Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: February
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesCome join us February 28th to March 1st 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 addressing the threat...
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Border Wildlife Study Virtual Happy Hour
Join us for a virtual happy hour on Tuesday, April 7, at 5:30 PM to celebrate Arizona Gives Day. Emily Burns, Program Director and lead scientist, will share an inside look at our new Border Wildlife Study and the diverse wildlife community our cameras are detecting. Join us and toast the amazing diversity of life in the Sky...
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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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Sky Island Alliance Coffee Break: The Incredible Story of Jaguars in the Borderlands
Join us on World Jaguar Day to celebrate majestic northern jaguars. Hear the latest updates on who's been spotted lately. Learn what organizations in Sonora and the southwestern U.S. are doing to provide jaguars with the connected open space they need to recover and thrive. We'll be hosting Turtle Southern from the Northern Jaguar Project, and Randy Serraglio from...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: The Next Generation of Sky Island Leaders
La próxima generación de líderes en la conservación de las Islas del Cielo Register Here / Regístrese aquí Join us for discussion of how Sky Island Alliance is building the next generation of leaders who will study, advocate for, and protect our shared region between the United States and Mexico. During this Coffee Break, we...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Seeking Sky Island Springs
Register Here Join the next Coffee Break with Sky Island Alliance staff Emily Burns and Sami Hammer to learn about how springs bring life to the Sky Island region and what it will take to save springs for generations. We will virtually tour springs in the U.S. and Mexico and share stories of how we combine science and stewardship to protect vital Sky Island waters.
Sky Island Coffee Break: Be a Spring Seeker
Register for the Webinar Here Calling all Sky Island volunteers and hikers! During this webinar, learn how to collect valuable information on the health of springs across the Sky Island region independently. Our staff will introduce you to our new Spring Seeker survey for your smartphone and guide you through the simple steps to complete the survey during your...
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Wilderness Springs Training
Register Here Did you know that springs on U.S. Forest Service land might not be protected unless they are surveyed to validate the water rights? Come learn more about our new Spring Seeker survey and how you can help survey wilderness spring this summer in Coronado National Forest! We'll cover topics including which wilderness areas...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Border Wildlife Study 90-Day Report
Register for the Zoom Link Here Join us as we share new results from the first 90 days of our Border Wildlife Study documenting species in the path of the border wall. Since March 9, 2020, our 60-camera array along 34 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border recorded a huge diversity of mammals, birds, reptiles, and...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Introduction to Zooniverse
Are you an expert birder? Amateur mammal enthusiast? Excited to learn more about the diverse wildlife species of the Sky Islands? Come join us to hear about our new community science projects on the Zooniverse platform where you can see photos from our wildlife cameras and help us with species identification. We’ll walk through the platform, include tips from...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Conservation in Mexico 101
Join a discussion with our new Conservation Director, Paulo Quadri Barba, as he tells the story of land tenure and conservation in Mexico and describes the conservation tools used to protect both public and private land. Hear the latest news on recent defunding of CONANP—Mexico’s equivalent to the National Park Service—and how reserves in the...
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Conservation in the Patagonia Mountains
Join a discussion with Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA)—one of Sky Island Alliance's Border Wildlife Study partners—to learn about wildlife conservation efforts in Arizona's Patagonia Mountains. For nearly a decade, PARA has collected camera data to document the incredible diversity of flora and fauna species that live within the mountains' canyons and corridors. However, many...
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Set Up Your Own Backyard Wildlife Camera
If you want to see animals roam through your own corner of the Sky Islands 24/7, learn how to set up a wildlife camera in your own backyard. Join us for this virtual Coffee Break to learn Sky Island Alliance tips and tricks for choosing the right camera for your interest and how to set...
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Signs of Life—Forest Recovery After Fire
Join us for this Coffee Break to find hope in the ashes after wildfire. Across the west, fires are burning in a multitude of forests this year. We will discuss how different forest types recover after burning, from the Sky Island pine forests of the Southwest to the coast redwood forests of California. We will...
