FRIENDS OF THE TONTO NATIONAL FOREST INC

What FRIENDS OF THE TONTO NATIONAL FOREST INC does

Friends of the Tonto National Forest Inc (FOTNF) is a nonprofit volunteer organization founded in 2014 by retired US Forest Service employee Patti Fenner to support the Tonto National Forest — the fifth-largest US forest at nearly 3 million acres that receives over 5.8 million annual visitors. The organization runs a portfolio of citizen science and conservation programs, including the Riparian Photopoint Program (a 38-year longitudinal repeat-photography dataset at 900+ stream sites), Invasive Plant Management (fountain grass, buffelgrass, stinknet, Sahara mustard removal across Superstition and Usery Mountains), Milkweed for Monarchs (monarch habitat restoration), Saguaro Monitoring (prototype ESRI Field Maps-based citizen science), Trail Maintenance (Cave Creek and Mazatzal Wilderness), Adopt-a-Site recreation area stewardship, and archaeological preservation at Sears-Kay Ruin and Shoofly Village Ruin. The technical stack is built on off-the-shelf mobile GIS and citizen science platforms (ArcGIS Field Maps, ESRI Field Maps, Chronolog, Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, Signup.com, PayPal), with no proprietary AI/ML components.

The organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors (President Leslie Crabtree, Vice President John Matteson, Treasurer Nancy Myers, Secretary Urb Weidner, Interim Executive Director Patti Fenner) and operates with 1-10 employees, relying on a community of 199 active volunteers who contributed 1,027 hours in the 2022-23 season. Revenue is generated through individual/family/organization memberships ($25/$35/$40 annually, plus free junior tier), tax-deductible donations, merchandise sales (T-shirts at $19.50, Wildflowers and More field guide at $20), and grants from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, State Parks Recreation Trail Program, and Great American Outdoors Act. Strategic partnerships include the core Tonto National Forest / US Forest Service relationship, Monarch Joint Venture, Arizona Trail Association, Sierra Club Saguaro Group, Arizona Archaeological Society, ASU, and Home Depot. Distribution is local-only (Arizona, Phoenix-metro area) and primarily direct-to-volunteer through the website, email newsletter, public events calendar, and in-person project days.

Name

FRIENDS OF THE TONTO NATIONAL FOREST INC

Legal name

Friends of the Tonto National Forest Inc

Website

https://friendsofthetonto.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends of the Tonto National Forest is a 1-10 employee Arizona nonprofit that mobilizes volunteers for conservation, ecological monitoring, and trail maintenance on the 3-million-acre Tonto National Forest, funded by memberships, donations, grants, and merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

