Special Events
Connecting the Tracks: The Last of the Northern Jaguars
ZUZI Theater 738 N. 5th Ave., Tucson, AZ, United StatesThe story of the jaguar Corazón, told through a new documentary film produced by Christopher Barnes.
Monarch Butterflies
ZUZI Theater 738 N. 5th Ave., Tucson, AZ, United StatesBiologists Mirna Manteca (Sky Island Alliance) and Sergio Avila (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum) will speak about the biology and ecology of butterflies and other pollinators, with special emphasis on Monarch butterflies.
Fun with KXCI’s Petey Mesquitey & Author Ken Lamberton
ZUZI Theater 738 N. 5th Ave., Tucson, AZ, United StatesJoin KXCI Community Radio's Petey Mesquitey along with author and naturalist Ken Lamberton for an evening of stories and fun.
Mythical River: Water in the Southwest
ZUZI Theater 738 N. 5th Ave., Tucson, AZ, United States2015 Ellen Meloy Desert Writers Award winner Melissa Sevigny will speak about her upcoming book Mythical River, which weaves together the geology, ecology, history and politics of the American Southwest into a narrative about water that considers what it means to make a home in a dry place.
Wild Sky Islands Celebration
La Cocina 201 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesJoin us under the stars for music, poetry, food, and fun, 6pm Tuesday September 15th at La Cocina and Old Town Artisans, downtown Tucson. Learn what we've been up to, and celebrate our community heroes and the biodiversity of the Sky Islands with us!
Open House Party!
Sky Island Alliance Office 3127 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesTrees and drinks! It's a party! Come see our new beautiful new office in Armory Park on Tuesday, October 20th between 2-8pm.
Volunteer Appreciation Picnic
Reid Park 100 Country Club Road, Ramada 1, Tucson, United StatesIt's a picnic and a party... Come celebrate Sky Island Alliance's amazing volunteers!
25th Anniversary Celebration
La Cocina 201 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesWe’re celebrating our 25th Anniversary, and it won’t be a party without you! You’re invited to an evening of fun, music, and friends. Hang out with our staff, reminisce, celebrate our current work, and dream with us about the next 25 years! And for every dollar you spend on food and drink, La Cocina is...
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We Track Jessica – A Celebration!
Ruby Ruby, AZ, United StatesPlease join us in wishing Jessica all the best, and celebrating 15 years of one of our signature citizen science programs, with refreshments, a potluck lunch, and tracking activities, in the historic ghost town of Ruby, AZ.
Special Happy Hour for Arizona Gives Day
Sentinel Peak Brewing Co 4647 E Grant Rd, Tucson, AZJoin us at Sentinel Peak Brewing Company, 4746 E Grant Rd, Tucson, for a special Arizona Gives Day happy hour to celebrate all the amazing species that make the Sky Islands a special place to live and play. Arizona Gives Day is a 24-hour, statewide campaign to support giving to your favorite nonprofits working to...
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Volunteer Appreciation Party – La Cocina
La Cocina 201 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesCome celebrate with us at our annual Volunteer Appreciation event! We'll have food, music and lots of fun as we acknowledge all the hard work and dedication of our fantastic volunteers. After all, we couldn't do a fraction of what we do without all of you!
Noche del Espiritu Jaguar – Night of the Jaguar Spirits
Tap + Bottle North 7254 N Oracle Rd, Tucson, AZ, United StatesCome celebrate the Spirit of the Jaguar with us! Join us for an evening of fun and community at Tap+Bottle North (NE corner of Ina and Oracle) for a Dia de los Muertos celebration. We want to celebrate you and the power of community to preserve the unique beauty and wild nature of our Sky...
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All Soul’s Procession – Procession of the Jaguars
806 N Grande Ave, Tucson, AZ 85745-2406, United StatesJoin the Sky Island Alliance, the Northern Jaguar Project, and the Center for Biological Diversity to remember our borderlands jaguars this year at the All Souls Procession. We'll be walking with a huge jaguar puppet, two jaguar statues, and a limited number of jaguar masks and signs to share. Come dressed ready to process in...
