Living Desert Alliance Joins Efforts with

Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection

On Feb 16th, the Living Desert Alliance joined forces with 33 other environmental organizations representing over 60,000 members to support the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection (CPSD).

Through this coalition, we will all work together towards a common mission to protect and reconnect the biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona through science-based advocacy, education, and collaboration.

This CPSD member coalition includes local and neighborhood associations such as the Tucson Mountains Association, regional groups like the Sky Island Alliance and Tucson Audubon Society, national organizations such as the Sierra Club and Defenders of Wildlife, and organizations with international reach such as Bat Conservation International. 

We welcome this association and look forward to working together with all members to meet our mission to Keep our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving.

Join the BioBlitz

Along The Ancient Barrel Canyon Aquifer

Sunday, March 23rd. Starts at 10am

Participants of the Rosemont Barrel Bioblitz, hosted by Great Old Broads for Wilderness, will use the respected iNaturalist app, a social network whose primary goal is to connect people to nature with a secondary goal of generating scientifically valuable biodiversity data from personal encounters.

This BioBlitz, led by Dave DeGroot, citizen scientist and avid hiker throughout the Santa Rita Mountains, will document magnificent old-growth trees, as well as plants and animals living in this vibrant understory ecosystem and may be the last opportunity to document this information in Barrel Canyon.

Click here to register and for location, staging area, check-in and other important Information.

Click here to join or offer a carpool.



Please Note

Participation in the BioBlitz hinges on a knowledge of iNaturalist, a willingness to download the app and learn it - and also a willingness to drive to a remote site. Every single person who signs on to this important event is critical! Even a couple dozen participants could produce hundreds of good observations documenting the flora and fauna of this area. Eyewitness accounts of all things living and thriving there bolster the argument to stop the mine from being developed.

Friends of

Medera Canyon

Join Bioblitz Effort!



The Friends of Madera Canyon has joined the Barrel Canyon BioBlitz effort. This 501(c)(3) volunteer organization is affiliated with the U.S. Forest Service and is dedicated to conserving the natural resources and restoring the habitat, trails and infrastructure of Madera Canyon, a north-facing valley in the Santa Rita Mountains. This area hosts a riparian woodland winding along an intermittent stream, bordered by mesquite, juniper-oak woodlands, and pine forests.

The proposed massive Hudbay/Copperworld open pit copper mine and sulfuric acid plant, straddling both sides of the Santa Rita Mountains, presents a threat not only to the natural environment of the Santa Ritas, but the surrounding Madera Canyon. If approved, this industrial expansion into the Green Valley/Sahuarita area will disrupt the delicate ecological balance, raising serious concerns for those who live there and value the preservation of nature in the region.

Click on their March Canyon Chatter Newsletter to obtain detailed information about the area, the importance of stopping the mine's construction and links for participation in the BioBlitz.

While there, visit the rest of their website

to learn more about this incredible organization.

Solar Empowerment Program Lunch & Learn

Wednesday, March 26, 11:30 AM - 1 PM

Tucson is the 7th fastest warming city in the US, so, going solar is an action that households can take to “Keep our Desert Livable and Thriving,” as well saving money on ever-increasing air-conditioning bills.

However, for low-income families, this hasn’t been an option. Solar Empowerment, from the Sonora Environmental Research Institute (SERI) and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) have a program to address this. 

Technicians for Sustainability (TFS) has partnered with (SERI) and The City of Tucson to provide rooftop solar systems; helping to save money and create environmental resilience for low-income communities in Tucson.

Do you work with communities or know households that would benefit from reduced energy bills? Join this program to learn about solar energy opportunities for low-income households in Tucson.

Watershed Management Group

Living Lab & Learning Center Tour

This past Saturday, members of the LDA leadership team and other interested citizens joined Watershed Management Group (WMG) docents Catherine and Ray for a tour of their Living Lab Learning Center.

The Center, used to educate the public on ways to incorporate sustainable practices into their own lives and property, was developed in 2013 on land donated by Marguerite Fisher. Since that time, the center has become an award-winning model of urban sustainability.

Tanks and underground retrieval systems throughout the site collect rainwater that is then filtered and used to irrigate a variety of native trees and plants on the property. These same collection systems provide crystal clear potable water for maintaining the facilities water needs such as laundry, food prep, maintenance as well as consumption by staff and visitors. These efforts are supported by food composting, composting toilets, and the use of natural and environmentally friendly products to support daily operations.

During the tour, Ray revealed how current federal cutbacks have drastically reduced their operations budget, which in turn reduces their community outreach programs, educational opportunities and staffing levels, “We are relying more than ever on individual and corporate donations to continue our operations.”

This tour is highly recommended for those who are interested in improving their water footprint in Pima county. Thanks Ray and Catherin for taking the time to show us around your amazing facility. And thank you, WMG, for your dedication and focus on sustainability and community education. 

Click here to learn more about WMG!

Upcoming Event!

This Saturday, March 15th, WMG is offering a Family Saturday: Building Rain Gardens event where kids and grown-ups alike can discover the magic of rain gardens. Learn how to catch rainwater and use it to help native desert plants thrive. Plus, take home a special planting kit to start your very own rain garden!

Activities run from 9am to noon,

and the rain garden workshop for families starts at 10am. 

Garden Explorers and

Book Worm Path

Mission Garden is a special place to explore the plants, animals, history, food, and culture of the Sonoran Desert region. Designed for youth of all ages and abilities, and built around K-12 educational standards, the Garden Explorers and Bookworm Path are free outdoor programs for families focused on learning with hands-on and physical activities right here in the garden.

What you will discover: 20 different activity hubs feature books and activities in English, Spanish, Chinese, braille, and other languages.

What you will see: It’s up to you and your young explorers! Follow the order of the path on the map provided in English or Spanish, or choose specific activity stops you’re most interested in. Throughout the garden, you will discover boxes that contain books and an activity related to an aspect of the garden. 

The Bookworm Path is open whenever Mission Garden is, Wednesday-Saturday 8am-12pm April-Sep (& 8am-2pm Oct-March), a $5 per person suggested donation gets you in for the whole day.

Click here to learn more about this fun family centered event!

Click here for virtual tour

Mark Your Calendars!

Save the

Scenic Santa Ritas

Major Rally Planned

Save the Scenic Santa Ritas (SSSR) invites you to join them, along with numerous southern Arizona environmental organizations, community leaders, and concerned citizens to oppose the Copper World Mine open pit mine.

The rally will take place on Saturday, May 3rd from 2 to 4 pm at the Congress/Granada area of downtown Tucson. Signs, media coverage, and short speeches will raise public awareness.



Visit the SSSR Facebook Page to learn more and stay up to date on this important event.

Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum

Beat Back Buffalo Grass and Stinknet

Join the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum (ASDM) and volunteer to combat invasive plants such as buffelgrass, stinknet and arundo.

Buffelgrass out-competes saguaros for space, nutrients and water. It also poses a serious fire risk both in the desert and in our city. Join others in their efforts to combat this weed. There will be live Desert Museum animals, tasty pastries and more…

Click here for links to multiple events.

Click here to learn more about Stinknet from Stinket.org, a community of volunteers working in tandum with the ASDM to fight and stop the spread of this weed.