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Wilderness Waters: October Spring Surveys
Join a SIA staff member OR another volunteer in the field for a physically-distanced spring survey! Did you know that springs on U.S. Forest Service land might not be protected unless they are surveyed to validate the water rights? Come learn how to use our new Spring Seeker to survey wilderness springs and other waters...
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Evaluation of Water Sources in Sonora’s Sky Islands / Evaluación de fuentes de agua natural en las Islas del Cielo de Sonora
Register Here Join us on October 1, 2020 at 9:30am MST for a conversation with UNISIERRA undergraduate and Sky Island Alliance intern, Angel Octavio Garcia Godinez, about the results of his Spring Seeker survey project in Sonora, MX this summer. Angel surveyed more than 40 springs with his family, dramatically increasing our knowledge of springs in the area and came...
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Introduction to Sky Island FotoFauna
Register Here Do you have a backyard wildlife camera and want to contribute your photos to help monitor wildlife movement? Join us for this Coffee Break to learn all about our new volunteer wildlife monitoring network across the Sky Island region—FotoFauna. We’ll explain how to complete a monthly checklist of important indicator species from your...
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My Wanderings in the Sonoran Sky Islands—Conservation Stories with Mario Cirett
Register for the Zoom Link Here A natural-born naturalist who began camping solo at the age of 10, Mario Cirett has been working to protect the Sky Islands in Sonora for nearly 3 decades. He has been a fundamental actor in the conservation of Sonoran species and ecosystems, including working as the director of the...
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Binational Conservation in the Upper San Pedro River Watershed
Register for the Zoom link here Join this Coffee Break to hear from Profauna’s Mario Cirett and Antonio Esquer about binational collaborations investing in conservation and restoration of the Sonoran Sky Island since the early 2000s. Thanks to the Parks in Peril program from USAID, the San Pedro River watershed experienced one of its more important conservation moments towards the end of...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Border Wildlife Study 6 Month Update
Register for the Zoom Link Join us to learn the latest results from our Border Wildlife Study. With 84 species detected since March, you won’t want to miss seeing photographs of the new species we’ve seen including porcupine and the Virginia opossum. We’ll discuss which species appear most often at night and which species prefer...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Best FotoFauna Photographs of 2020
Register for the Zoom Link Join us to see the many candid and beautiful wildlife photos contributed to Sky Island FotoFauna in 2020 by volunteers and partners across the region. During this virtual Coffee Break you will cast votes for the best photos of the year! Help us select the winning photographs and wrap up...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: Dec 18 – 20
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesReady to safely get out of the house? Come join us December 18th – 20th 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...
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Winter Spring Seeker Surveys
AZ, United States JOIN A GROUP IN THE FIELD FOR A PHYSICALLY-DISTANCED SPRING SURVEY! Thanks to our amazing community of volunteers and partners, we visited over 220 springs and other water sources in the Sky Island Region in 2020! With your help we were able to survey springs we've been monitoring for years, visit springs we'd never...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Celebrating Three Decades of Sky Island Conservation
Register Here The new year marks a huge milestone for Sky Island Alliance—2021 is the organization’s 30th anniversary! Join SIA Executive Director Louise Misztal and Communications Manager Anna Sofia for the first coffee break of 2021 and embark on a trip down memory lane. You’ll learn about the long-spanning history of Sky Island Alliance, get...
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Coffee Break: Sky Island Situation Room—Stopping the Runaway Wall
Register Here Border wall construction is ramping up just days before the Biden administration takes office. In the Patagonia Mountains, wall contractors are bulldozing and grading for roads. In the Huachuca Mountains, construction continues, damaging springs and mountain habitat and increasing traffic, noise, and light pollution. This violence against the landscapes of the Sky Island...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Introduction to Aravaipa Canyon & Invasive Vinca
Register Here Join us Thursday, January 28 at 9:30 a.m. MST to learn about The Nature Conservancy’s Aravaipa Canyon Preserve and the work Sky Island Alliance is doing there on invasive periwinkle (Vinca major). First, TNC Preserve Steward Aaron Mrotek will give us an overview of the canyon, TNC’s role there, and the Vinca infestation...
