Special Events
Events
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Chiricahua-Peloncillo Heritage Days
Geronimo Event Center 4 Rattlesnake Canyon Road, Rodeo, NMJoin us for this two-day festival full of food, music, and fun in the heart of the Sky Islands. Highlights include professional presentations, live music, a farmer's market, regional field trips, and more.
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Coffee Break: An Arizona Guide to Attending the Festival of the Sky Islands
Interested in joining the Oct. 11-12 festival in Sonora but have questions about what to expect and where to camp or stay? Join us Sept. 30 at 9:30 a.m. for...
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Celebrate: Festival de las Islas del Cielo
Plaza Principal — Moctezuma, Sonora, MexicoThis Oct. 11-12 the town of Moctezuma, Sonora, will host the third annual Festival of the Sky Islands. So mark your calendars, and stay tuned for more details as we get ready to celebrate our region’s incredible biodiversity and culture. This event is a collaborative effort between environmental organizations, local groups, and the community of Moctezuma. There will be tables from the organizing nonprofits, conservation talks, drawing contests, workshops, music, dance, and local food.
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‘Spring Cleaning’ Weed Removal at Tucson Springs
Tucson, ArizonaJoin our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Coffee Break: Updates From Our Border Wildlife Study
Through our Border Wildlife Study, we have monitored wildlife along nearly 100 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border for 4.5 years, and we are excited to share some of the insights...
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‘Spring Cleaning’ Weed Removal at Tucson Springs
Tucson, ArizonaJoin our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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‘Spring Cleaning’ Weed Removal at Tucson Springs
Tucson, ArizonaJoin our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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‘Spring Cleaning’ Weed Removal at Tucson Springs
Tucson, ArizonaJoin our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Border Wildlife Study Talk at Phoenix Zoo
Phoenix Zoo Stone House Pavilion 455 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, ArizonaSince 2020, Sky Island Alliance has used wildlife cameras to investigate the impacts of border walls on wildlife movement. For this talk, SIA Wildlife Program Manager Eamon Harrity and Program...
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Survey Springs in the Rincon Wilderness
Redington Road Benson, ArizonaJoin us for a weekend of car camping and hiking as we survey springs in the Rincon Mountain Wilderness.
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Volunteer Outing at Rancho El Sahuaro
Rancho El Sahuaro Naco, Sonora, MexicoJoin us for a volunteer camping weekend at the picturesque Rancho El Sahuaro, just 15 minutes south of the U.S.-Mexico border town of Naco, Sonora. As part of our larger Ranchos Regenerativos program, which aims to integrate traditional ranching practices with land stewardship, we will be working with the landowners on restoration activities at this mixed grassland ranch.
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‘Spring Cleaning’ Weed Removal at Tucson Springs
Tucson, ArizonaJoin our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Road Rewilding in the Huachucas
Montezuma Pass Cochise County, AZ, United StatesJoin SIA as we physically decommission closed roads in the southern foothills of the Huachuca Mountains. We'll be camouflaging roads with rocks and woody debris, reseeding native plants, building erosion-control structures, and installing signs to notify the public about closures. We'll be camping overnight, but day-trippers are also welcome.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Tucson, ArizonaJoin our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Survey Springs in the Catalinas
North Mount Lemmon Road Oracle, ArizonaJoin us for this Spring Seeker day trip as we bushwhack to springs along the Mt. Lemmon control road on the north side of the Catalinas.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Tucson, ArizonaJoin our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Sky Island FotoFauna Class in Green Valley
Green Valley Recreation 1070 S. Calle de las Casitas, Green Valley, ArizonaThis Jan. 7 and Jan. 21, we’re hosting a two-part class in Green Valley for folks interested in joining Sky Island FotoFauna and learning how to set up a wildlife camera in their backyard as part of our community science project. Registration for Green Valley Recreation members opens Dec. 9, and for the rest of the public, it opens Dec. 24.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Road Rewilding in the Huachucas
Montezuma Pass Cochise County, AZ, United StatesJoin SIA as we physically decommission closed roads in the southern foothills of the Huachuca Mountains. We'll be camouflaging roads with rocks and woody debris, reseeding native plants, building erosion-control structures, and installing signs to notify the public about closures. We'll be camping overnight, but day-trippers are also welcome.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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A Conversation With SIA Leadership
Join Sky Island Alliance staff for a virtual talk and Q&A on what we know so far about the impacts of the Trump administration's chaos on our work, our current priorities, and ideas on how to keep fulfilling our mission in the face of uncertainty.
