Tread Lightly!, in cooperation with the Arizona recreational shooting community, multiple public agencies and private organizations, cleaned up the Box Canyon recreational shooting area in Arizona.

Recreational shooters and outdoor enthusiasts alike laced up their boots and strapped on their gloves to participate in a cleanup project outside of Phoenix as part of a larger pilot project in Arizona called the “Partnership in Shared and Respected Access.” The pilot project was established to protect access to public lands for the enjoyment of traditional activities like recreational shooting by nurturing individuals’ sense of good stewardship and demonstrating their commitment to the public lands in Arizona and across the country.

“Volunteers left this area the way it was supposed to look like,” said Tyler Raspiller, wildlife manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Over 100 volunteers donated their time and energy and filled two 40-yard dumpsters with everything from shell casings to old mattresses.

The Box Canyon stewardship project, organized by Tread Lightly!, the Bureau of Land Management and Arizona Game and Fish Department, also had the support of heavy-hitting organizations like the National Rifle Association, Safari Club International, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Congressional Sportsmen Foundation and Public Lands Foundation. A good number of youth also turned out to lend a hand thanks to support from the Boy Scouts of America.

“This is the first of many stewardship projects we will execute in conjunction with the Partnership in Shared and Respected Access, along with education and outreach strategies to ensure continued access to the beautiful places we all enjoy,” said Lori McCullough, Tread Lightly! executive director. “I would like to extend a special thank you to the 100 plus volunteers who donated their time and energy to protect future access to Box Canyon. These dedicated stewards embody what it means to tread lightly.”