Living Desert Alliance

1st Annual Picnic

This Sunday!

April 12 • 1:00–3:00pm

Ramada #2

Crossroads at Silverbell Park, Marana



Join us this Sunday for our 1st Annual Living Desert Alliance Picnic — a relaxed, family‑friendly afternoon celebrating community, connection, and the desert we’re all working to protect.

Come meet fellow Alliance members, chat with neighbors and LDA Leadership, and learn more about our mission to Keep Our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving. It’s a great chance to discover what the Alliance is all about.

We’ll have free pizza, lemonade and sweet tea, and plenty of good vibes. Bring a picnic blanket, your curiosity, and enjoy a beautiful spring day in Marana with people who care about our desert as much as you do.

Please bring reusable water containers and special drinks and diet requirements to make this a healthy & environmentally friendly get together!

Let’s kick off this new tradition together — we’d love to see you there.

See you Sunday!

Volunteer for a Cleaner, Healthier Desert!

Watershed Management Group

Creek Cleanup

April 16, 5:30–7:30pm

Join Watershed Management Group for a hands‑on evening of restoration and fun!

At this special event, volunteers can choose their mission — tackle trash or remove invasive Arundo — along the beautiful Rillito and Pantano Creeks.

These waterways are vital to our desert ecosystem, enjoyed by people, plants, and wildlife alike. By pitching in, you’ll help keep them clean, healthy, and thriving for all. It’s a great way to connect with nature, meet fellow community members, and make a visible difference right here at home.

Let’s work together to protect the places that make Tucson unique — and live out our shared mission to Keep Our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving.

Click here to register and join this important community effort!

Wildlife Corridors & Connections

A Morning in Avra Valley

Tuesday, April 14

7:00–8:30 AM

Meet at Saguaro National Park West — Red Hills Visitor Center

As part of the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection’s Wild Connections Week, you’re invited to join a guided tour of one of the Sonoran Desert’s most fascinating conservation projects — the custom-built wildlife corridor that helps animals safely cross the Central Arizona Project (CAP) Canal in Avra Valley.



This hands-on learning experience will explore how wildlife moves through our desert landscape and how people are helping make those journeys safer.

You’ll learn about the Tucson Mitigation Corridor (where desert bighorn sheep have been spotted!), the successes of the Desert Fence Busters, and the ongoing challenge posed by the proposed I‑11 West Option through Avra Valley.

Enjoy light refreshments, great company, and a short walk (up to one mile) with stops to view the corridor, wildlife cameras, and stunning desert vistas.

Let’s connect, learn, and celebrate the good work of the CSDP that

Keeps our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving for all species.

Endangered Native Fish are coming to

El Rio Preserve

and they’re bringing

big ecosystem benefits.

KGUN 9 news reports that the Town of Marana and Arizona Game & Fish are teaming up to introduce two endangered Arizona fish species into the preserve’s lake this fall. According to Natural Resources Supervisor Jason Grodman, El Rio Preserve offers the perfect mix of water depth, temperature, and vegetation to help these species rebound.

These fish won’t just boost biodiversity — they’ll help with mosquito control too. The Gila topminnow, in particular, feeds on mosquito larvae, reducing the need for chemical treatments and supporting public health in the age of West Nile virus.

The project also opens the door for more community education. With native fish on site, Marana’s natural resources team can better engage visitors on the importance of protecting native species and preventing the spread of non‑native ones in local waterways.

Cheers to the Town of Marana and Arizona Fish and Game for this coordinated partnership and helping to Keep our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving.



Photo: Trip Advisor

Climate Future

Film Fest



Saturday, April 18, 1–3:30pm

The Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation invites you to attend their inspiring Climate Future Film Fest.

Together you'll explore ten short, compelling films from four different continents, on a journey through the realities of climate change, the creativity of community solutions, and the hopeful possibilities emerging around the world. Each film offers a fresh perspective — a spark of insight, a moment of reflection, or a reminder of what’s possible when people come together.

This is a welcoming, all‑ages event designed for anyone who’s:

• passionate about environmental justice
• curious about climate solutions
• or simply looking for a meaningful community gathering

Come watch, listen, learn, and imagine a healthier planet alongside neighbors and new friends. All are welcome. Please RSVP by April 11.

You can watch the trailer here: https://vimeo.com/879865715.

Sunset at the

Wildlife Bridge

10th Anniversary Celebration!

Friday, April 17 • 6:00–7:30 PM

The Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection is holding a one‑of‑a‑kind sunset celebration as part of Wild Connections Week—honoring 10 years of the Sonoran Desert’s first wildlife crossing bridge, completed in April 2016.

This is a rare opportunity to explore Southern Arizona’s only wildlife bridge and hear firsthand about its successes in reconnecting habitat and protecting wildlife.

Special Guests:

• Pima County District 1 Supervisor Rex Scott
• Town of Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield
• Additional community leaders and partners

Where

Next to the Ann Day Memorial Wildlife Bridge in the Catalina–Tortolita Mountains wildlife linkage

What to Expect

• A short uphill walk on gravely terrain to the top of the bridge
• A celebratory cake cutting and toast
• Remarks from special guests
• Light refreshments (plus cake!)

Help celebrate a decade of safe wildlife movement & community stewardship.

👉 Sign up here!

Join the

Sonoran Institute's

1st Annual

Río 5k Relay!

Saturday, April 18 • 8 AM–2 PM Juhan Park Tucson

Sonoran Institute, in collaboration with Tucson Clean and Beautiful and Dragoon Brewing Company is kicking off the very first Río 5k Relay, a fun run–meets–volunteer adventure designed to bring our Pima County communities closer to the beloved Santa Cruz River.

This isn’t your typical 5k. Teams of two or more will trek through the Santa Cruz Riverbed, working together to remove as much trash as possible within a three‑hour window. Think of it as a river‑reviving relay—on beautiful but rugged terrain—where walking is encouraged for safety and maximum enjoyment.

The “race” launches from Juhan Park and Bonita Park near St. Mary’s and the Frontage Road. Afterward, celebrate your hard work at Dragoon Brewing Company, where an awards ceremony and free shuttles connect all three locations.

It’s community, stewardship, and a whole lot of fun rolled into one unforgettable day.

Click here for event details, registration, and fees