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Track the Jaguars at the Armory Park Historic Home Tour
We're honored to be a part of the Armory Park Historic Home Tour this year. Our offices occupy a beautiful historic home in this thriving neighborhood, and we invite you to stop by and take a tour. Join the self-guided tour and get a glimpse at styles ranging from California bungalow and dainty Victorian to...
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Volunteer Appreciation Party
Tucson Hop Shop 3230 N Dodge Blvd, Tucson, AZ, United StatesIt takes many hands to get our work done—and we want to show our appreciation for your contribution! Please join us for an evening of fun and community at Tucson Hop Shop. Musical entertainment will be provided by the Kevin Pakulis Band, and we’ll be distributing patches for the volunteers who contributed 50+ hours in...
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Arizona Gives Day Happy Hour
Tap + Bottle North 7254 N Oracle Rd, Tucson, AZ, United StatesIt takes many voices to protect the Path of the Jaguar. YOU can empower the next generation of conservation leaders and protect pathways for wildlife this Arizona Gives Day! Join us at Tap + Bottle North, 7254 N Oracle Rd, Tucson, for a special Arizona Gives Day happy hour celebration. Come raise a glass with...
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Volunteer Appreciation Party-Friday, April 12
Borderlands Brewing Co 119 E Toole Ave, Tucson, AZ, United StatesJoin us as we celebrate YOU, our amazing volunteers!
Coronado Memorial Borderlands Festival
Coronado National Memorial 4101 E Montezuma Canyon Rd, Hereford, United StatesHelp us celebrate the diversity of the region at this year’s Borderlands Festival Fronterizo! This outdoor fiesta will include music, dancing, and performers. We hope you can join us to celebrate the landscape and culture we share along the borderlands. Join Sky Island Alliance in our Celebration of Crossborder Cats, come learn about our wildlife...
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Fall Wildlife Tracking Workshop: 2019
The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse 40926-40928 Aravaipa Canal, Willcox, United StatesJoin us for a four-day get-away in a spectacular Sky Island setting with Sky Island Alliance staff and regional guest experts. Participants gain hands-on field instruction and theory in a variety of wildlife tracking skills and techniques.
Sky Island Alliance Thanks YOU! Sky Island IPA release party
Thunder Canyon Brewery 220 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, ArizonaCome to Thunder Canyon Brewery on December 3rd from 5-8 pm to enjoy of night of fun! We would like to thank all of our supporters on Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. While you are there, celebrate and enjoy...
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VIRTUAL COFFEE BREAK – A Stroll on the San Pedro River
Join Sky Island Alliance Executive Director, Louise Misztal, for a stroll down the San Pedro River — a ribbon of lush life in the heart of the Sky Island region. You'll see some cool critters, hear the relaxing sounds of flowing water, and learn fun facts about the river and the diversity of life that calls it home. And,...
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2021 Border BioBlitz/BioBlitz de la Frontera 2021
U.S.-Mexico BorderlandsHELP US RECORD AS MANY SPECIES AS POSSIBLE ALONG THE U.S.-Mexico border The 2021 Border BioBlitz is happening in April this year! This is a community science effort to record as many species as possible along the U.S.-Mexico border. Sky Island Alliance, in collaboration with Next Generation Sonoran Desert Researchers and many other organizations, invite...
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Sky Island Volunteer Celebration
On Saturday, April 23rd at 10am (Arizona Time) we are excited to honor and celebrate our volunteers! Via Zoom we will express our gratitude for our committed and hardworking volunteers who showed up even in a global pandemic! Over the past year alone, Sky Island Alliance had more than 300 volunteers, who worked almost 7000...
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“American Scar” Virtual Screening and Panel Discussion
VirtualSky Island Alliance, Wildlands Network, and Cuenca Los Ojos are leading conservation organizations working across the border in southern Arizona and northern Sonora. Together we invite you to a virtual screening of The New Yorker’s short film, "American Scar," on May 4 at 5 p.m. MST. After watching the 13-minute film, listen to a moderated...
