Friends of

Madera Canyon

Protecting a Rare Ecological Treasure Intrinsically Linked to the

Santa Rita Mountains

Madera Canyon, cradled along the western slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, is one of Arizona’s most extraordinary natural sanctuaries.

Its life‑giving connection to the high peaks of the Santa Ritas creates a rare convergence of desert, riparian, and montane ecosystems—an ecological mosaic found in only a handful of Sky Island environments. Protecting this canyon‑mountain relationship is an essential part of the core mission of the Friends of Madera Canyon (FOMC).

Formed in 1987, FOMC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit partner to the U.S. Forest Service, serves as a steward of Madera Canyon, working to keep it open, protected, and thriving for public enjoyment and education by maintaining reasonable public access, and protecting the Canyon’s wildlife, plant life, and ecosystem. They accomplish this through their more than 500 member households who contribute thousands of volunteer hours annually to ensure Madera Canyon remains a premier destination for nature lovers.

Today, the Canyon and the Santa Rita Mountains face mounting pressures—from housing development and mining proposals to wildfire threats and limited federal resources. FOMC is responding by expanding science‑based online learning resources that educate the public and explore the natural and cultural history of Madera Canyon and the broader Sky Island region.

Current offerings include the video series below:

• Introduction to Madera Canyon (This is a must see! Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this 10 minutes presentation, you’ll be glad you did),
• The White House in Madera Canyon,
• Monsoon: The 5th Season, and
• 52‑chapter Proctor Trail series.

The Living Desert Alliance salutes the Friends of Madera Canyon for their unwavering commitment to protecting this irreplaceable Sky Island landscape. Their efforts Keep our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving.

Click here to learn more about this amazing organization

Special Living Lab & Learning Center Tour: "Habitat for Desert Creatures"

Saturday May 9, 2026, 8:00 - 10:00 am

1137 N Dodge Blvd, Tucson

The Watershed Management Group's’ Living Lab and Learning Center is a premier demonstration site for various water harvesting strategies and sustainable living practices for arid landscape living. They meet almost 100% of their on-site water needs with rainwater, greywater, and stormwater and grow a lush array of native Sonoran Desert plants. This landscape also provides habitat for many animal species, including a desert tortoise, hummingbirds, lizards, and other desert creatures. 

On this special Living Lab tour, you will learn why our desert animals are important and how vital it is that we humans steward the land and water in the desert to support them. Event staff Catherine Land Evilsizor and Dan Stormont will share information and resources about how to aid these special and resilient desert creatures.

Bring the kids to enjoy the Raindrop Retreat – a children’s playhouse featuring a rain tank, play kitchen with greywater, and sandbox. 

Please note: The tour takes place outside, so be prepared to be standing and/or walking for over an hour and in all weather.

Click here

to learn more and to register for this fun and educational event.

Reid Park Zoo Recognized for

"Zoo-Doo"

Compost Contributions

The City of Tucson is recognizing businesses that are keeping food waste out of landfills through the FoodCycle commercial composting program—the only one of its kind in southern Arizona.

According to The Environmental Protection Agency, food waste is the largest contributor to landfill volume, and landfills are the nation’s third‑largest source of methane emissions, making composting a powerful climate solution.

Reid Park Zoo is one of Tucson's FoodCycle’s standout composting partners. Its six elephants and other herbivores generate hundreds of pounds of nutrient‑rich “zoo‑doo” daily, all collected and composted at the city’s Los Reales facility. The zoo also diverts produce scraps from its commissary and maintains some of the program’s lowest contamination rates.

Since 2024, Tucson has composted more than 750 tons of food waste from 24 participating organizations, including Tucson Medical Center and Raytheon. Finished compost is donated to parks, schools, farms, and community gardens, reducing fertilizer costs and enriching local soils.

A big THANK YOU for all the efforts the zoo performs to make this program successful. A great example of a community business working to Keep our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving.

Residents can join the FoodCycle at Home program through 16 drop‑off sites citywide.

Click here to view KOLD 13 "Reid Park Zoo Honored ..." news video.

April 25th Highway Clean-up

The Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection sends a huge thank‑you to everyone who joined their April 25 highway clean‑up! Your energy and enthusiasm made the morning shine.

Together, volunteers filled 17 bags of trash along their adopted stretch of frontage road near the Santa Cruz River Wildlife Ramp and the future site of a wildlife bridge over I‑10. The crew wasn’t afraid to get their hands dirty and truly went above and beyond. They admire and we appreciate your hard work and are grateful for the care you show our desert. Your hard work made a real difference for local wildlife and this beautiful desert we share.

They hope to see you again soon at a future event!

Until then, take care and keep caring!