Field Notes

Fireflies in Arizona and Sonora

Southern Arizona and northern Sonora are home to the Southwest spring firefly (Bicellonycha wickershamorum), a nocturnal species associated with permanent streams and marshy areas in the Sky Islands. This rare firefly is currently under review for U.S. Endangered Species Act listing and is the subject of several research and survey efforts. Additional information is needed on the distribution of the species in Sonora, and you can help!

Please join biologists with the Xerces Society and Friends of the Verde River to learn more about this firefly and its life history and how you can help contribute to conservation efforts. The presentation will be bilingual for English- and Spanish-speaking participants.

Help Survey Springs in Sierra Los Ajos

We’re looking for two to three volunteers for a trip to APFF Bavispe near Cananea to help survey springs with Mexico’s park staff and university students. The trip will include two nights of camping, remote locations, hot temps, and full Spanish immersion, plus firefly surveying in the evenings if we’re lucky. If interested, email SIA’s Mexico Program Manager Zach Palma at zach@skyislandalliance.org.

Coffee Break: How Nature Supports Southern Arizona’s Economy

People from all over the world come to southern Arizona to experience the outdoors, recreate, and just be among the area’s scenic landscapes and wildlife. But how much is that worth, and what are the costs if it’s lost? Join SIA for our next virtual Coffee Break. We’ll be joined by Borderlands Restoration Network board member Chuck Klingenstein, who will share results from the first Nature-Based Restorative Economy study in Santa Cruz County, commissioned by the community and conducted by the University of Arizona.

Coffee Break: Improving Borderlands Wildlife Corridors

Only a few sections of the U.S.-Mexico border within the Path of the Jaguar are still passable to most wildlife. One of these sections is the San Rafael Valley between…
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Help Survey Springs Along the San Pedro

This June, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Sky Island Alliance is supporting a Spring Seeker campaign along the San Pedro River, and we’re in need of self-motivated volunteers to…
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Workshop: Springs Trip Planning and Navigation

Join SIA staff for an evening at our Tucson office getting ready for upcoming volunteer trips to visit springs within the Sky Islands. Topics covered will include: reading maps and satellite images, navigation aids on desktop computers and smartphones, making tracks and reading elevations and contours on maps, planning backcountry vs. trail walks, etc. With these skills, you’ll be ready to volunteer with confidence.

Take Action: Endangered Species Act Under Attack

Wildlife habitats across the U.S. are under attack with a recent Trump administration proposal to change the wording of the Endangered Species Act. There are two key parts to the…
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Tucson ‘Spring Cleaning’

Join our campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area. Together, we can restore these crucial wildlife oases! We’ll be working mostly in the Sabino Canyon area on the northeast side of town and near Vail and Davidson Canyon on the southeast side. Stay as long as you like, and leave whenever you need to. This is a great way to create an impact, get in a workout, and meet other volunteers.

Open Mic: Summon the Monsoons

In partnership with the University of Arizona’s Poetry Center, join Sky Island Alliance at Hotel Congress’ Century Room to celebrate and call in the 2025 monsoon season. Participants can share their own work or a rain-themed poem that they love. Expect to read 1-2 poems, based on event participation. Help us augur a good monsoon season with poetry!

Aravaipa Canyon Vinca Removal

Come join us for a weekend in Aravaipa Canyon Preserve as we resume the fight against invasive vinca!