Keywords

• Volunteer conservation services
• Citizen science monitoring
• Invasive plant management
• Habitat restoration programs
• Trail maintenance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues provide core operational funding and grant members voting rights and eligibility for board positions.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, hiking groups, and corporate sponsors supporting specific projects or general operations.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sales of T-shirts ($19.50) and the Wildflowers and More field guide ($20), with proceeds supporting general fund or specific projects.
4. Grants: Grant funding from Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, State Parks Recreation Trail Program grants, and Great American Outdoors Act funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friends of the Tonto National Forest is a nonprofit volunteer organization that assists the US Forest Service with natural and cultural resource management of the 3-million-acre Tonto National Forest in Arizona. The organization operates citizen science and conservation programs including invasive plant removal, riparian photopoint monitoring, monarch habitat restoration, saguaro cactus health monitoring, trail maintenance, water source inventory, and archaeological site preservation, all delivered through volunteer participation supported by grants, membership dues, donations, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Friends of the Tonto National Forest is a volunteer nonprofit organization that assists the Tonto National Forest in natural and cultural resource management. The organization operates a portfolio of citizen science and conservation programs including the Riparian Photopoint Program (repeat photography at 900+ stream sites), Invasive Plant Management (removing fountain grass and buffelgrass), Milkweed for Monarchs (monarch butterfly habitat restoration), Saguaro Monitoring (citizen science cactus health assessments), Trail Maintenance (Cave Creek and Mazatzal trails), Water Source Inventory, Adopt-a-Site, and archaeological site maintenance at Sears-Kay Ruin and Shoofly Village Ruin. The organization also operates a merchandise shop (t-shirts, field guides) and membership program. All programs rely on volunteer participation and leverage technology tools including ArcGIS Field Maps, ESRI applications, and online signup platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Riparian Photopoint Program
• Invasive Plant Management
• Milkweed for Monarchs
• Saguaro Monitoring
• Trail Maintenance
• Water Source Inventory
• Adopt-a-Site
• Sears-Kay Ruin Maintenance
• Shoofly Village Ruin Maintenance
• Friends Merchandise (T-Shirts and Field Guide)
• Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 199 volunteers contributed 1,027 hours in 2022-23 season, an increase of 578 hours from previous year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Monarch Joint VenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership with Monarch Joint Venture, a network of 130+ federal and state agencies, NGOs, businesses, and academic programs working to protect monarch migration. Provides access to latest conservation research and training, while FOTNF contributes monarch monitoring data from the U.S. Southwest.
• Tonto National Forest / US Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore partnership with the Tonto National Forest assisting in natural and cultural resource management, visitor use management, and public understanding of Forest policies and projects.
• Arizona Trail AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for trail maintenance in Mazatzal Wilderness. John Matteson serves as Chief Steward for the Mazatzal Mountain Region and obtained State Parks Recreation Trail Program grants for trail work.
• Cave Creek Ranger DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Cave Creek Ranger District for trail maintenance, milkweed planting, and archaeological site preservation. District staff assist with trail brushing, signage, and project coordination.
• AZ WildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation on Chronolog monitoring sites and watershed recovery monitoring after the 2021 Telegraph Fire, including native tree and cactus plantings.
• Wild ArizonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in multi-year Arnett Creek restoration project led by Wild Arizona.
• Lost Dutchman State ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for invasive plant removal within the Park and Family Campout event collaboration.
• Apache Junction Parks and RecreationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported efforts to start a program managing non-native plants in Silly Mountain Park.
• Sierra Club Saguaro GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteers from Sierra Club participate in milkweed planting events.
• Central Arizona Mountain RescueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCAMRA provides outdoor safety classes and Wilderness First Aid training for FOTNF volunteers.
• Arizona Archaeological SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on archaeological research and preservation projects through volunteer work.
• Arizona State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on archaeological preservation projects.
• Arizona Site Stewards Program FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScott Wood works with the program through Friends' volunteer projects and Arizona Site Stewards Program Foundation.
• Arizona Native Plant SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral resource for native plant education and volunteer recruitment in Gila County through local chapter.
• Desperados Trail Scouts of Desert MountainminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal outdoor recreational organization that donated funds to purchase trail signs and initiated Cave Creek trail enhancement project.
• Home Depot Tatum and BellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated tools and supplies for invasive plant removal volunteers and milkweed growing program.
• American Conservation ExperienceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth conservation crew provider hired for trail maintenance work in remote areas under grants.
• East Valley Back Country HorsemenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided pack horses for hauling water into remote areas for herbicide treatment.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Club: One of the largest US environmental nonprofits with active Arizona chapters (including Saguaro Group, an FOTNF partner). Overlaps in conservation advocacy and volunteer mobilization but operates nationally with paid staff across many issue areas.
• National Audubon Society: National bird-and-habitat conservation nonprofit with local chapters and citizen-science programs. Comparable in deploying volunteers for ecological monitoring and habitat restoration, but at vastly larger scale and geographic breadth.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on land conservation, parks, and public-land access. Overlaps with FOTNF on preserving natural and cultural resources on public lands but operates at much larger budget scale through land transactions.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation nonprofit with active Arizona projects on habitat, water, and invasive species. Operates a much larger paid-staff model and direct land ownership, but overlaps with FOTNF on Sonoran Desert conservation goals.
• The Wilderness Society: National conservation nonprofit focused on protecting wilderness and public lands, including active advocacy in Arizona. Much broader policy-and-advocacy mandate compared to FOTNF's on-the-ground volunteer operations.

Direct peers

• Wild Arizona: Arizona nonprofit focused on watershed and forest restoration through volunteer-led projects on public lands. Comparable in scale, geography, and reliance on USFS collaboration; listed as a current FOTNF partner.
• Arizona Trail Association: Arizona-based nonprofit that builds and maintains the Arizona Trail through volunteer crews, grants, and USFS partnerships. Operates a near-identical volunteer-driven conservation model in the same region and is an active FOTNF partner.
• National Forest Foundation: National nonprofit chartered to support the US Forest Service across all national forests. Operates the same nonprofit-volunteer-grant model for forest stewardship and conservation, making it the closest analog to FOTNF's mission and operating structure.
• Friends of the Coronado National Forest: A peer 'Friends of...' nonprofit supporting an adjacent Arizona national forest through volunteer conservation, citizen science, and trail programs. Mirrors FOTNF's structure and programs in a sister forest.

Regional players

• Arizona Native Plant Society: Arizona-focused nonprofit promoting native plant conservation through education and volunteer chapters. Overlaps with FOTNF on invasive-species removal and native-habitat work, and serves as a referral source for FOTNF volunteer recruitment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FRIENDS OF THE TONTO NATIONAL FOREST INC