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Exploring High Elevation Springs at Saguaro National Park
Register Here The Rincon Mountains are amazing—so close to Tucson and yet part of a roadless wilderness that still holds many mysteries. Join Saguaro National Park (SNP) on Thursday, February 11 at 9:30 a.m. MST to dig into these mysteries and learn just a little bit more about SNP’s work in the region. Register to attend the Zoom meeting or...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: Feb 19 – 21
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesReady to safely get out of the house? Come join us February 19th – 21st 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...
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Painting Sky Island Landscapes with Mexican Artist Jorge Obregón
Register Here Join us Thursday, February 25 at 9:30 a.m. MST for an interview with Mexican artist Jorge Obregón about his landscapes of sky island mountain ranges in central Mexico and other regions of the world! During this discussion, you’ll see several of Jorge’s paintings up close and hear how Mexico’s mountain ranges inspired him...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: March 5 – 7
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesReady to safely get out of the house? Come join us March 5th – 7th 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...
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Sky Island Happy Hour: Getting Started with FotoFauna
Register Here Join us at 4:30 p.m. on March 11 for a Sky Island Happy Hour packed with backyard wildlife! SIA Program Director Emily Burns 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 species for conservation and how you can help grow our binational FotoFauna network of many volunteers and partners. Then, we’ll walk...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: March 19 – 21
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesReady to safely get out of the house? Come join us March 19th – 21st 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...
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Best Sky Island FotoFauna Photographs of Winter 2021
Register Here Join this fun, interactive coffee break to view the season’s best Sky Island FotoFauna photographs and vote live for your favorites! Photograph categories will include Bath Time, Winter Wonderland, Best Dressed, and several more. All photos submitted to FotoFauna between December 12, 2020 and Wednesday, March 10, 2021 are eligible for the contest....
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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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Learn to Measure the Darkness of Sky Island Skies
Register Here Join Globe at Night leader Connie Walker to learn how to measure night sky darkness around you by counting the number of stars visible to the unaided eye in easily recognizable constellations! By contributing these simple Globe at Night community science data, you can help identify where the best dark corridors are for migrating wildlife. Then, once trained in the Globe at Night method, Sky Island Alliance invites you to help document...
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Introduction to Tracking Large Cat Species in the Sky Island Region
Register Here Feline habitat has become increasingly fragmented. To advocate for a better future where iconic wild cats thrive across unbroken habitat in Northern Mexico and Southern Arizona, Sky Island Alliance is launching the 1,000 Cats project, a community-driven network that will allow us to collect wild cat data and take meaningful actions to protect...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: April 16 – 18
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesReady to safely get out of the house? Come join us April 16th – 18th 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...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: A Semester with Round River Conservation Studies
Register Here Six university students from around the U.S. spent their spring semester studying the flora and fauna of the Sky Islands region as part of Round River Conservation Studies, an organization dedicated to teaching gap-year students about sustainable and community-friendly conservation strategies. Throughout the semester, these six students partnered with Sky Island Alliance staff...
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Burned Area Rehabilitation at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge Refuge Entrance Rd, Sasabe, AZ, United StatesHelp create wildlife habitat by planting in an area of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge that was recently scarred by fire.
Sky Island Coffee Break: A Big Year on the Border—Year 1 Border Wildlife Study Results
Register Here Since March 2020, our Border Wildlife Study cameras have documented ecological and environmental change along 30 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. With our species count at 109 species, we now are seeing patterns emerge across the landscape, showing where mammals and birds are most active. During this webinar, you’ll learn how the wildlife community is distributed across the San...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: May 7 – 9
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesReady to safely get out of the house? Come join us May 7th – 9th 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...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: How to Identify Wildlife on Your Trail Cameras
Register Here Do you have a wildlife camera at home? Want to learn how to better identify the species detected in your backyard? Species identification is a great skill to have, especially if you enjoy getting involved in citizen science projects like Sky Island FotoFauna or local BioBlitz events. In this online workshop, you’ll join...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: May 28 – 31 [Memorial Day Weekend]
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesReady 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...
