We made it through the wild ride that was 2025 and find ourselves looking ahead as Sky Island winter settles around us. What's next in our work? For a sneak peek, check out this blog from SIA’s Emily Burns: ow.ly/JBQT50XSIUH

Quick update on our Tucson spring cleaning campaign. In November, students from Sedona’s Verde Valley School helped us remove invasive plants at Mescal Spring. And on Jan. 13 and Jan. 20, we’re back with more volunteer day trips at Barrel Spring. Join us! ow.ly/B2m650XSc3U

Great volunteer opportunity later this month along a beautiful stretch of the western Sky Islands. On Jan. 31 our allies in the Altar Valley are doing highway clean-up along AZ-286, which runs from Three Points to Sasabe and through Buenos Aires NWR: ow.ly/IEGZ50XxR5F

Who’s ready to rewild some more roads, this time in the beautiful Canelo Hills just south of Sonoita? On Jan. 23-25, we’re hosting our next volunteer camping trip for this project, and we’d love for you to join us in this unique corner of the Sky Islands: ow.ly/Yc4N50XLHpE

Plans are moving forward to build new border wall in several parts of Arizona, and we need your help to oppose this destructive plan. The Trump admin is proposing 19 miles of new primary border wall and 42 miles of “double wall." To learn more and comment: ow.ly/BaB750XKsy1

Cool weather, cottonwoods overhead, good people, and a creek running through it all! This Jan. 9-11, come join our next volunteer camping trip in the Galiuros' Aravaipa Canyon, where we'll be continuing our efforts to remove invasive vinca along the creek: ow.ly/ONG750XIAGi

On Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m., we're hosting another free workshop at our Tucson office for folks who want to learn how to find and survey off-trail springs in the Sky Islands. Topics covered will include: reading maps, using navigation aids, and more: ow.ly/gjKI50XIAl3

And now presenting the 2025 Sky Island Nutcracker! youtu.be/51OJlMGKXZo. Every year it brings us so much joy to see all the wildlife photos/videos shared from our FotoFauna community. We hope you enjoy this ode to our region's amazing wildlife across the seasons.

Great in-depth article from @propublica.org, investigating grazing permits in the Southwest on public lands and the loopholes that have made it so permits can be rubber-stamped. It features Las Cienegas National Conservation Area here in southern Arizona: ow.ly/VqYI50XE8LU

ICYMI: @azpm.org recently released an excellent documentary called “The Water and the Wall” about how the border wall is impacting precious water in Arizona. Especially timely given the new wall going up in the San Rafael Valley: ow.ly/6Bo550XC9FG Photos of San Rafael spring courtesy SIA.

Are you a land manager who’s dealt with invasive stinknet, or do you have similar experience through a nonprofit, agency, or other group? UArizona is looking for participants in a survey to learn more about strategies used to fight this invasive plant: ow.ly/5E2S50XByYt

ICYMI: yesterday our allies at the University of Arizona Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center shared that they spotted a new jaguar in AZ. This marks the 5th distinct jaguar seen in the U.S. since 2011 and is a reminder why we must protect our borderlands’ wildlife corridors: ow.ly/e5o750XBuo3

We’re back with another featured Sky Island hike, this time from SIA board member Eric Aldrich and to a lesser known part of Saguaro National Park called Madrona Ranger Station. Check out Eric’s blog to learn more and for a trip report to the area’s pools: ow.ly/VZyh50XxIgu

ICYMI: We've got a $42,000 match going today for #GivingTuesday. This is a great chance to show your Sky Islands some love and support our work, including our latest campaign to defend wildlife threatened by border wall construction in the San Rafael Valley: ow.ly/gvRZ50Uh4SS

Today is Giving Tuesday, and a reminder that we’ve got a $42,000 match from now until Dec. 31. Your gift today will help support our work, including our latest campaign to defend wildlife threatened by border wall construction in the San Rafael Valley: ow.ly/gvRZ50Uh4SS

Looking for a way to give back to the places you love in the true spirit of Thanksgiving? This morning, we shared the giving edition of our Tracker newsletter, with a range of ways to show your love for the Sky Islands: ow.ly/bwvW50XwYNo

Much love to all the turkeys out there, keeping it wild in the Sky Islands! Here, along the Santa Cruz River and San Pedro River, at Las Cienegas and Lone Mountain Tank in the Huachucas, in Coronado National Memorial, and at a ranch in Sonora.