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Tracking Urban Emissions Through Plant Radiocarbon and Traffic Modeling
VirtualJoin us for our next virtual talk — a chance to learn how you can volunteer to better understand greenhouse gas emissions in your town by simply collecting invasive plants and counting traffic. Our guest speaker will be Ashley Cadena, a PhD student at Northern Arizona University’s Center of Ecosystems Science and Society. She’ll be speaking on behalf of the Southwest Urban Corridor Integrated Field Laboratory.
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Training: How to Use the Hestia Traffic App
Sky Island Alliance Office 3127 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesHelp improve the understanding of road emissions in urban areas by collecting vehicle data using the Hestia traffic app. This brief field training will be held at SIA's Tucson office, so volunteers can walk through the steps, ask questions, and get practice using the app.
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Training: How to Use the Hestia Traffic App
Sky Island Alliance Office 3127 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesHelp improve the understanding of road emissions in urban areas by collecting vehicle data using the Hestia traffic app. This brief field training will be held at SIA's Tucson office, so volunteers can walk through the steps, ask questions, and get practice using the app.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Training: How to Use the Hestia Traffic App
Sky Island Alliance Office 3127 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesHelp improve the understanding of road emissions in urban areas by collecting vehicle data using the Hestia traffic app. This brief field training will be held at SIA's Tucson office, so volunteers can walk through the steps, ask questions, and get practice using the app.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Training: How to Use the Hestia Traffic App
Sky Island Alliance Office 3127 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesHelp improve the understanding of road emissions in urban areas by collecting vehicle data using the Hestia traffic app. This brief field training will be held at SIA's Tucson office, so volunteers can walk through the steps, ask questions, and get practice using the app.
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Saving Our Saguaros: Managing Grassification of the Sonoran Desert
VirtualJoin us for our next virtual Coffee Break to learn more about a pressing issue in our region and what we can do to help. Our guest speaker will be Kim Franklin, associate director of conservation at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
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Training: How to Use the Hestia Traffic App
Sky Island Alliance Office 3127 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesHelp improve the understanding of road emissions in urban areas by collecting vehicle data using the Hestia traffic app. This brief field training will be held at SIA's Tucson office, so volunteers can walk through the steps, ask questions, and get practice using the app.
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Training: How to Use the Hestia Traffic App
Sky Island Alliance Office 3127 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesHelp improve the understanding of road emissions in urban areas by collecting vehicle data using the Hestia traffic app. This brief field training will be held at SIA's Tucson office, so volunteers can walk through the steps, ask questions, and get practice using the app.
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‘Satellite’ Book Launch
Sky Island Alliance is excited to cosponsor the launch of “Satellite,” Tucson-based author Simmons Buntin’s new essay collection exploring belonging — among people, places, and wildlife — through 16 essays spanning the Sky Island region and beyond. In his book, Buntin searches for a balance between the built and natural environments, asking how the beings that inhabit these ecosystems can coexist in ways that enable us not only to survive, but to thrive together. Join SIA and Terrain.org for a multimedia presentation, discussion, and book signing on Sunday, March 9, from 4-5 p.m. at the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona. The event is free, and there’s free parking as well on weekends in the lot directly behind the center, which is accessible off 2nd Street and Palm.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Volunteer Appreciation Night
MotoSonora 1015 S Park Ave, Tucson, ArizonaSave the date! On March 19, from 5-7 p.m., we're hosting a gathering at Tucson brew-pub MotoSonora to celebrate you all — volunteers past, present, and future. More details to come. We're looking forward to seeing you all and bringing folks together to honor the incredible work done this past year throughout the Sky Islands.
