Field Notes

Why We Study Springs and How You can Get Involved in Their Stewardship
November 18, 2021Have you ever wondered why we spend so much time studying springs in the Sky Islands? In the arid parts of North America, and especially in the west, springs are…
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Looking Back at a Fantastic Year of Pulling Vinca Major in Aravaipa Canyon
November 5, 20212021 was a great year for pulling Vinca major, an invasive plant, from the creek beds of Aravaipa Canyon Preserve in Arizona. In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), who…
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Whence Water Flows (aka The Different Types of Springs in the Sky Islands)
October 18, 2021Have you ever wondered what a spring is? Well, a spring is a place where groundwater is exposed or emerges at the surface. Springs are classified into two main categories — lentic and lotic — based on…
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Finding Springs to Protect and Restore in the Bighorn Fire Area of the Santa Catalina Mountains
September 7, 2021One year after the colossal Bighorn Fire burned 120,000 acres in Tucson’s Santa Catalina Mountains, ecosystems are recovering. In these ecosystems, springs are a critical feature of the post-burn landscape and provide water for wildlife and opportunities for…
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Spring Seeker Stories: Agua Caliente Tank
July 16, 2021We’re back this month with another installment in our Spring Seeker Stories! This time, retired wildland firefighter and Sky Island Alliance volunteer Brit Rosso takes us on a rollercoaster of…
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Webinar Recap: Binational Experts Discuss Sky Island Biodiversity and Conservation
July 6, 2021In April, our Conservation Director Paulo Quadri had the pleasure of moderating the University of Arizona’s three-part webinar series on Sky Island biodiversity and conservation. Diverse panelists from different universities, nonprofits, research labs, and government agencies across…
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Thank You for Making a Difference in Aravaipa Canyon
June 25, 2021Photo Caption: Volunteers removing vinca under the beautiful fall colors of Aravaipa Canyon. Years have passed since we first partnered with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to remove invasive periwinkle (vinca) from the creek that flows through Aravaipa…
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What Our Sky Island Fellow Learned about Springs in Sonora
June 21, 2021¿Hablas Español? Lee el blog en Español. Earlier this year, our 2021 Sky Island Fellow Ángel Garcia — who also spent the summer and fall of 2020 with us as…
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Border Wildlife Study: Vegetation and Drought in the Borderlands
May 21, 2021For the last year, the Border Wildlife Study cameras have documented an amazing array of wildlife species across the San Rafael Valley and the Patagonia and Huachuca Mountains that flank…
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Spring Seeker Stories: Bear and Grapevine Spring in the Southern Rincon Mountains
April 28, 2021We’re back this month with another installment in our Spring Seeker Stories! This time, retired wildland firefighter and Spring Seeker volunteer Brit Rosso takes us on a visual journey through…
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