Amanda Richardson

As the Watershed Program Coordinator for Prescott Creeks, I facilitate an Arizona Department of Environmental Quality-funded Targeted Watershed Improvement Planning grant for the Upper Granite Creek Watershed. I work closely with the Watershed Improvement Council, a collaborative body formed to administer the planning phase and on-the-ground implementation project. Council members are representatives of the City of Prescott, Yavapai County, Prescott National Forest, Arizona Department of Transportation, local businesses, and citizens. I have a background in ecology/conservation and, in the past, have worked with organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service to manage and conserve natural resources. I served as a Soil Conservation Volunteer with the Peace Corps in Nepal and went on to earn a M.S. in Community Development and Applied Economics. My research focused on the social and economic aspects of watershed conservation on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. I was interested in Prescott Creeks because it embodies my belief that we can better manage and conserve natural resources by working with communities and connecting people to the unique areas that are part of their well-being and community identity. Now that I am a resident of Prescott, I appreciate how exceptional it is to have so many waterways flowing through the City and outlying areas. The creeks define this area—historically, topographically, and ecologically—and make it such a wonderful place to live. For those same reasons, it is also challenging to protect them, the riparian vegetation, and water quality. While I hesitate to preference one creek, I am fond of Aspen Creek. I used to live close to Aspen Creek and, after moving to Prescott, became familiar with that creek first. I enjoy hiking the trails along Aspen creek with my dog, Saturn.