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Survey Springs in the Galiuro Mountains
Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area Willcox, ArizonaJoin us for a weekend of car camping as we survey springs in the Galiuro Mountains on The Nature Conservancy's Muleshoe Ranch.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Arizona Rally for Public Lands
Arizona Capitol - House Lawn 1700 West Washington Street, Phoenix, ArizonaArizonans from across the state are gathering to call on elected officials to protect our public lands and waters. That means maintaining full access, protecting wildlife, and supporting parks staff in their stewardship work.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Coffee Break: Update on Our Migratory Bird Monitoring in Sonora
VirtualJoin us April 1 at 9:30 a.m. for our next virtual Coffee Break to learn more about our exciting new project bridging grassland bird conservation and regenerative ranching in Sonora. Our speakers will be SIA’s very own Wildlife Program Manager Eamon Harrity and Mexico Program Manager Zach Palma.
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Comment Workshop for Mammoth Mine
The Wilson Barn 2436 W Linda Vista Road, Oracle, ArizonaThe Bureau of Land Management has opened a public comment period until April 14 for Faraday Copper’s continued exploratory drilling in the Galiuro Mountains. Join the Lower San Pedro Watershed Alliance and Center for Biological Diversity for a workshop, in person or on Zoom, to learn how to submit effective comments ahead of the deadline.
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FotoFauna Talk in Phoenix
Desert Botanical Garden 1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, ArizonaJoin us at Phoenix's Desert Botanical Garden for an introduction to FotoFauna, our community science project. By setting up a wildlife camera in your backyard, you can help observe presence, absence, and seasonal movements of species in the Sky Islands of the U.S. and Mexico.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Wildlife Photos Exhibit in Agua Prieta
Museo Arte Patrimonio C. 6 Ave. 16, Agua Prieta, Sonora, MexicoSIA highlight photos and videos of wildlife, including ones from our FotoFauna and Border Wildlife Study cameras, as well as moments captured out in the field, will be on display in Agua Prieta, Sonora. So if you’re in the area, join us! Entrance is free, and the exhibit will be showing in the museum until June. But if you come this first night at 5 p.m., you can hear SIA Wildlife Specialist Miguel Enríquez share some stories about the photos, many of which he took. Folks from Cuenca Los Ojos, our collaborators in this exhibit, will also be there to speak and share highlight photos and videos.
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Help Restore Tucson’s Barrel Spring
Calling all weekend warriors: On Sunday, April 13, we’re hosting a single-day volunteer event as part of our Tucson spring cleaning campaign to restore desert wildlife oases. This time we’ll be at Barrel Spring, near our other current project site, on the northeast side of town. Your help is needed to stop invasive arundo from spreading downstream, where it could eventually reach Sabino Creek.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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FotoFauna Class at Tucson Zoo
This April 19 and May 10, Sky Island Alliance is hosting a two-part class at Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo for folks interested in joining FotoFauna and learning how to set up a wildlife camera in their yard as part of our community science project. We’d love for you to join us!
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Border BioBlitz in the San Rafael Valley
San Rafael Valley Near the U.S.-Mexico BorderCalling birders, botanists, bug lovers, trackers, herpers, fungi folk, and naturalists of all sorts! Join us this May 3 in the San Rafael Valley of Arizona for a day of surveying as part of this year’s annual border bioblitz. Using the iNaturalist app, our goal will be to identify as many species as possible to document the amazing diversity of life in our borderlands.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Coffee Break on Borderlands Wildlife Corridors
VirtualOnly a few sections of the border within the Path of the Jaguar are still passable to most wildlife. One of these sections is the San Rafael Valley between the Patagonia and Huachuca mountains. However, once wildlife traverse the border, there are still a multitude of threats they must face including dangerous roads, lack of water, fences, mining, and development. Join us for our next virtual Coffee Break to hear from Aaron Mrotek, the manager of The Nature Conservancy’s Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, and SIA’s Stewardship Manager Bryon Lichtenhan. They’ll discuss what our organizations are doing to improve the conditions for wildlife throughout this important landscape in partnership with other NGOs, state, and federal agencies. You'll also learn how to get involved with various projects.
