We’re looking for volunteers April 24-26 for a wildlife-friendly fencing project in the Mule Mountains near Bisbee. Join us! As you can see in last weekend's pics, Abbot Spring is on the rebound after cattle overuse and, with your help, will continue to recover and flourish: ow.ly/X9Lv50YsChY

ICYMI: Our allies at Aravaipa Canyon and Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve each have a job opening, looking for stewards to protect these special places well into the future. Check ‘em out and share. Aravaipa: ow.ly/fkVW50YImKx Sonoita Creek: ow.ly/ZbCp50YImJx

Another opportunity inspired by San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge: There's a youth art contest this spring, for kids 7-12, with submissions due May 1. It can be anything nature-themed, but you’ve got lots of muses with 1,600 species calling the area home. To learn more: ow.ly/kcnT50YFNNl

Calling birders, botanists, and naturalists of all sorts! It's that time of year again. You're invited to join us for the binational Border BioBlitz. On April 25, you can join us in Arizona at San Bernardino NWR or at Cuenca Los Ojos Ranch in Sonora: ow.ly/cScE50YFLF3

Want to help us get to the top of the Sierra San José? We started trail building last weekend in this beloved sky island south of Bisbee in Naco, Sonora, and we’ll be back this Saturday (April 11) and next (April 18) for volunteer day trips. Join us! ow.ly/sAqy50YsCuI

Today is Arizona Gives Day, and this year you can help wildlife, plants, and communities adapt to climate change in the Sky Islands. Learn more about our Ranchos Regenerativos program in Sonora and how it ties into our vision for the region: ow.ly/HTz450Vq8fz

With our first 100-degree day coming a month ahead of the previous record, concerns about climate disruption have flared. What does this mean for wildlife and people in our region? And how can we respond? Learn more in this blog from SIA's Louise Misztal: ow.ly/KpqL50YCCS0

Ready to explore the surprising world of rattlesnake families? Join us for our next virtual Coffee Break on Thursday, April 16, at 9:30 a.m. Our guest speaker is Melissa Amarello, co-founder and executive director of Advocates for Snake Preservation: ow.ly/U1IP50YAYat

Have you ever been up in the Mule Mountains near Bisbee? We have two volunteer trips coming up, April 10-12 and April 24-26, where we'll be building a new wildlife-friendly fence around Abbot Spring to help it recover from overuse by cattle. Join us! skyislandalliance.org/calendar/

If you haven’t yet come across invasive stinknet, count yourself lucky. Now is the time to stop the spread of this highly flammable weed and make sure it doesn’t become the next buffelgrass. To learn more about how to ID and report sightings, visit stinknet.org

On March 31, at 6pm, the Lower San Pedro Watershed Alliance is hosting a public meeting in Mammoth, AZ, to discuss that most precious resource in our region: water. Join to learn from experts about efforts to address threats and improve watershed health: ow.ly/ZAyb50YyM5k

Want to go camping with us on one of our partner ranches in Sonora? Or help build a trail in the Sierra San José, just south of Bisbee? We have several volunteer opportunities coming up, a great chance to see a new corner of the Sky Islands: ow.ly/3YTt50YuYgO

On April 11 and May 2, we're leading a two-part class at Tucson Botanical Gardens for folks interested in joining FotoFauna and learning how to set up a wildlife camera in their yard as part of our community science project. To learn more and register, visit: ow.ly/MCeR50YuPkt

Back by popular demand: On April 23 at 6:30pm, 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. SIA's Sarah Truebe will lead the workshop: ow.ly/2CIE50Yt93s

Have you ever been up in the Mule Mountains near Bisbee? We have two volunteer trips coming up, April 10-12 and April 24-26, where we'll be building a new wildlife-friendly fence around Abbot Spring to help it recover from overuse by cattle. Join us! ow.ly/sAqy50YsCuI

It’s been almost six years since the Bighorn Fire swept Mt. Lemmon, and signs of regrowth are all around. Bushes and grasses are returning, and we’re back this spring with more volunteer trips to restore priority areas — starting next weekend. Join us! ow.ly/rLHy50YmaqL

Did you know that SIA Executive Director Louise Misztal started out as a volunteer? As part of our 35th anniversary celebrations/retrospectives, Louise has shared a reflection on how she first got involved with the organization more than 20 years ago: ow.ly/4AHA50YolJ1

Join us March 24 at 9:30am for our next virtual Coffee Break to learn more about the Rincon Mountains’ rich and dynamic plant diversity. Our speaker is SIA Botanist Dan Beckman, who recently joined us after 12 years with Saguaro National Park: ow.ly/M3jB50Ye5js

Good news from our campaign to rescue nine Tucson desert springs: Over 18 months, SIA volunteers and staff hauled out 300+ tons of invasive arundo from Rock Ledge Spring. Thanks to our volunteers, it’s gone now and the ecosystem is on the mend: ow.ly/vSjG50Yne7f

Who’s ready for some camping in the Catalinas? We have two volunteer weekends coming up. On March 13-15, we’ll be surveying several springs we haven't been to before. And on March 20-22, we'll be continuing our erosion control work post Bighorn Fire: ow.ly/Sx4h50Ymbtn

FotoFauna highlights are in from this past month, and we have a few favorites. But what are yours? Let us know in the comments! — and if you live where the wild things are, consider joining our community science project: ow.ly/5C3o50TTLT7

Want to help restore desert springs for wildlife? We have several volunteer opportunities coming up in the Tucson area. Come out for a single day or make it a thing and get to know each of these unique oases. We’ll be removing invasive plants at each site: ow.ly/p9ZY50Ykm1V

This winter, Sky Island Alliance and allies have been back out in the field monitoring migratory birds in northern Sonora’s grasslands. As a group, these birds are some of the most threatened in the world.

