Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: May 28 – 31 [Memorial Day Weekend]

Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United States

Ready to safely get out of the house? Come join us May 28th – 31st in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve!  TO REGISTER CLICK HERE! THE WORK: Sky Island Alliance has been helping The Nature Conservancy in Aravaipa Canyon for several years on a variety of projects to increase watershed health along this perennial riparian area. Recently we've been working on...
Read more »

Sky Island Coffee Break: Introducción a FotoFauna

Registrar Aquí ¡Únase a nosotros a las 9:30 a.m. PDT / Hora de Arizona para un Sky Island Coffee Break repleto de vida silvestre! El becario de SIA, Miguel Francisco Enríquez Galaz, le explicará cómo unirse a nuestra red de monitoreo de vida silvestre, Sky Island FotoFauna. Durante la hora, aprenderá por qué FotoFauna es tan...
Read more »

Conservation in Review: What We’re Working on in Sonora, Mexico

Register Here More than half of the Sky Islands are found in Mexico. It is a vast region of peaks, ridges, valleys, and canyons where tropical species such as coati, javelina, ocelot, and jaguar have their northern most stronghold. It is also a place of great historical and cultural richness that faces serious environmental and...
Read more »

Wildlife Tracking Field Day: June 19

Brown Mountain Trail Picnic Area and Trailhead Brown Mountain Trail, Tucson, AZ, AZ, United States

Register Here! Calling Sky Island Alliance trackers: let's practice our skills, discuss current projects, and find cool tracks and sign. About this event Join us for a morning of looking for wildlife tracks and sign! Sky island Alliance has launched a new project: 1,000 Cats. We are looking to amass 1,000 observations of wild cats...
Read more »

Bobcats in Tucson—A Study of Cats Living in the Urban/Wildlands Interface of the Tucson Mountains

Register Here! Did you know there are bobcats in Tucson? There are—and we’re here to tell you all about them.  On June 24 at 9:30 a.m. PDT, join Sky Island Alliance and Bobcats in Tucson for a coffee break on large cats! Wildlife biologist Cheryl Mollohan will discuss the study Bobcats in Tucson is conducting on bobcats living along the urban and...
Read more »

Aravaipa Canyon Planting and Vinca Removal: August 6 – 8

Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United States

Register Here! About this event: Ready to safely get out of the house? Come join us August 6th – 8th in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve! THE WORK: Sky Island Alliance has been helping The Nature Conservancy in Aravaipa Canyon for several years on a variety of projects to increase watershed health along this perennial riparian area....
Read more »

Wildlife Tracking Field Day: August 14

King Canyon Trailhead King Canyon Trailhead, Tucson, AZ, AZ, United States

Register Here! Calling Sky Island Alliance trackers: let's practice our skills, discuss current projects, and find cool tracks and sign. About this event Join us for a morning of looking for wildlife tracks and sign! Sky island Alliance has launched a new project: 1,000 Cats. We are looking to amass 1,000 observations of wild cats...
Read more »

Coffee Break: Seeking Springs in the Perimeter of the Bighorn Fire

Register Here! Calling all Sky Island volunteers and hikers: Join us to learn how to collect data on our local springs. During this coffee break, you will learn how to collect information on the health of springs affected by the Bighorn Fire in the Santa Catalina Mountains (near Tucson, Arizona) using Sky Island Alliance’s Spring...
Read more »

Aravaipa Canyon Planting and Vinca Removal: August 27 – 29

Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United States

Please note: We have changed the dates from August 20-22 to August 27-29 to accommodate more volunteers and their schedules. We would love to have you on these dates if they work for you! Register Here! Ready to safely get out of the house? Come join us August 27th – 29th in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve!...
Read more »

Sky Island Coffee Break: Introducción a Spring Seeker en Español

Register Here / Registrar Aquí ¡Únase a nosotros este jueves a las 9:30 a.m. Hora de Arizona / PDT para un Coffee Break de Sky Island en español sobre nuestro proyecto Spring Seeker! El asistente de SIA, Ángel García, le explicará cómo unirse a nosotros para aprender a recopilar datos de manantiales locales a través...
Read more »

