The proposed federal budget released in March brings into sharp focus the impacts of the Trump administration’s unwillingness to accept the settled science on climate change, or any science really. There is a particular disregard for the science responding to climate change. Science is core to Sky Island Alliance’s mission, and we’ve long invested in helping wildlife and ecosystems of the Sky Islands respond to our rapidly changing climate. This important work depends on non-partisan science that is made publicly available.
We are committed to standing as a strong partner with federal and state agencies and the many scientists who have developed science and methods essential to our conservation and restoration work. They’ve produced essential information we use to support our Sky Island wildlife and ecosystems to thrive in an uncertain future.
Climate change is the new reality, and the Sky Islands are in one of the fastest warming areas of the nation. Those of you living here in Tucson probably noticed that March felt hot. It was incredibly hot—the hottest March on record, in fact. It also boasted a bona fide heat wave with 13 consecutive days with highs temperatures of 15 degrees or more above normal.
Climate change is causing shifts in temperature and precipitation that are altering our beloved landscapes and stressing many species in the region. It’s more critical now than ever that we focus our work in the right places in order to help wildlife persist and adapt. To know where our work is most need, we need science. With science and a spirited work ethic, we can curb some of the worst impacts of climate change and help ecosystems and species transition and adapt. Ultimately, healthy human communities and our quality of life in the Sky Islands depend on healthy, thriving natural areas.
For 25 years, Sky Island Alliance has been a strong force for local conservation based on solid science. We’ve engaged thousands of citizen scientists to collect information essential for mapping and protecting pathways for wildlife, bringing riparian and spring ecosystems back to flowing health and protecting the most sensitive and special places in the Sky Islands from development impacts. But climate change marches on…
In the coming months, it will be up to Congress to respond to this disastrous budget proposal and make decisions on the nation’s priorities and future. The time is now to stand strong for science and to advocate for funding and action to respond to climate change.
We hope you will stand with us and make a statement in support of science and climate action. Please join us at the upcoming Rally for Science this Saturday (4/22) in Tucson, and at the Tucson People’s Climate March next Saturday (4/29)!
If you can’t make it, we hope you will join us at an upcoming citizen scientist outing in the field. We’re on the ground lending a helping hand to our Sky Island springs, canyons, and other wet spots to keep water flowing and diverse native species thriving throughout the year! Find an upcoming volunteer work event that suits your interests and schedule on our events calendar.