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FotoFauna Class at Tucson Zoo
This April 19 and May 10, Sky Island Alliance is hosting a two-part class at Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo for folks interested in joining FotoFauna and learning how to set up a wildlife camera in their yard as part of our community science project. We’d love for you to join us!
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us for the Memorial Day long weekend as we resume the fight against invasive vinca. We'll be camping at the Nature Conservancy's guesthouse on the east side of Aravaipa Canyon Preserve.
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Border BioBlitz in Sonora
Cuenca Los Ojos Ranch Agua Prieta, Sonora, MexicoCalling birders, botanists, bug lovers, trackers, herpers, fungi folk, and naturalists of all sorts! Join us this May 24-25 at Cuenca Los Ojos ranch near Agua Prieta, Sonora, for a weekend of camping and surveying as part of this year’s annual border bioblitz. Using the iNaturalist app, our goal will be to identify as many species as possible to document the amazing diversity of life in our borderlands. Campers are welcome to arrive at Cuenca Los Ojos ranch on Friday, May 23. Then on Saturday we’ll be surveying in the Animas Valley within the ranch. And on Sunday we’ll head to another part of the ranch in the San Bernardino Valley.
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Fireflies in Arizona and Sonora
Virtual TalkSouthern Arizona and northern Sonora are home to the Southwest spring firefly (Bicellonycha wickershamorum), a nocturnal species associated with permanent streams and marshy areas in the Sky Islands. This rare firefly is currently under review for U.S. Endangered Species Act listing and is the subject of several research and survey efforts. Additional information is needed on the distribution of the species in Sonora, and you can help!
Please join biologists with the Xerces Society and Friends of the Verde River to learn more about this firefly and its life history and how you can help contribute to conservation efforts. The presentation will be bilingual for English- and Spanish-speaking participants.
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Coffee Break: How Nature Supports Southern Arizona’s Economy
VirtualPeople from all over the world come to southern Arizona to experience the outdoors, recreate, and just be among the area’s scenic landscapes and wildlife. But how much is that worth, and what are the costs if it’s lost? Join SIA for our next virtual Coffee Break. We’ll be joined by Borderlands Restoration Network board member Chuck Klingenstein, who will share results from the first Nature-Based Restorative Economy study in Santa Cruz County, commissioned by the community and conducted by the University of Arizona.
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us for a weekend in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve as we resume the fight against invasive vinca!
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us for a weekend in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve as we resume the fight against invasive vinca!
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Spring Seeker Backpack in Sabino Canyon
For experienced Spring Seekers only, since we'll be on and off trail while searching for new springs up side canyons along the West Fork. We'll start from Gordon Hirabayashi Campground and camp near Hutch's Pool, which should have good swimming. Over the course of the weekend, we may hike around 25 miles.
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Project Mountain Recharge: Moving Rocks to Save the Rain on Mt. Lemmon
VirtualIn response to the 2020 Bighorn Fire, Sky Island Alliance has been working with the Arizona Conservation Corps and Coronado National Forest to build more than 250 erosion-control structures out of loose rocks. This helps protect springs, conserve soils, limit fire risk, and infiltrate rainwater and snowmelt in areas that were burned. Now, we’re planning to continue this restoration work around more springs, the community of Summerhaven, and other inhabited areas in the Catalina Mountains. Join SIA Stewardship Manager Bryon Lichtenhan for our next virtual Coffee Break to learn more about this project and how to get involved.
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Festival por la vida y el agua del río Sonora
Museo de Arte de Sonora Hermosillo, SonoraJoin us and our allies this Aug. 3 from 5-9 p.m. for the 3rd annual festival for the life and water of the Río Sonora. Our allies at Cuenca Río Sonora will be hosting the event, and we’ll be there tabling along with many other partner groups. It will be a gathering place to celebrate life and defend the river with live music, workshops, exhibitions, talks, and activities for the whole family. For almost 11 years, communities in the watershed have fought for clean water, health, and environmental justice following the Grupo México toxic spill in 2014. This festival is to remember, share, and strengthen collective memory.