On Nov. 29, Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo is hosting activities for International Jaguar Day, including a screening of the documentary “American Southwest." There will be games for the kids and several local nonprofits will be there, including SIA. Should be fun! ow.ly/kKHE50Xrn5G

Ready for a field trip? On Dec. 16, we’re hosting a volunteer day at McGrew Spring in the Whetstones. Closed to the public, the spring is more than 2 miles from any other water source and is a favorite haunt of wildlife. We'll be removing invasive plants: ow.ly/rk3P50Xuqrf

Some music for your ears: Today, Lise Tanfin and Grégory Rolland have released a new podcast and album that captures the audio signature of the Sonoran Desert. The creators teamed up with SIA staff to gather some of the sounds that made it into the album: ow.ly/5mNN50XuKeW

Low-tech rock structures as a way to save water are as old as the hills. And it’s amazing how they can help transform and heal a landscape. To learn more about how we're using these structures on Mt. Lemmon, check out this article in the Desert Leaf: ow.ly/L0mZ50Xrler

Have you ever wondered how border infrastructure affects local communities, Indigenous peoples, and wildlife in Mexico? Join us Dec. 8 at 10 a.m. for our next virtual Coffee Break to hear directly from our Sonoran partners: ow.ly/32Va50XqK8L

And last but not least in special moments from the Sky Islands Festival: On the final night, there was an interpretive dance honoring the activists defending monarch butterfly reserves. To learn more, check out this blog from SIA's Ángel Garcia: ow.ly/qirk50XoL7y

Another highlight from the recent Festival of the Sky Islands in Moctezuma, Sonora: This year, we held another drawing contest, this time focused on our region’s birds. Check out the winners, and thanks to all who participated and made it possible. Just fabulous: ow.ly/JJIZ50XpHvA

Recently we shared photos from the Sky Islands Festival in Sonora. And since then, more wonderful stories have come in! So today we’d like to highlight a few, starting with a blog from SIA volunteer Adrían Moran, on the group hike in Sierra La Madera: ow.ly/1IOE50XoKBy

Interested in learning how to find and survey off-trail springs in the Sky Islands? On Dec. 11, at 6:30 p.m., SIA's Sarah Truebe is hosting another free in-person workshop at our Tucson office to help folks with springs trip planning and navigation: ow.ly/slkE50XnYZm

Are you passionate about the Sky Islands and looking for a new work opportunity? We're hiring! We're looking for two seasonal field techs to join our team from Jan. 12 to May 31, with the possibility to extend. To learn more and apply, visit: ow.ly/OOTR50XmJ7y.

A few weeks ago, our Aravaipa plans got postponed due to Tropical Storm Priscilla. But we’re thankful for the rain and back with another volunteer trip Dec. 5-7: ow.ly/oGSe50XfHmP. Join us! We’ll be continuing our efforts to remove invasive vinca along the creekbanks.

Great volunteer opportunity with our allies at @nature.org: This Nov. 1-30, they’re organizing a San Pedro River BioBlitz. Folks can use the iNaturalist app to document species along the river, from its headwaters in Sonora to its confluence with the Gila River: ow.ly/msqb50XlgbA

Cows are herbivores … we think? But not so sure this time of year when everything's spooky. Our Wildlife Specialist Meagan Bethel picked up some weird vibes. Happy Halloween, y’all. And to be fair, we’d all look a little creepy if a camera caught us in a field at night! 😈🎃

Recently, we joined the 4th Festival of the Sky Islands in Moctezuma, Sonora — an annual event that uses education, art, and culture as tools to connect the community. For a glimpse of the fun, check out this blog from SIA Springs Fellow Ángel Garcia: ow.ly/e1EL50Xk2Tt

The Arizona State Land Department is poised to sell 160 acres at the base of the Santa Ritas to make way for the proposed Copper World mine's tailings, and we need your help to stop the auction. Urge Gov. Hobbs to instruct the land commissioner to withdraw the sale: ow.ly/U1g550XhRwC

Want to join us for some camping and volunteering in Sonora? We’ve got two opportunities just south of Bisbee. On Nov. 7-9, we’ll be at Rancho El Sahuaro working on erosion control. And on Nov. 21-23, we’ll be building trail in the Sierra San José: ow.ly/zOqF50XiH74

Have you been to Mt. Lemmon, the beloved Sky Island just north of Tucson? Right now it could use our help recovering from 2020’s Bighorn Fire. To learn more about SIA's restoration efforts and to donate, visit: ow.ly/nMkJ50XismY

Need an easy Halloween costume? Or just want to try your hand at a craft? Check out our new paper animal masks! Meagan Bethel, our wildlife specialist, has created four paper masks that represent a white-nosed coati, bobcat, diamondback, and pronghorn: ow.ly/LyA650Xh5r7

We just put the final touches on our fall newsletter: ow.ly/LQTu50XcHFz. Inside, you’ll find a message from our director, highlights from our recent work, and plenty of handsome critters. Big thanks to all who contributed your time and energy to make this work possible!