Sky Island Coffee Break: Watershed Management Group—How Local Communities Restore and Track Tucson’s Flowing Rivers

Register Here / Registrar Aquí Join us on Thursday, September 16 at 9:30 a.m. Arizona Time/PDT to learn about two local water conservation projects hosted by our friends at the Watershed Management Group (WMG)! Our coffee break presenter, Lauren Monheim. Lauren Monheim, Program Manager for WMG’s River Run Network, will join us to share how...
Read more »

Join the Sky Island FotoFauna Project: October 2021

Explore the FotoFauna Project! In October, join Sky Island FotoFauna — a growing network of wildlife cameras that observe the presence, absence, and seasonal movements of wildlife species throughout the binational Sky Island region. What is FotoFauna? FotoFauna is a volunteer project operated entirely by local communities: schools, families, agencies, and nonprofits who are passionate...
Read more »

Survey a Sky Island Spring: Fall 2021

AZ, United States

JOIN US IN THE FIELD FOR A FUN & NATURE-FILLED SPRING SURVEY! Thanks to our amazing community of volunteers and partners, we visited over 220 springs and other water sources in the binational Sky Island region in 2020 and over 240 springs so far in 2021! With your help, we've been able to survey springs we've been...
Read more »

Sky Island Coffee Break: Introduction to FotoFauna

Register Here! Join us at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 14 for a morning webinar packed with backyard wildlife. SIA Wildlife Specialist Meagan Bethel will walk you through how to join our wildlife monitoring network, Sky Island FotoFauna. During the hour, you’ll learn why FotoFauna is so important for monitoring the regional movements of wildlife...
Read more »

Sky Island Coffee Break: Living Well and Coexisting with Urban Wildlife

Register Here! Our guest presenter, ecologist Zoë Rossman. Did you know that humans can coexist (and live happily) with the wildlife of the Sky Island region, including coyotes, javelina, and bobcats? For this Sky Island Coffee Break, we’ll meet online at 9:30 a.m. Arizona Time / PDT to hear Zoë Rossman (she/her), wildlife ecologist and...
Read more »

Community Talk: The Mammals Around Us & Wildlife throughout the Sky Islands

Pima County Historic Courthouse, Turquoise Room, 115 N. Church Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701 Pima County Historic Courthouse, Turquoise Room 115 N. Church Avenue, Tucson, AZ, United States

Register Here! This is a Sky Island Alliance talk hosted by the Pima County Historic Courthouse as part of their grand reopening. The talk will be led by Emily Burns, Program Director at Sky Island Alliance. Learn how communities throughout Pima County can get involved in protecting and monitoring wildlife by joining the Sky Island...
Read more »

Southern Galiuro Erosion Control Structures: November 19 – 21

Southern Galiuros 32.410840, -110.270995

Register Here! Join Sky Island Alliance for a single day trip OR a weekend-long volunteer trip as we install rock structures on a formerly overgrazed property in the Galiuro Mountains. ABOUT: Sky Island Alliance has partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to install erosion control structures near the Muleshoe Ranch in the southern...
Read more »

Join the Sky Island FotoFauna Project: December 2021

Explore the FotoFauna Project! In December, join Sky Island FotoFauna — a growing network of wildlife cameras that observe the presence, absence, and seasonal movements of wildlife species throughout the binational Sky Island region. What is FotoFauna? FotoFauna is a volunteer project operated entirely by local communities: schools, families, agencies, and nonprofits who are passionate...
Read more »

Southern Galiuro Erosion Control Structures: December 3 – 5

Southern Galiuros 32.410840, -110.270995

Register Here! Join Sky Island Alliance for a single day trip OR a weekend-long volunteer trip as we install rock structures on a formerly overgrazed property in the Galiuro Mountains. ABOUT: Sky Island Alliance has partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to install erosion control structures near the Muleshoe Ranch in the southern...
Read more »

