We need your help to support beaver reintroduction in Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. It’s one of the few riparian areas left in Southern Arizona and is critical due to its spring-fed marshlands, or “ciénegas,” amid vast desert grasslands. This precious water supports a wide range of imperiled wildlife, from Gila topminnows and Chiricahua leopard frogs to pronghorn antelopes and yellow-billed cuckoos.
Following the steps below, tell your elected officials in Congress to move forward with this proposal to reintroduce beavers at Las Cienegas.
Beavers are a keystone species that used to be present throughout the region. Their benefits are well known. They improve resilience to climate change by increasing water storage behind their dams. They also help widen floodplains, slow down water, and maintain stream flow during dry periods.
Join us in supporting Alternative A for this project. This would reestablish beavers at Las Cienegas and allow for the construction of low-impact, “analogue” starter dams made of wood posts and other natural materials to help the beavers and ensure the project’s long-term success.
Step 1: Copy the following sample letter and personalize for greatest impact.
Step 2: Submit letter to your elected officials via Democracy.io and its easy form.
Step 3: Let us know you took action below.
Photo of Las Cienegas wetland courtesy BLM; beaver by Michael Levine/Flickr; Las Cienegas grasslands and pronghorn antelopes by Bob Wick/BLM.