About AFOSA

Environmental problems are threatening every aspect of life on Earth. AFOSA is a nature conservation-driven nonprofit organization focused on understanding problems and finding solutions. AFOSA was founded 1) to study wild plants and animals occupying undeveloped open space, 2) communicate what is learned, and 3) strive to insure continued existence of healthy natural systems. We agree with Aldo Leopold that wild plants and animals must receive the same equal treatment we give to members of our own species. Without equality, wild creatures are inevitably put to uses they cannot survive. Wild creatures form ecosystems that protect soil, filter air and water, and efficiently utilize solar energy and the chemicals available in Earth surface materials. We believe that our survival depends on theirs.

Active Projects

Books in the Earth in Transition Series

President Garry Rogers

Since becoming president of the Agua Fria Open Space Alliance (AFOSA), I have collaborated with the Board of Directors to initiate projects aligned with our organizational objectives. While with AFOSA, I have authored books and articles on wildlife and penned nearly 3,000 blog posts addressing ecological and environmental topics. Recently, I led the acquisition of a conservation easement for Coldwater Farm, which restricts activities to those compatible with wildlife habitat, excluding livestock grazing and construction. I am committed to biological conservation and ensuring the success of AFOSA’s initiatives.

Corporate Information

Established: 2007
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (2008)
EIN: 26-0378948
Address: PO Box 1011, Humboldt, AZ 86329
Email: grcoldh2o@gmail.com

History

Residents of the Agua Fria River basin conceived and organized the Agua Fria Open Space Alliance (AFOSA) to protect natural open space. The organization’s founders named AFOSA after the Agua Fria River that flows south above and below ground from Glassford Hill east of Prescott, Arizona to the Gila River west of Phoenix. AFOSA began focused on the 1500 square-mile upper part of the river’s watershed. There, despite small dams and reservoirs on its tributaries, the river rages wildly after summer thunderstorms, and many stretches of beautiful semi-natural riparian vegetation cover its banks. The header photo for this page covers most of the basin.

AFOSA Founding Directors (left to right): Joanne Johnson, Michael P. Randall, Jack Hamilton, Joanne Oellers, Garry Rogers.

The organization incorporated in 2007, and in 2008 received I. R. S. recognition as a tax-exempt Arizona nonprofit charity under section 501 (c) (3) of the U. S. Tax Code. Contributions are tax deductible. The company EIN is 26-0378948 and the Arizona Corporation Commission Entity I.D. is 13379415.

Current Directors:
McVey, Katharine
Oellers, Joanne
Rogers, Garry

Realizing that open space in the Agua Fria River basin is sensitive to regional, even global forces, AFOSA’s focus soon expanded to include broader concerns for human impacts on the organisms, plants, animals, and microorganisms that define and stabilize open space.

Some of AFOSA’s Founders and Members

The Nature Conservation Blog

AFOSA’s Board of Directors believe an important means of communication about open space is a nature-conservation blog. As the blog developed, users from outside the region soon outnumbered local users. Their comments expressed open-space interests and concerns that paralleled those of the local residents. It wasn’t long before the blog began to report on national and global issues and events.

During the first years of the blog’s existence, AFOSA’s President, Garry Rogers, managed it and a personal blog that often reported on the same topics. In May of 2013, the Board of Directors eliminated the duplicate effort and combined the blogs. Visit the blog here.

The blog posts also appear on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media sites.

Finance Organization and Practice

AFOSA practices fiscal responsibility and creates budgets and submits reports to the IRS and Arizona State Corporation Commission. Development and conduct of its projects do not depend on donations from external sources. They are mostly funded by members of the organization and project participants.