The Verde River... Kayak it, love it, protect it

To paddle down the Verde River even once is to fall in love with
this beautiful waterway. It sustains life and provides endless
outdoor recreation. Water is a rare and precious commodity here
in the desert, and the Verde River shouldn't be taken for
granted. That's why we invited Doug Von Gausig, Executive
Director of the Verde River Institute, to tell us all about how
we can better enjoy and care for it.

Before recording this podcast, Doug and one of his Verde River
Rangers, Kim Jenkins, took members of the Arizona State Parks
& Trails team on a kayak tour. In between admiring the birds,
dragonflies and damselflies, and the lush vegetation in this
riparian area, we picked up on some other factors affecting the
river. Litter like lost flip flops, aluminum beverage cans, and
fishing line plus a lot of unsafe boating behavior like drinking
alcohol (illegal) and not wearing a personal flotation device
(dangerous) tempered the excitement of the day. We also learned
about the environmental factors that have changed the river over
time. Doug shares  on this episode what we can do better to
appreciate and protect the Verde River.

Follow along with the Verde River Institute on Facebook.
Experience the Verde River Greenway State Natural Area.


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