plan to meet at the gas pipeline maintenance road on the northern boundary of the monument. Sign-up and directions are available at the link below.

7:30 a.m.-noon April 25. tinyurl.com/ sonorancleanup.