Join the Sky Island FotoFauna Project: January 2021

Explore the FotoFauna Project! This January, make watching wildlife your New Year's resolution! Join Sky Island FotoFauna — a growing network of wildlife cameras — and help us observe the presence, absence, and seasonal movements of wildlife species throughout the binational Sky Island region. What is FotoFauna? FotoFauna is a volunteer project operated entirely by...
Read more »

Survey a Sky Island Spring: Winter 2022

AZ, United States

JOIN US IN THE FIELD FOR A FUN & NATURE-FILLED SPRING SURVEY! Thanks to our amazing community of volunteers and partners, we visited over 220 springs and other water sources in the binational Sky Island region in 2020 and 322 total springs in 2021! With your help, we've been able to survey springs we've been...
Read more »

Sky Island Coffee Break: Border Changes in Southeastern Arizona—A Pilot’s Perspective

Register Here! How have the borderlands of southeastern Arizona changed in recent years?  From road blading, groundwater pumping, and border wall construction to extreme changes in weather and monsoon flooding, much has happened that has impacted not only people, wildlife, and water — but fragile desert landscapes too.  Join us on the one-year anniversary of...
Read more »

Join the Sky Island FotoFauna Project: February 2022

Explore the FotoFauna Project Join our wildlife-watching fun & learn more about the species that live in your neighborhood! By joining Sky Island FotoFauna — a growing network of wildlife cameras — you'll help us observe the presence, absence, and seasonal movements of wildlife species throughout the binational Sky Island region. What is FotoFauna? FotoFauna...
Read more »

Coffee Break: Get to Know Your Slimy Neighbors—The Desert Snails of Arizona

Register Here! Did you know Arizona has over 200 native species of mollusks? Join us on February 17 for a special Sky Island Coffee Break with Arizona's “Snail Guy,” Jeff Sorensen. Jeff will introduce you to several families of snails (springsnails, talussnails, mountainsnails, and woodlandsnails) that are Species of Greatest Conservation Need across the state....
Read more »

Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: March 11 – 13

Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United States

Register Here! Ready to get out of the house? Come join us March 11th – 13th in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve! THE WORK: Sky Island Alliance has been helping The Nature Conservancy in Aravaipa Canyon for several years on a variety of projects to increase watershed health along this perennial riparian area. Recently we've teamed up...
Read more »

Coffee Break: History of Springs in a Northern Sky Island

Register Here! Springs are natural features in the Sky Islands that provide life-saving water in a very dry place, which has always made them incredibly valuable to people...who have in turn altered springs in ways that are often invisible today. Join us on March 31st at 10 am (Arizona time) to hear Don Swann from...
Read more »

Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: April 1 – 3

Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United States

Register Here! Ready to get out of the house? Come join us April 1st - 3rd in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve! THE WORK: Sky Island Alliance has been helping The Nature Conservancy in Aravaipa Canyon for several years on a variety of projects to increase watershed health along this perennial riparian area. Recently we've teamed up...
Read more »

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...
Read more »

“American Scar” Virtual Screening and Panel Discussion

Virtual

Sky 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...
Read more »

Free

Come See Us at “Science on the Sonoita Plain”

Sky Island Alliance staff will be at the Science on the Sonoita Plain Symposium on Saturday, May 7. Hosted by the Cienega Watershed Partnership and Friends of Sonoita Creek, this day of events will cover science and engagement across the Cienega and Sonoita Creek watersheds, from Vail to Patagonia and beyond. You're invited to share your...
Read more »

Junior Spring Seeker at Agua Caliente Park

Agua Caliente Park 12325 East Roger Road, Tucson, AZ, United States

Bring 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...
Read more »

Coffee Break: Geology and Geomorphology of the Sky Islands

Virtual

Have you ever wondered how the Sky Islands were created? How rivers became oriented in certain directions? How vegetation and soils play off each other to create the geographic diversity we see in sky islands? Join us Thursday, May 19, at 9:30 a.m. to hear from the University of Arizona's Professor Jon Pelletier. He'll share...
Read more »

