BUSINESS
MEETING ARIZONA’S ECOLOGICAL NEEDS
THROUGH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS BY HAMIK SEBKARSHAD
P
ublic and private partnerships have served as a magnificent option to fund projects that normally would not get off the ground without a unique combination of forces. These partnerships combine government entities with private companies, as well as groups of generous volunteers, in order to complete important social projects. Here in Arizona, there are several public-private partnerships that are in operation and have achieved great success in the areas of ecosystem protection and sustainability.
CENTRAL: Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department Maricopa County Parks and Recreation are also no stranger to public-private partnerships, with private partners contributing about 20 percent to Maricopa’s park system operating budget. These private partners also handle approximately 24 percent of the Park’s annual 2.1 million visitors. RJ Cardin, director of
NORTHERN: Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project The protection of the Coconino National Forest is one example of a phenomenal public-private partnership initiative that is protecting sensitive forest areas from fires and the possibility of flooding. Located north of Flagstaff by the Dry Lake Hills and south of Lake Mary, the project
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE NEEDS SUSTAINABILITY NETWORKS & RESOURCES Brian Kocour Senior Director +1 602 229 5969
brian.kocour@cushwake.com
28 greenliving | March 2016
has set up a fund through public and private sources that cleans, protects and restores the area, essentially producing a firewall that saves the natural ecosystem from fires or flooding. The hilly area contains much natural vegetation, and the steepness of the slopes increases the possibility of forest fires. The Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project, which began around a decade ago, has restored hundreds of thousands of acres of Flagstaff ecosystems.
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