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Junior Spring Seeker at Agua Caliente Park
Agua Caliente Park 12325 East Roger Road, Tucson, AZ, United StatesBring the whole family to Agua Caliente Park on Saturday, May 14 between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Families will be able to pick up a free kids activity booklet to learn about springs, nature, plants, and animals — and why we want to protect our Sky Island springs. Kids can also pledge to be...
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Border Wildlife Tracking Blitz
San Rafael Valley near the U.S.-Mexico Border , United StatesThere are only a few spots along the U.S.-Mexico border still open to wildlife movement between the two countries. The stretch from the Patagonia Mountains to the Huachucas, across the San Rafael Valley, is one of them. For the past few years we've been focused our Border Wildlife Study here. Now we want to document...
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Coffee Break: Sky Island Fireflies
VirtualDid you know there are more than 20 different species of fireflies in Arizona? Or that fireflies in the Sky Islands synchronize their flashes, lighting up the night in unison? Join us for our next Coffee Break to learn more from firefly expert Joe Cicero.
Birding With a Purpose: Help Survey Springs in the Sky Islands
Virtual / In Collaboration With Tucson AudubonJoin us to learn more about SIA's Spring Seeker program from Habitat Conservation Manager Sarah Truebe. Next time you go birding, you can survey a spring too! It’s easy with our smartphone app. This will help protect these precious water sources, and it'll benefit the birds and other wildlife.
Training: Learn How to Become a Sky Island Spring Seeker
VirtualJoin us to learn more about the Spring Seeker program from SIA Habitat Conservation Manager Sarah Truebe. Spring Seeker is a community science program where volunteers can search for springs across southern Arizona and northern Mexico, documenting conditions using a simple smartphone app.
Spring Seeker Field Trip: Huachuca Mountains
Meetup at Pizzeria Mimosa 4755 E. Neapolitan Way, Hereford, AZJoin us in the field to explore Clark Spring in southern Arizona's Huachuca Mountains. This is an approximately 2-mile round-trip hike at 6,000 feet elevation.
Spring Seeker Field Trip: Patagonia Mountains
Paton Center for Hummingbirds 477 Pennsylvania Ave., Patagonia, AZJoin us in the field to explore a natural spring in southern Arizona's beautiful Patagonia Mountains. As a group, we’ll decide how to answer the Spring Seeker survey questions, and everyone will get a chance to submit their own surveys and pictures.
Critter Night at Tucson’s Mission Garden
Mission Garden 946 W Mission Lane, Tucson, AZEvery year in August, Tucson's Mission Garden invites experts from wildlife agencies, local nonprofits, and the University of Arizona to come teach about wildlife in our area. Some groups bring live animals. Join us for this fun, family-friendly night. Free with $5 suggested donation.
Coffee Break: The Forgotten Botanist
VirtualJoin us Sept. 1 for an exciting conversation with independent scholar, editor, poet, and author Wynne Brown, who will share details from Sara Lemmon’s life and work with an emphasis on Sky Island plants.
Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZWant to do something fun and meaningful this Labor Day weekend? Come join us in the beautiful Aravaipa Canyon Preserve. We'll be continuing work to remove invasive vinca along the banks of the creek.
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 a keynote speech from local poet-storyteller Petey Mesquitey, live music, regional field trips, farmer's market, a film screening, and more.
Presentation: Wildlife of the Huachucas
Carr House 1011 E. Carr Canyon Rd., Hereford, ArizonaJoin us for this free event hosted by Friends of the Huachuca Mountains — part of a series of talks on the natural and cultural history of the region. Sky Island Alliance Program Director Emily Burns will give a talk on wildlife in the southern Huachucas and our work to protect these species.
Training: Intro to Sky Island FotoFauna
VirtualDo you love wildlife in the Sky Islands and have a place where you could place a backyard trail camera? This training is for you! Learn FotoFauna basics including selecting and placing a wildlife camera, how to identify different wildlife species, and how to submit your monthly checklist.
Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us in the beautiful Aravaipa Canyon Preserve this fall for a fun and meaningful weekend with other volunteers. We'll be continuing work to remove invasive vinca along the banks of the creek.
Springs Restoration in the Whetstones
Kartchner Caverns State Park 2980 AZ-90, Benson, AZ, United StatesMcGrew Spring is a shady, secluded oasis in southern Arizona's 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. Unfortunately, in recent years, the spring has become overtaken by an invasive plant...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us in the beautiful Aravaipa Canyon Preserve this fall for a fun and meaningful weekend with other volunteers. We'll be continuing work to remove invasive vinca along the banks of the creek.
Celebrate: Festival de las Islas del Cielo
Plaza Principal — Moctezuma, Sonora, MexicoThis Oct. 14-15 the town of Moctezuma, Sonora, will host the first Festival of the Sky Islands. Come join us and help celebrate our region’s incredible biodiversity and culture. This event has been a great collaborative effort between environmental organizations including Sky Island Alliance, local groups, and the community of Moctezuma. There will be tables...
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Join the Challenge: Help Document Our Dark Skies
VirtualJoin us for this special event in appreciation of the spectacular dark skies of the Sky Islands. We'll explain how artificial lighting threatens the nocturnal environment that wildlife need to thrive. We’ll also explain how you can step outside after the webinar and collect a simple measurement of how dark the sky is above you.
Arizona Border Briefing
VirtualJoin us for a briefing on the state of Arizona's illegal plan to barricade more of the U.S.-Mexico border with shipping containers on federal land. The newest container drop site is on Coronado National Forest land in the southern Huachuca Mountains and right in the heart of our Border Wildlife Study. Our Program Director Emily...
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Festival in Esqueda, Sonora
Esqueda, Sonora — Centro de Usos Multiples and Plaza PrincipalThis Nov. 24-25 the town of Esqueda, Sonora, will host its first annual conservation festival. So come join us and help celebrate our region's biodiversity and culture in a beautiful setting in the heart of the Sky Islands.
Sky Island Alliance Happy Hour
Westbound 267 South Avenida del Convento #12, Tucson, AZTake a break from holiday cooking and join us this Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29, for a relaxed happy hour gathering at Tucson’s Westbound — just west of downtown in the MSA Annex. We’ll be celebrating each other and all we’ve accomplished this year in the Sky Islands.
Women Move Mountains
VirtualOn Dec. 9, Mountain Sentinels and Canadian Mountain Network are hosting a free two-hour online event called "Women Move Mountains" to celebrate diverse women leaders (including our very own Executive Director Louise Misztal) in mountain conservation, recreation, and advocacy. The event will take the form of a panel discussion with Q&A. Last year the event...
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FotoFauna 2022 Photo Contest
VirtualJoin us for a holiday happy hour to celebrate some of the best wildlife photos from FotoFauna in 2022! Sky Island Alliance staff are busy choosing their favorite photographs in various categories including “Best Action Shot,” “True Love,” “Young of the Year,” “Neighborhood Watch,” and more. We need your help to pick the top photos by...
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Arizona Border Update
VirtualRing in the new year with us as we discuss the evolving situation with the state of Arizona's illegal shipping-container wall on the Coronado National Forest. Our Program Director Emily Burns and Dinah Bear, legal expert and co-founder of the Border Coalition, will host the virtual talk, followed by a Q&A. We’ll be celebrating the...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal
Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZCome join us in the beautiful Aravaipa Canyon Preserve this February for a fun and meaningful weekend with other volunteers. We'll be continuing work to remove invasive vinca along the banks of the creek.
Coffee Break: Spring Into Stewardship
VirtualReady to get your hands dirty and make a difference in the Sky Islands this spring? Then join us on Feb. 9 to learn more about our work to heal the Sky Islands in Arizona. Our conservation team will share an overview of upcoming projects in the Santa Catalina Mountains, at Aravaipa Canyon, and along...