Border Wildlife Tracking Blitz

San Rafael Valley near the U.S.-Mexico Border , United States

There 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...
Read more »

Coffee Break: Sky Island Fireflies

Virtual

Did 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 Audubon

Join 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

Virtual

Join 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, AZ

Join 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, AZ

Join 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, AZ

Every 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

Virtual

Join 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, AZ

Want 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, NM

Join 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, Arizona

Join 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

Virtual

Do 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, AZ

Come 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 States

McGrew 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...
Read more »

Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal

Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZ

Come 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, Mexico

This 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...
Read more »

Join the Challenge: Help Document Our Dark Skies

Virtual

Join 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

Virtual

Join 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...
Read more »

Festival in Esqueda, Sonora

Esqueda, Sonora — Centro de Usos Multiples and Plaza Principal

This 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, AZ

Take 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

Virtual

On 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...
Read more »

FotoFauna 2022 Photo Contest

Virtual

Join 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...
Read more »

Arizona Border Update

Virtual

Ring 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...
Read more »

Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal

Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZ

Come 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

Virtual

Ready 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...
Read more »

Saguaro Stewardship Experience

Saguaro National Park East 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ

Join 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.

Saguaro Stewardship Experience

Saguaro National Park East 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ

Join 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

Virtual

Join 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, AZ

Come 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 River

Join 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

Virtual

Join 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, AZ

Join 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, AZ

Calling 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 States

A 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 States

Calling 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?

Virtual

Join 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, AZ

Calling 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, AZ

Calling birders, botanists, bug lovers, trackers, herpers, fungi folk, and naturalists of all sorts to join us for a Borderlands BioBlitz!

Border BioBlitz: San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge

San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona

Calling birders, botanists, bug lovers, trackers, herpers, fungi folk, and naturalists of all sorts to join us for a Borderlands BioBlitz!

Coffee Break: The Future of Arizona’s Smallest Native Fish

Virtual

Join us for a virtual Coffee Break to learn more about the biology, history, and recovery of native fish in Arizona, with an emphasis on topminnows and pupfish. The talk will be led by the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Betsy Grube.

Volunteer Celebration / Happy Hour

Westbound 267 South Avenida del Convento #12, Tucson, AZ

Come join us Monday, May 8, for a relaxed happy hour gathering at Tucson’s Westbound — just west of downtown in the MSA Annex. We’ll be celebrating all our volunteers, including a special commemoration for our lifetime volunteers and new volunteers of 2023.

Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal

Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZ

Join us over Memorial Day weekend for another volunteer camping trip in the beautiful Aravaipa Canyon Preserve. We'll be continuing work to remove invasive vinca along the banks of the creek.

Webinar: FotoFauna in New Mexico

Virtual

Do you live in New Mexico or have friends who do? Then check out this webinar to learn more about joining Sky Island FotoFauna, our community wildlife-monitoring project. Since 2020, our volunteers have established more than 300 camera points, mostly in Arizona and Sonora, to monitor our region's iconic mammals such as pronghorn, mountain lions,...
Read more »

Erosion Control in the Catalinas

Palisades Visitor Center Mt. Lemmon, AZ, United States

Join us for a volunteer camping weekend in the Santa Catalinas. We'll be creating loose rock structures to halt erosion, increase water absorption, and support plant growth around Caseco Spring. These low-tech structures can make a huge difference and are a great tool for transforming landscapes. We'll be getting dirty, bending, lifting, and digging with...
Read more »

Erosion Control in the Sierra Los Ajos

Cañon de Evans Carretera Cananea-Aguaprieta Kilometro 2.6, Cananea, Sonora, Mexico

Join us for a volunteer camping weekend at Sonora's Rancho Agua de Enmedio — 15 miles south of Naco, Arizona. We'll be creating loose rock structures to halt erosion, increase water absorption, and support plant growth around a creek. And we'll do a survey of new tree growth in a recently fenced riparian area designed...
Read more »

Spring Seeking in the Patagonia Mountains

Sanctuary at Sonoita Creek 376 Pennsylvania Ave., Patagonia, AZ

Join us in the field for a day of exploring natural springs in southern Arizona's beautiful Patagonia Mountains. New Spring Seekers will be trained how to answer the survey questions, then we'll divide into small groups and carpool out to many different sites throughout the mountains.

