MNN - Mother Nature Network

The Cox Conserves Heroes program, which was created through a partnership between Cox Communications and The Trust for Public Land (TPL), recognizes local environmental heroes in select Cox markets. The program came to Arizona for the first time this year and after three finalists were announced in January, the public was asked to vote for their favorite hero. Finalist Melinda Gulick received the most votes and her nonprofit of choice, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, will receive a $10,000 donation.

 

Gulick has worked to bring new donors to the organization while also volunteering with the city of Scottsdale Preserve Commission, the Desert Foothills Land Trust and the Desert Discovery Center Task Force.

 

The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the McDowell Sonoran Preserve through partnerships, educational programs and environmental stewardship efforts.

 

Located in the northeast part of the metropolitan Phoenix area, “Completion of the preserve is important because it will provide an uninterrupted wildlife corridor from the McDowell Mountains to the Tonto National Forest, and is key to the survival of many of our diverse desert species.” Source: McDowell Sonoran Conservancy

 

In addition to the $10,000 donation in honor of Melinda Gulick’s win, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy will also receive a $2,500 donation in honor of finalist Jane Rau. The third finalist, Maxine Lakin, chose the Phoenix Mountain Preservation as her nonprofit and it, too, will receive a $2,500 donation.

 

For more information about the program, which is active in the Arizona, Atlanta, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Virginia, visit the Cox Conserves Heroes website.