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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...
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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...
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Wildlife Tracking Field Day: June 19
Brown Mountain Trail Picnic Area and Trailhead Brown Mountain Trail, Tucson, AZ, AZ, United StatesRegister 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...
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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...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Exploring Monsoon Season and Current Weather Conditions with CLIMAS
Register Here! How much do you know about our monsoon season? If you have questions about how it all works, including how to make sense of recent weather conditions and rain events, you won’t want to miss our next Sky Island Coffee Break! Join us on Thursday, July 29 at 9:30 a.m. Arizona Time/PDT to...
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Aravaipa Canyon Planting and Vinca Removal: August 6 – 8
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesRegister 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....
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Wildlife Tracking Field Day: August 14
King Canyon Trailhead King Canyon Trailhead, Tucson, AZ, AZ, United StatesRegister 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...
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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...
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Aravaipa Canyon Planting and Vinca Removal: August 27 – 29
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesPlease 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!...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Survey a Sky Island Spring: Fall 2021
AZ, United StatesJOIN 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...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Stories of Water, Mountains, and a Jaguar in The Borderlands
Register Here! Our coffee break presenter, Ganesh Marin. In March 2021, University of Arizona researcher Ganesh Marin discovered a jaguar while looking through the photos taken by a remote camera trap in northern Sonora. This jaguar, a male named El Bonito, is a juvenile — and his presence has been widely celebrated by environmentalists,...
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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...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: FotoFauna—First Year Results from a Growing Wildlife Monitoring Network
Register Here! Join us on Thursday, October 21 at 9:30 a.m. PDT to celebrate one year of Sky Island FotoFauna! Since launching the project in October 2020, nearly 200 cameras from across the region have shared checklists of which species are present each month. Now, after a year, we are excited to share what the...
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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...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: How Partnering with Nature can Heal the Land of the Jaguar
Register Here! Our guest presenter, Randy Young (& dog!) from La Tierra del Jaguar. In places where the majestic jaguar lives, people usually see conservation as an attempt to exclude humans and their infrastructure and livelihoods (aka systems) from the land. However, these systems are now a permanent part of the landscape. Instead of removing...
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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 StatesRegister 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...
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Southern Galiuro Erosion Control Structures: November 19 – 21
Southern Galiuros 32.410840, -110.270995Register 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...
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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...
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Southern Galiuro Erosion Control Structures: December 3 – 5
Southern Galiuros 32.410840, -110.270995Register 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...
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Sky Island Coffee Break: Year-End 2021 FotoFauna Photo Celebration with Saguaro National Park
Register Here! As 2021 comes to a close, what better way is there to celebrate making it through another 12 months of heartache, joy, and hope than with photos of our wonderful Sky Island wildlife? That’s right! We’re back with another year-end celebration featuring photos submitted by the FotoFauna community. With over 1,000 checklists now...
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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...
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Survey a Sky Island Spring: Winter 2022
AZ, United StatesJOIN 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...
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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...
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Sky Island Workshop: Key Messages and Comment Writing on the Border Barrier Remediation Plan
Register Here! Outraged by the wall in southeastern Arizona? Right now, we have the chance to do something about it. Come learn how to write comments to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) about their Remediation Plan for the Tucson Sector! Submit your comments by Feb 3, 2022 and make your voice heard for...
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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...
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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....
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: March 11 – 13
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesRegister 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...
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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...
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Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal: April 1 – 3
Aravaipa Canyon - East Aravaipa, AZ, United StatesRegister 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...
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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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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...
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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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Coffee Break: Geology and Geomorphology of the Sky Islands
VirtualHave 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...
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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.