Rally for the Santa Ritas

Saturday, May 3, 2025,

2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Mark Your Calendars!

Join concerned residents from around the region for a Rally for the Santa Ritas on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Tucson Federal Building, 300 W Congress St.

This critical event will bring together residents, environmental advocates, and regional leaders in a powerful demonstration of opposition to the proposed Copper World mining project and the broader threats posed by the unchecked power of the mining industry in Arizona.

Key attendees and speakers include the following:

• Adelita Grijalva, former Pima County Supervisor
• Regina Romero, Mayor of Tucson
• Kevin Dahl, City of Tucson Councilmember
• Russ McSpadden, Center for Biological Diversity
• Rob Peters, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas

Event organizers: Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, Center for Biological Diversity, Great Old Broads for the Wilderness, Living Desert Alliance, and the Corona de Tucson Preservation Alliance.

Hudbay Refuses

to Release

Truck Traffic Plan!

Plans for the open pit mine continues

despite community outrage.

Canadian company Hudbay's plan to create a 26 square mile mine in and around the beautiful Santa Rita Mountains continues even though the mine would destroy the proposed site, decrease property values, hurt tourism and outdoor recreation, threaten health and safety, and send the mined copper overseas, all for foreign profits.

This information is supported by facts contained in a powerful editorial letter published in the Green Valley News on March 20th. Written by Green Valley resident, geologist, and officer of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas (SSSR), Stan Hart, Phd., it details the devastating impact Hudbay’s trucks will have on the community including the effect of 40,000 heavy trucks a year carrying explosives and toxic materials through downtown Sahuarita as they transport it to and from Highway 19.

Click here to read the entire letter plus additional information from SSSR.

Click on "Rosemont/Barrel Canyon Bioblitz Executive Summary" to review the newest update of the bioblitz containing the latest information collected plus a future look at the devastation the Santa Rita Mountains will endure if the mine is approved. Also included are photos of wildlife species that will be affected!

What can you do to stop this disaster?



Attend the Rally for the Santa Ritas on May 3rd

&

Write letters to elected Officials

Tucson Verde Rotary Home Tour

This Sunday, April 27th 10:00am to 2:00pm

Tickets: $25.00

Enjoy the day visiting different locations and homes throughout Tucson displaying environmental features focused on sustainability. A great opportunity to meet new people and learn how to make a better tomorrow for our community.

Stops include:

• Off the grid home highlighting passive solar, water harvesting, and a cooling tower
• 43-acre earth friendly mud adobe cohousing community in the desert
• Urban all-electric infill in the Mercado with sustainable building examples
• Santa Rosa Barrio eclectic modern build with a 1911 art studio renovation and a fun courtyard
• 7,000 sq. ft. Barrio Viejo urban infill home built in 2003 with an old soul feel.
• Transformation of a 1929 garage to artist studio with water harvesting in Iron Horse
• Backyard infill and award-winning ADU in midtown
• Watershed Management Group's Living Lab tour to engage, learn, and share.

Click here to learn more about this

exciting tour and purchase tickets.

Can't make the home tour?

How about this!

Reid Park Zoo Party for the Planet

This Sunday, April 27th

9:00am-Noon



Join Reid Park Zoo for a Party for the Planet this Sunday from 9 a.m. till noon. Reid Park Zoo 3400 Zoo Court, Tucson!

Learn about the conservation efforts the Zoo supports around the world, as well as in southern Arizona. Talk to local conservation partners about their work in our community and how you can make everyday choices to help wild animals and wild places right here around Tucson.

Make sure to stop by the Living Desert Alliance

table for a meet and greet.

During the event:

• Enjoy Animal Chats and docent stations
• Participate in a Zoo-wide BioBlitz using iNaturalist from 10 a.m. – noon
• Make native wildflower seed balls to take home (while supplies last)
• Enter for a chance to win a native plant from Nighthawk Natives Nursery (drawing at 11 a.m.)
• Purchase a Go Green kit from Reid Park Zoo’s Zoo Crew teen volunteer program to help you “go green”
• Visit the Tucson chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers table to check out Zoo animal stickers for sale
• Donate gently used clothes to the Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona clothing drive!

This is going to be a great event. Hope to see you there!

Tucson Springs

'Spring Cleaning'

Weed Removal

Sky Island Alliance is excited to announce the launch of their new campaign to remove invasive species at nine priority springs in the Tucson area.

Over the next three years, they’ll be undertaking this restoration project alongside other local nonprofits, providing plenty of opportunities for all of us to get involved.



So far three dates have been finalized.

• Tue, Apr 29, 6:30am–12:00pm
• Tue, May 6, 6:30am–12:00pm
• Tue, May 13, 6:00am–12:00pm

Explore upcoming volunteer dates,

and learn more about this important work.

Santa Cruz River

Research Days

HYBRID IN-PERSON &VIRTUAL EVENT

First event is Tuesday, April 29th!

The Sonoran Institute, is presenting a FREE opportunity to learn about research and conservation efforts while exploring the Santa Cruz River’s natural and cultural resources. 

With this year’s theme, Building on Successes, they are highlighting diverse accomplishments and lessons learned, as well as demonstrating how collective efforts work together to inform the future of the river.

Diverse speakers including Dr. Maria-Elena Giner, P.E., Commissioner Adriana Reséndez Maldonado, and Rex Scott—District 1 Supervisor, aim to inspire new research questions, strengthen your professional network, catalyze collaborative projects, and foster awareness of research and conservation efforts.

Click here

for multiple event times, to register, and learn more about

this multi-facetted and important collaborative event.

Tanque Verde

Flow & Feast

Saturday, May3rd

5:00pm-8:00pm

The River Run Network team cordially invites you to their 8th Annual Tanque Verde Flow & Feast!

This free, family-friendly event will feature opportunities to explore the creek and learn about their collective restoration work.

Enjoy a catered dinner from The Grand along with live Latin American music from Q'iru Ensemble and nature-based activities along the creek.



The event takes place in the beautiful Tanque Verde Bosque area, and we'll be in the creek bed and riparian forest for all activities.

Please reserve your spot by TOMORROW, April 25th

Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options will be available.

UPDATE!

Tres Rios Water Reclamation

Facility Tour

Living Desert Alliance and Watershed Management Group leadership met on Wednesday for a fascinating and educational tour of the Tres Rios Water Reclamation Facility.

The tour, led by long time employee and plant manager Jim Boyle, focused on the facilities history and the science and technology behind wastewater treatment being performed at the plant 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.

The Tres Ríos Water Reclamation Facility serves metropolitan Tucson and treats approximately 30 million gallons of wastewater per day (MGD), where the majority of it is released safely into the Santa Cruz River.

It's hard to describe the entire process and its many components in this article, however a KGUN News Report from several years ago titled "Turning wastewater into drinking water through reclamation," does a great job of explaining it.

Cheers to all the fine folks at the reclamation facility for taking the time to share their great work and for Keeping our Desert & Community Livable and Thriving.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

SAVE OUR SAGUAROS!

Beat Back Buffalograss and Stinknet

Join the Arizona-Sonora 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.

Next event:

Tucson Mountain Park - Buffelgrass Removal

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Time: 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Click here for links to multiple invasive plant removal events.

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

Pima County Seeks Community’s Input

on Climate Plan

Series of public input sessions April through June 2025

Pima County and its coalition partners are holding a series of public sessions beginning April 3rd and running through the end of June, with each one dedicated to focusing on reduction measures for greenhouse gas emissions from seven different sectors. See our March 27th newsletter for additional details.

All sessions are free and open to the public.

To register for any of them, visit: www.pima.gov/ClimatePlan.