Welcome to the digital home of the Agua Fria Open Space Alliance, Inc. (AFOSA). This platform serves as the primary record of our efforts to support our town and improve community cohesion and quality of life. The image above shows our physical home, the Agua Fria River valley.
Our Mission
AFOSA operates at the intersection of community action and nature. We are interested in programs that strengthen community cohesion and preserve the beautiful landscapes that surround us. From its beginning 20 years ago, the Agua Fria Open Space Alliance, Inc. (AFOSA) aspired to contribute to the quality of life in Dewey-Humboldt. We held public events and studied and wrote about open space. We believe that the world over, improvements must begin with local communities. The social, political, and environmental issues of large cities, states, and nations must be solved from the bottom up, not top down. We believe that Dewey-Humboldt can build a strong reputation and stand out as a leader among Arizona towns.
Leadership and Vision
The Alliance is led by its President, Garry Rogers, a biogeographer whose career has transitioned from faculty positions at UCLA and Columbia University to corporate CEO, and then to the front lines of conservation. Under Dr. Rogers’ stewardship, AFOSA has evolved into a key voice for community cohesion and ecological resilience. Dr. Rogers synthesizes his decades of experience in biogeography and climatology into conservation insights presented in nonfiction books, essays, and award-winning science-fiction novels.
Corporate Information
- Established in 2006 and incorporated in 2007
- Arizona Corporation Commission Entity I.D. 1337941
- Tax Status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax exempt organization (2008)
- EIN: 26-0378948
- Address: PO Box 1011, Dewey-Humboldt, AZ 86329
History
Residents of the Agua Fria River basin together with federal, state, and county government representatives conceived and organized the Agua Fria Open Space Alliance (AFOSA) to protect natural open space and the natural surroundings of our communities. The organization’s founders named AFOSA after the Agua Fria River that flows south from Glassford Hill east of Prescott, Arizona, thru Coldwater Farm near the center of the Town of Dewey-Humboldt, and on south to the Gila River west of Phoenix.
AFOSA Founding Directors (left to right): Joanne Johnson, Michael P. Randall, Jack Hamilton, Joanne Oellers, Garry Rogers.
More of our founders and volunteers.
AFOSA organized many activities including cleaning up public sites, removing weeds, and organizing local events. In 2007 AFOSA organized the Centennial Agua Fria Festival which included a parade (with the Wells Fargo stagecoach and an ultralight flyover), a hayride through town, games, food, and exhibits by government agencies, conservation organizations, and businesses.
AFOSA organized many activities including cleaning up public sites, removing weeds, and organizing local events. In 2007 AFOSA organized the Centennial Agua Fria Festival which included a parade (with the Wells Fargo stagecoach and an ultralight flyover), a hayride through town, games, food, and exhibits by government agencies, conservation organizations, and businesses.
Other Activities
Besides many local community activities, AFOSA
- helped create the Coldwater Farm Conservation Easement,
- proposed the refugia management concept for the Sonoran Desert conservation (presented in 2023 to the 10th International Fire Ecology Congress in Monterey, CA),
- helped found the Agua Fria Chamber of Commerce (now closed)
- encouraged the President’s writing endeavors (24 books on wildlife and the biosphere. Most are available as free PDF downloads,
- made 12 invited presentations at Arizona libraries,
- organized many birding/wildlife tours,
- published numerous articles in local newspapers,
- submitted planning recommendations to local and national governments.
Finance
AFOSA practices fiscal responsibility and submits reports to the IRS and Arizona State Corporation Commission. Click for a look at our annual budget.
Donate to support our community activities and basic expenses.
Volunteers
We always need volunteers. If you would like to help with events, send us the contact form below. We’ll invite you to our next planning meeting so you can see what we are doing and what you can do to help.