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Erosion Control in the Catalinas
Join us in the Santa Catalina Mountains for a weekend building erosion-control structures in areas burned by the 2020 Bighorn Fire.
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Coffee Break: Wildlife Research at the Border During Wall Construction
VirtualConcerned about all the recent developments at the border and not sure where that leaves wildlife? Join Sky Island Alliance’s wildlife team for our next virtual Coffee Break. We’ll take a virtual tour of southeast Arizona and describe the current status of border wall construction projects underway at the Santa Cruz River and across the San Rafael Valley. We’ll also share insights from our vast network of cameras that’s faithfully keeping watch on wildlife’s cross-border movement and tracking impacts.
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Spring Cleaning at Davidson Canyon
Together with Pima County, we will remove tamarisk seedlings from the drainages around one or two natural springs in Davidson Canyon, just east of Tucson. The springs go seasonally dry but support a beautiful array of riparian plants including willows, ashes, and cottonwoods.
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Skunks of the Sky Islands
VirtualDid you know there are four different kinds of skunks in the Sky Islands? Learn more about these fascinating creatures in this free online talk, given by SIA Wildlife Specialist Meagan Bethel and hosted by our allies at Pima Master Naturalists.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll meet every Tuesday morning and be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave for work if you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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Critters of the Night
Saguaro National Park West - Red Hills Visitor Center 2700 North Kinney Road, Tucson, AZJoin us for a special evening at Saguaro National Park West. SIA Environmental Outreach Coordinator Mónica Montaño and two former interns will be there to give a talk on wildlife creatures of the night and our conservation efforts in Sonora. Afterward, folks will head out into the night to listen and look for critters. Note: Space is limited and reservations are required. Please call 520-733-5158 or visit the Red Hills Visitor Center to sign up.
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Wildlife Extravaganza on Tumamoc Hill
Tumamoc Hill Boathouse (Base of Hill) Tucson, ArizonaMeet with various local organizations, including Sky Island Alliance, and ask all your wildlife questions. SIA Wildlife Specialist Meagan Bethel will be there. This family friendly event, located at the base of Tumamoc Hill, will include kids activities, games, and free giveaways.
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Malpai Borderlands Conference
Geronimo Event Center 4 Rattlesnake Canyon Road, Rodeo, NMJoin us in person or virtually at this free annual conference, led by ranchers in southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico. There are several guest speakers who will present as part of the day's conference, including SIA's Eamon Harrity, who will give a talk on the border wall's impacts on wildlife. Other talks will feature tarantulas, spotted cats, ranching strategies, and rewilding landscapes.
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Sky Island FotoFauna Class in Green Valley
Green Valley Recreation 1070 S. Calle de las Casitas, Green Valley, ArizonaThis Oct. 6 and Oct. 27, we’re hosting a two-part class in Green Valley for folks interested in joining Sky Island FotoFauna and learning how to set up a wildlife camera in their backyard as part of our community science project. Registration for Green Valley Recreation members is already open and, for the rest of the public, it opens Sept. 22. SIA Wildlife Program Manager Eamon Harrity will be leading the class.
Course fee: $50
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Discovery Night: Bats and Snakes
Children's Museum Tucson 200 S 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesSky Island Alliance presents a special Discovery Night in partnership with the Children's Museum of Tucson. Free and open to the public, this event will feature live bats and snakes with crafts and expert presentations. At 5:30 p.m. bat biologist Debbie Buecher will present, followed by a 6 p.m. presentation from snake biologist Mike Cardwell. Come learn more about these misunderstood creatures from the experts, and get to see these animals in person, all while enjoying a free night at the museum.
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Wildlife and Walls: How Barriers on the U.S.-Mexico Border Impact Wildlife
Western National Parks Association 12880 N. Vistoso Village Dr., Oro Valley, ArizonaBorder walls are spreading around the world, including right here in Arizona. Since 2020, Sky Island Alliance has used motion-activated cameras to study the impacts of border barriers on wildlife movements. Join Eamon Harrity for this in-person talk to learn about these monitoring efforts and how different species respond to border barriers.
