The city of Scottsdale is set to begin a vegetation management project next week along the Dove Valley Trail in the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The initiative aims to reduce wildfire risk and improve emergency access in the area.
Starting at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10, contracted crews will conduct mechanical thinning along the trail corridor, moving from the Western Area Power Administration service road eastward to approximately 136th Street. The work is scheduled for weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is expected to last about one month.
The project will focus on removing ladder fuels, trimming vegetation near the roadway, limbing native trees, and clearing dead material. This effort targets one of the main access routes on the north end of the Preserve and is particularly important because the area borders the Tonto National Forest as fire season approaches.
“This is a proactive and carefully planned project that helps protect the Preserve, nearby neighborhoods and the first responders who may need to access this area during an emergency,” said Preserve Director Jenna Kohl. “By reducing hazardous vegetation now, we are lowering the potential intensity of a wildfire and improving safe access along a critical corridor.”
During operations, visitors may encounter contractor crews using chippers and other mechanical thinning equipment along Dove Valley Trail. Small cones and barricades will be used to alert trail users, while some equipment may remain staged overnight during weekdays but will be removed by Fridays. There will also be increased contractor vehicle activity during work hours.
Temporary A-frame signs will be placed at several points: Granite Mountain Trailhead, Brown’s Ranch Trailhead, at the end of Dove Valley Trail, and at the WAPA access point.
City officials advise trail users to stay alert in active work zones and follow posted signage. The city emphasizes that this vegetation management project reflects its ongoing commitment to protecting both natural resources within the Preserve and surrounding communities from wildfire risk.
Scottsdale has long been recognized for its blend of Western heritage and cultural activities (https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/about/scottsdale-history). It operates under a council-manager form of government (https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/council/city-charter) and has received recognition among America’s safest cities with populations over 100,000 (https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/about/recognition). With more than 202,000 residents as of 2000 (https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/about/scottsdale-history), Scottsdale continues efforts to maintain public safety across its extensive recreational spaces (https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/docs/default-source/scottsdaleaz/orgchart.pdf?sfvrsn=e36a7e9f_3).
