Lake Havasu City and the Bureau of Land Management encourages the community to spend time outdoors on National Public Lands Day. National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance public lands.

This year the Havasu Youth Advisory Council (HYAC) made it clear they did not want to be left out of the national effort. So they offered to coordinate the event on behalf of Lake Havasu City and BLM to improve the SARA Park Trailhead.

“We all saw National Public Lands Day as an incredible opportunity to gather members of our community to do something great for the city and that’s exactly what we did,” said Lake Havasu High School student council member and HYAC senior. “It was very enjoyable to see so many people working hard toward the improvement of the city we love.”

At 7 a.m. Saturday, community volunteers joined HYAC, Mayor Mark Nexsen and City Council members, city staff, Bureau of Land Management staff, Engine 3 Fire and Rescue, Water Conservation, C.E.R.T. Team, LHHS Student Council, AZ Game and Fish, and Girls Gone Riding Club to celebrate, educate, and improve the trailhead.

City crews prepped the site ahead of time by grading the area, adding large landscape rock piles, dirt piles, and pre-dug holes for planting native trees. BLM crews provided the native plants and trees, updated the kiosk with a new trails map, and installed new trailhead posts labeling the three different trails at the trailhead.

“We are pleased to once again work with the BLM and community volunteers to beautify Lake Havasu City. Over the years we have improved our beaches, parks and trails and today’s efforts at the SARA Park Trailhead is another successful effort for National Public Lands Day. Thank you to all that participated,” said Mayor Nexsen.

Education stations were setup by AZ Game and Fish, Bureau of Land Management, Water Conservation, and Girls Gone Riding club. Anderson Auto Group greeted everyone with coffee and donuts to celebrate the day and the C.E.R.T. Team served as first aid and water station.

The Lake Havasu Chamber of Commerce and Ambassadors brought the events activities to a close with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

photo courtesy Jerri Bracamonte

SARA Park trailhead after it was landscaped by volunteers. photo courtesy Jerri Bracamonte

Volunteers and the Chamber of Commerce pose for a photo during the ribbon cutting of the new and improved SARA Park Trailhead. photo courtesy Jerri Bracamonte