Mission

Discuss the proposed Urban National Wildlife Refuge's benefits with The Wilderness Society, Tohono O'odham Nation, City of Tucson electeds, Governor Hobbs staffers, and state, national, and international media publications.

We flew over the Santa Cruz River, which originates in the high grasslands near Patagonia, AZ, and the Mexican border. The Santa Cruz River is a jewel of the desert, providing important habitat for fish, reptiles, and birds, and recreational opportunities for many Arizonans living nearby. The river has been a life-sustaining source for more than 12,000 years, supporting some of the oldest communities in North America. The Tohono O’odham Nation and Pascua Yaqui Tribe continue to live in the area today.

In recent years, due to water conservation efforts and restoration projects, perennial flows have returned to a few parts of the Santa Cruz River in greater Tucson. In June 2019, the city of Tucson began releasing treated wastewater daily into the Santa Cruz River bed near West Silverlake Road as part of the Santa Cruz River Heritage Project. This has resulted in renewed perennial flow in an approximately one mile stretch near downtown Tucson.

The Sonoran Institute, in partnership with The Wilderness Society, has been working to establish a Santa Cruz River Urban National Wildlife Refuge on the main stem of the Santa Cruz River. The purpose is to celebrate the river's diverse and rich cultural heritage, honor the revitalized river, increase access to nature, and protect this crucial greenspace.

We followed the river from the heart of Tucson, down past pecan plantations and huge copper mines to the Mexico border and city of Nogales where the river once again flows freely. Thank you for your work to preserve this important space for wildlife and recreational access for the generations to come.

Click for photos from the flight, geo-referenced flight photos, and aerial footage from the flight.