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Celebrate: 2025 Festival of the Sky Islands
Plaza Principal en Moctezuma, Sonora AZ, MexicoSave the dates! Oct. 16-18 is the 4th annual Festival of the Sky Islands in Moctezuma, Sonora. Let’s celebrate in an event filled with education, art, and conservation. This year, we are placing special emphasis on the Sky Islands’ grasslands, which are very important for bird migration, climate regulation, water filtration, and other ecosystem services. This event is made possible through a collective commitment, with the participation of organizations, students, artists, teachers, and schools, sharing their talent and knowledge through workshops, talks, exhibits, artistic performances, and community activities.
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us for a weekend in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve as we resume the fight against invasive vinca!
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Erosion Control in the Catalinas
Join us in the Santa Catalina Mountains for a weekend building erosion-control structures in areas burned by the 2020 Bighorn Fire. Together, we can protect springs from landslides and ensure the mountain absorbs even more rain and snowmelt, recharging the aquifer that plants, wildlife, and people like us depend on. Note: Carpooling from Tucson is available, and day-trippers are most welcome. We'll be camping at Whitetail Campground on Mt. Lemmon.
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Wildlife and the Wall: How Animals Navigate Barriers on the U.S.-Mexico Border
Tumamoc Hill Boathouse (Base of Hill) Tucson, ArizonaBorder walls are spreading around the world, including right here in Arizona. Since 2020, Sky Island Alliance has used motion-activated cameras to study the impacts of border barriers on wildlife movements. Join Eamon Harrity to learn about these monitoring efforts and how different species respond to border barriers.
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’
Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We'll be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave whenever you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.
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FotoFauna Class in Oro Valley
This Nov. 12 and Nov. 19, Sky Island Alliance is hosting a two-part class in Oro Valley for folks interested in joining FotoFauna and learning how to set up a wildlife camera in their yard as part of our community science project. We’d love for you to join us!
Course fee: $50 per adult (kids free)
Optional fee: $100 for a camera kit -
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us for a weekend in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve as we resume the fight against invasive vinca!
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Springs Restoration in the Whetstones
Kartchner Caverns State Park 2980 AZ-90, Benson, AZ, United StatesJoin us for a day of removing invasive species at McGrew Spring in southern Arizona's beautiful Whetstone Mountains. Closed to the public, the spring is more than two miles from any other water source and is a favorite haunt of coatis, black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and birds.
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The Border Wall: Updates & Impacts for Mexico
VirtualWe've all heard about "the line," "la migra," and the illegal market that exists between Mexico and the United States. But have you ever wondered how border infrastructure affects local communities, Indigenous peoples, and the wildlife that inhabit this region? We invite you this Dec. 8 at 10 a.m. to our next virtual Coffee Break, a panel and open conversation in Spanish about the new border wall construction in the Sky Islands region and the social and ecological impacts it’s generating. Panelists will be representing various Mexican organizations with experience and perspective on the border.
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us for a weekend in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve as we resume the fight against invasive vinca!
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Santa Cruz Watershed Days of Connection
Danny Lopez Park 4300 N Silverbell Road, Tucson, ArizonaJoin us and our allies for this family-friendly event along the Santa Cruz River in Tucson. There will be food, music, and fun, as well as a chance to help clean up along the river.
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Santa Cruz Watershed Days of Connection
Las Milpitas Community Farm 2405 S. Cottonwood Lane, Tucson, ArizonaJoin us and our allies for this family-friendly event along the Santa Cruz River in Tucson. There will be food, music, and fun, as well as a chance to help clean up along the river.
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Spring Seeking in the Catalinas
Join us for some wild and beautiful hikes on the east side of the Catalinas, near Redington Pass, as we survey springs by day and car camp at night.