“It started with a simple question,” writes SIA intern Oskar Anderson. “Why would a skunk and a dove share the same name?” Oskar was looking at photos of two species at the same spring. Both have “macroura” in their scientific name. What gives? ow.ly/Z6Lc50XefF5

Ready for another adventure? Look no further than the Reef Townsite Loop Trail in the Huachucas — our latest featured hike, this time from SIA's Amy Amoroso. You may be wondering what a “reef” is doing up at 7,200’. Amy wondered the same and got to the bottom of it in her blog: ow.ly/3y2X50X7SQp

This Saturday, don’t miss the launch of Russ McSpadden’s new book of poetry “Borderlings” in Tucson. Russ is a writer and environmental organizer and has been inspiring folks for years with his humor, wildlife videos, and love for our borderlands: ow.ly/g24050XboOj

ICYMI: This year’s drought and this summer’s long stretches without monsoon rain meant fewer insects for bats, and that resulted in a spike in deaths, for example, near Tucson’s bat bridges. For more details, check out this Tucson Sentinel article: ow.ly/eZHo50X6txT

Next week, Oct. 16-18, is the 4th Festival of the Sky Islands in Moctezuma, Sonora. Looking forward to celebrating with you all! Today we have some updates to share, including a full program of activities day by day, as well as info on lodging and camping: ow.ly/EL7Y50X7hEZ

Today, we have another jaguar sighting to share from SIA cameras in southern AZ in June 2025 — likely the same male seen earlier this summer. Three days after the sighting, a mountain lion family visited the same site. Learn more at @azluminaria.org: ow.ly/sRy050X7X1W

Another chance to join us on Mt. Lemmon for Bighorn Fire restoration: On Oct. 31-Nov. 2, we’re hosting another camping trip up in the pines. Volunteers will learn how to build erosion-control rock structures to slow down water and help this area thrive again: ow.ly/uIbL50X6lrB

Turns out, if you clear it, they will come! SIA's Oliver Fahrner recently joined a volunteer event at Tucson's Rock Ledge Spring, where we’ve been removing invasive arundo since June 2024. And lo and behold, a pack of visitors showed up. To learn more: ow.ly/TRJp50X4CIC

Are you a borderlands resident and deeply committed to protecting the Sky Islands? Then consider joining Christian Aguilar Murrieta and other SIA supporters as a board member. Your skills in finance, government, law, and community organizing are welcome: ow.ly/jJLr50X3Oqv

With new border wall going up in the San Rafael Valley, there’s been concern about where that leaves wildlife. SIA’s Eamon Harrity developed a talk to address questions, and he’ll present Oct. 3 (Rodeo), Oct. 15 (Oro Valley), and Nov. 5 (Tucson). Join us: ow.ly/X8VT50X34Bj

Our FotoFauna network is expanding with a new wildlife camera lending library in South Tucson. If you know of someone who may be interested in joining our community science project, let them know! This Thursday, Oct. 2, at 4:30 p.m. is the kickoff event: ow.ly/JCQB50X36yU

Did you know that even though Arizona is the 2nd driest state in the U.S., it has the most known springs? More than 10,000! Recently SIA Executive Director Louise Misztal wrote an article for Desert Leaf magazine about her love of springs and what makes them special: ow.ly/6OtC50X1Rrk

A couple updates on our campaign to help save the rain on Mt. Lemmon post-Bighorn Fire: 1) We got some rain and are hoping for more today! 2) This is great timing, given our restoration work this summer and planned for next year. To help us restore this beloved refuge, visit: ow.ly/PhXC50WX849

This Oct. 9, we're presenting a free event in partnership with the Children's Museum of Tucson. Join us! There will be live bats and snakes along with crafts and presentations. Come learn more about these misunderstood creatures from the experts: ow.ly/aB7V50WXP29