First Guardians: A Talk on the Native Peoples of Sonora

Virtual

Join us for our next virtual Coffee Break with Dr. Alejandro Aguilar Zeleny from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History. He’ll present on the native peoples of Sonora and their role as first guardians of the lands we’ve come to know and love. The talk will be in Spanish with live translation in English.

Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal

Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZ

Join us for another volunteer camping trip in the beautiful Aravaipa Canyon Preserve. We'll be continuing work to remove invasive vinca along the banks of the creek.

Help Survey Patagonia Springs Before New Mining Begins

Patagonia Mountains AZ

We need to get eyes on springs in the Patagonia Mountains before pumping for a new mining project begins, so we can establish baseline data and better advocate for these water sources. Learn more how to join our efforts over the coming weeks.

Native Plantings at Mint Spring & Busch Spring in the Catalinas

Spencer Canyon Campground Mt. Lemmon, AZ

Join us for a weekend of planting native shrubs and wildflowers at two natural springs in the Santa Catalina Mountains. We'll be getting dirty, bending, lifting, and digging with tools provided by SIA, then enjoying each other's company at the campground at night.

Springs Restoration in the Whetstones

Kartchner Caverns State Park 2980 AZ-90, Benson, AZ, United States

Join us for a day removing invasive species around McGrew Spring — a lovely, shaded oasis in southern Arizona's Whetstone Mountains. If interested, there's also an option to camp for free the night before in Kartchner Caverns State Park.

Erosion Control at Green Spring in the Catalinas

Spencer Canyon Campground Mt. Lemmon, AZ

Join us for a weekend of building erosion-control structures near Green Spring in the Santa Catalina Mountains. We'll be getting dirty, bending, lifting, and digging with tools provided by SIA, then enjoying each other's company at the campground at night.

Critter Night at Tucson’s Mission Garden

Mission Garden 946 W Mission Lane, Tucson, AZ

Every 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.

Erosion Control on North Slope of Catalinas

Oracle Ridge Trailhead Mt. Lemmon, AZ

Join us for a day of building erosion-control structures near a priority drainage on the north slope of the Catalinas that was damaged in the 2020 Bighorn Fire. We'll be getting dirty, bending, lifting, and digging with tools provided by SIA.

Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal

Aravaipa Canyon - East / The Nature Conservancy Guesthouse Klondyke, AZ

Join us Labor Day weekend for another volunteer camping trip 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, NM

Join 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.

Art in the Park

Valencia Library 202 W. Valencia Road, Tucson, AZ

Join us for this free, family-friendly event — the first in a series hosted by Saguaro National Park. Each event will feature a different aspect of our Sonoran desert and include hands-on art activities. There will be two sessions: 10:30 a.m. and noon. For the first talk, SIA Wildlife Specialist Meagan Bethel will present on...
Read more »

Coffee Break: Arizona Water Law

Virtual

Join us for our next virtual Coffee Break on one of the most important topics in our region: water. Our presenter will be Michael Van Alsburg, a Tucson lawyer who grew up in southern Arizona and currently serves on the Sky Island Alliance board of directors as co-chair.

Wildlife-Friendly Fence Installation in Huachucas

Scotia Canyon Campground Elgin, AZ

Help us complete 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 in Scotia Canyon, so this is also a great chance to meet other volunteers and have some outdoor fun.

Coffee Break: Skunks of the Sky Islands

Virtual

Did you know that the Sky Island region has four different skunk species? Come learn all about this family of stinkin’ cute creatures during our next virtual Coffee Break, hosted by SIA Wildlife Specialist Meagan Bethel.