Connecting with the outdoors helps heal the mind, body, and soul. AES provides an opportunity for veterans to connect to the outdoors through the Heroes Rising Outdoors Program (HRO). HRO provides 125+ outdoor experiences yearly for wounded Veterans. HRO partners with other organizations and volunteers to give veterans outdoor opportunities to assist in their recovery and healing. These programs include hunting, fly fishing, equine therapy, kayaking, fishing, camping, and getting involved in AES’s volunteer wildlife habitat projects.

Tragically, Arizona is losing thousands of acres of wildlife habitat each year. The situation is forecasted to worsen in the coming years. Wildlife water catchments are a critical habitat feature for water distribution
to all wildlife species. Since 2001, AES volunteers have hauled over 4,000,000 gallons of water to drought-stricken areas of elk range and restored and maintained more than 400 wildlife water catchments in Northern Arizona for the survival and betterment of all species of wildlife. The maintenance and filling of water catchments for Arizona’s wildlife remain a top priority of AES.

We firmly believe that today's youth are the architects of tomorrow's wildlife and habitat conservation efforts. Therefore, we've crafted a range of engaging Arizona youth programs designed to empower them with the knowledge and experiences they need to become the stewards of our natural heritage

Healthy watersheds provide erosion/sediment control, increased biodiversity, wildlife movement corridors, water storage, flood control, and recreation opportunities. AES is unique in its mission to benefit all Arizona wildlife species by coordinating large-scale volunteer work projects with the United States Forest Service (USFS), Arizona Game and Fish Department, area ranchers, and other organizations. In addition
to watershed restoration, AES volunteers restore important native grasslands and conduct forest thinning work in partnership with the USFS.