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Erosion Control in the Catalinas
Join us in the Santa Catalina Mountains for a weekend building erosion-control structures in areas burned by the 2020 Bighorn Fire. Together, we can protect springs from landslides and ensure the mountain absorbs even more rain and snowmelt, recharging the aquifer that plants, wildlife, and people like us depend on. Note: Carpooling from Tucson is available, and day-trippers are most welcome. We'll be camping at Whitetail Campground on Mt. Lemmon.
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Santa Cruz Watershed Days of Connection
Verdugo Park 902 S. Verdugo Ave., Tucson, ArizonaJoin us and our allies for this family-friendly event along the Santa Cruz River in Tucson. There will be food, music, and fun, as well as a chance to help clean up along the river.
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Coffee Break: A Floristic Tour of the Rincon Mountains
VirtualJoin us for our next virtual Coffee Break to learn more about the Rincon Mountains’ exceptionally rich and dynamic plant diversity. As with so many of our sky islands, the plants in the Rincons originate from distinct regional floras and overlap across wide elevation ranges and rugged terrain. Our speaker is SIA Botanist Dan Beckman, who just recently joined us after 12 years with Saguaro National Park.
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Volunteer Open House
Sky Island Alliance Office 3127 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesCelebrate the milestones of our hard-working volunteers, socialize with the Sky Island community, and learn about upcoming volunteer events!
This event will be held at the Sky Island Alliance office, with light refreshments provided. Please RSVP by March 19.
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Wildlife-Friendly Fencing in the Mule Mountains
Part 1: Over the course of two weekends, SIA will be completing a new wildlife-friendly fence around Abbot Spring to help it recover from overuse by cattle. This is a great chance to see a new corner of the Sky Islands, meet people and camp, and either learn a new skill or share your expertise with others.
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FotoFauna Two-Part Class in Tucson
Tucson Botanical Garden 2150 North Alvernon Way, Tucson, ArizonaThis April 11 and May 2, Sky Island Alliance is hosting a two-part class at the Tucson Botanical Garden for folks interested in joining FotoFauna and learning how to set up a wildlife camera in their yard as part of our community science project. We’d love for you to join us!
Course fee: $60 ($48 for Tucson Botanical Garden members)
Optional fee: $100 for a camera kit -
Rattlesnakes Are Awesome Moms!
VirtualReady to explore the surprising world of rattlesnake families and learn how these remarkable reptiles care for and protect their young? Join us for our next virtual Coffee Break. Our guest speaker is Melissa Amarello, co-founder and executive director of Advocates for Snake Preservation. For her talk, she’ll draw on more than two decades of studying and living with reptiles to show us what snakes are really like through stories and videos.
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Springs Restoration in the Whetstones
Kartchner Caverns State Park 2980 AZ-90, Benson, AZ, United StatesJoin us for a day of removing invasive species at McGrew Spring in southern Arizona's beautiful Whetstone Mountains. Closed to the public, the spring is more than two miles from any other water source and is a favorite haunt of coatis, black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and birds.
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Wildlife-Friendly Fencing in the Mule Mountains
Part 2: Over the course of two weekends, SIA will be completing a new wildlife-friendly fence around Abbot Spring to help it recover from overuse by cattle. This is a great chance to see a new corner of the Sky Islands, meet people and camp, and either learn a new skill or share your expertise with others.
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Coffee Break: Himdam, the Remarkable Ocelot That Traversed 4 Sky Islands
VirtualJoin us for this virtual Coffee Break to learn more about the remarkable journey of a male ocelot across four mountain ranges in the Sky Islands of Arizona, the longest-known trek by a single member of the species. This ocelot covered at least 111 miles and crossed I-19, AZ-82, and AZ-83 (at least twice) as it moved among the Atascosa Highlands, Whetstone Mountains, Patagonia Mountains, and Santa Rita Mountains. One of the more fascinating aspects of this story is that the ocelot was detected in four separate ranges by four organizations, who then collaborated to tell the story. We'll be joined by several partners for the talk to discuss this intrepid cat and what's next for ocelot conservation.
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us for a Memorial Day weekend in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve as we resume the fight against invasive vinca!