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Saguaro Stewardship Experience
Saguaro National Park East 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZJoin us at Saguaro National Park for a day of invasive species removal, plant and animal ID, and exploration of remote park areas! Part one of three in this spring series.
Coffee Break: Sky Island Alliance and Conservation Culture in Sonora
VirtualWant to learn more about our projects in Sonora in 2023 and ways you can get involved as a volunteer? Join us for this virtual Coffee Break that will be presented in English and Spanish.
Saguaro Stewardship Experience
Saguaro National Park East 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZJoin us at Saguaro National Park for a day of invasive species removal, plant and animal ID, and exploration of remote park areas! Part two of three in this spring series.
Border BioBlitz Virtual Talk
VirtualJoin us for a virtual talk hosted by the San Diego Natural History Museum. Our Program Director Emily Burns will be presenting as part of a panel of speakers from both sides of the border. And you can learn more about how to participate in this April's binational Border BioBlitz.
Wildlife-Friendly Fence Installation in Huachucas
Mesa Tank (Southwestern Huachuca Foothills)Help us put up new wildlife-friendly fencing around an old cattle tank to protect water for wildlife at the edge of the beautiful San Rafael Valley. We'll be camping too, so this is a great chance to meet other volunteers and have some outdoor fun.
Sonora Gear Drive / Happy Hour
Westbound 267 South Avenida del Convento #12, Tucson, AZCome join us Friday, March 31, for a relaxed happy hour gathering at Tucson’s Westbound — just west of downtown in the MSA Annex. This is a chance to meet some of our Sonoran staff and UniSierra partners. You can also drop off items at this time as part of our Sonora Gear Drive.
Border BioBlitz: San Pedro Cleanup
San Pedro RiverJoin us for a day on the beautiful San Pedro River, helping clean up this important wildlife corridor near the border. This event is cohosted by the Sierra Club, and BLM representatives will also be on hand. Participants will meet up in Palominas and then carpool to the cleanup site.
Coffee Break: Border Wildlife Study 3rd Anniversary
VirtualJoin us for a Border Wildlife Study update on the last three years of wildlife activity along 30 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border in southeast Arizona. Our team will share their favorite photos from the study, trends observed during this three-year span, and how these data are applied to guide border policy.
Saguaro Stewardship Experience
Saguaro National Park East 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZJoin us at Saguaro National Park for a day of invasive species removal, plant and animal ID, and exploration of remote park areas! Part three of three in this spring series.
Border BioBlitz: San Rafael Valley
San Rafael Valley 277 McKeown Ave., Patagonia, AZCalling birders, botanists, bug lovers, trackers, herpers, fungi folk, and naturalists of all sorts to join us for a Borderlands BioBlitz!
Sky Island FotoFauna Gathering
La Posada Center 780 South Park Centre Avenue, Green Valley, AZ, United StatesA fun FotoFauna gathering for all who are interested. We'll gather and discuss the program and how it helped recent wins at the border.
Border BioBlitz: Parker Canyon Area
Parker Canyon Lake 3200 S Sonoita Hwy, Sonoita, AZ, United StatesCalling birders, botanists, bug lovers, trackers, herpers, fungi folk, and naturalists of all sorts to join us for a Borderlands BioBlitz!
Coffee Break: How Is Surface Water Quality Protected in Arizona?
VirtualJoin us for a virtual Coffee Break to learn more about how surface waters are protected in Arizona and what you can do to help safeguard these precious resources. The talk will be led by Dr. Erin Jordan from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
Border BioBlitz Weekend: Patagonia
Borderlands Campsite (TBD) Duquesne Road, Patagonia, AZCalling birders, botanists, bug lovers, trackers, herpers, fungi folk, and naturalists of all sorts to join us for a Borderlands BioBlitz!
Border BioBlitz: Huachuca Mountains
Huachuca Mountains 4101 E Montezuma Canyon Road, Hereford, AZCalling birders, botanists, bug lovers, trackers, herpers, fungi folk, and naturalists of all sorts to join us for a Borderlands BioBlitz!