Do you know the story of how the Arizona Trail got started? A new film called “Trailblazers” tracks the 1982 adventure of two brothers who set out from Mexico with two mules and a mission to reach Utah, 800 miles away. The movie premiers in Tucson on March 10: ow.ly/9WOQ50Yj4Je

We just put the final touches on our winter newsletter: ow.ly/71mr50Y5Im9. Inside, you’ll find highlights from our recent work, as well as a feature on our springs rescue efforts over the years. Big thanks to all who contributed your time and energy to make this possible.

More tough news from the Trump administration: 5 of 27 miles of steel border wall are now up in the San Rafael Valley, blocking this wildlife corridor, as you can see in this before/after. Just awful. To learn more about our study and how we're responding, visit: ow.ly/Cz0c50YfseN

ICYMI: The Trump administration has repealed the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding, in which the agency acknowledged decades of science showing how greenhouse gases harm the climate and our health. Bad news for reining in emissions on factories, power plants, and cars. ow.ly/HA0c50YfjNf

Save the date! On March 26 from 5-7 p.m., we're hosting an open house at our Tucson office for volunteers past, present, and future. Come celebrate the year’s milestones, socialize with the Sky Island community, and learn about upcoming volunteer trips: ow.ly/lTT950YcUA8

This is our first video of a desert tortoise since we put up our Border Wildlife Study wall cameras, here at Buenos Aires NWR in November 2025. Since then, new razor wire has gone up along the border road, posing yet another threat to this protected species. ow.ly/6q3a50Yeos2

Another great job opportunity, this time with the Arizona Trail Association. They’re looking for a Volunteer Program Manager to lead efforts statewide, including where the trail runs through the Huachucas, Canelo Hills, Patagonias, Santa Ritas, Rincons, and Catalinas: ow.ly/jt9U50YbLpo

New legislation targeting Mexican wolves is moving to the U.S. House for a full vote, and we need your help to speak up for this endangered Sky Island species: ow.ly/NGNP50Y9vix. This industry-backed move isn't supported by science and would effectively end decades-long recovery efforts.

Our allies at Wild Arizona are hiring for a new executive director, so if you know of someone who’d be a good fit, please share! They do great work across the state stewarding wilderness and restoring habitat. To learn more and apply by Feb. 17, visit: ow.ly/CwBX50Y7L3Q

Some bad news for wildlife at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge: The Trump admin has installed new razor wire on the road, as we found out while checking our Border Wildlife Study cameras. SIA has sent Border Patrol a letter calling for the wire's removal. ow.ly/s7yM50Y5Enb

This year we're celebrating our 35th anniversary with events, blogs, retrospectives and more. Stay tuned for highlights from this history, and in the meantime tell us your own Sky Island story! We’d love to hear about your connection to this special place: ow.ly/venU50Y40Wh

Want to help restore three desert springs? Next month, we’ve got three volunteer day trips in the Tucson area at Mescal Spring (Feb. 3), Barrel Spring (Feb. 19), and McGrew Spring (Feb. 24). This is a great chance to help protect important wildlife oases: ow.ly/gYTf50Y1Vmy

In collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management, we recently helped install five new water troughs for wildlife along often-dry sections of the San Pedro River without other surface water. Learn more in this blog from SIA's Emily Burns: ow.ly/lXeA50Y1jfV

Join us in welcoming two seasonal field techs to our team! Andres Martinez and Karuna Bhat will help us expand our work throughout southern AZ. Andres is a Tucson native and Karuna is from Wisconsin. Both have experience working in the field with plants: ow.ly/UzQ050Y0jai

In case you've ever wondered why your friends sometimes refer to javelinas as skunk pigs or musk hogs, it's because they have a scent gland on their nethers. One of our Border Wildlife Study cameras got a good shot of one recently. To learn more: ow.ly/7ZNg50XU7mP

Back by popular demand: On Feb. 5, 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. Join us and learn how to help protect these wildlife oases: ow.ly/8bqT50XVQyr

Looking for some family-friendly fun outdoors? Join us and our allies for the Santa Cruz Watershed Days of Connection (Jan. 17, Feb. 28, and March 21). There will be food, music, and fun at each event, as well as a chance to help clean up along the river. ow.ly/kxQW50XSaXi

ICYMI: AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes recently announced a first-of-its-kind groundwater settlement with a Willcox Basin megadairy. Following years of falling groundwater levels, 2,000 acres of irrigated farmland is being forced to transition land use: ow.ly/jW2e50XVHOp

If you’re free this weekend, Jan. 15-18, it’s not too late to join the Wings Over Willcox Birding & Nature Festival. So many cool field trips and a chance to witness one of our region’s phenomena: the sandhill cranes at Whitewater Draw. To learn more: ow.ly/UhIA50XU8pE

As an expression of our gratitude for all the many ways y’all helped support our work last year, today we have a special reflection to share from SIA Executive Director Louise Misztal: ow.ly/GNBw50XTCKG. Onward in 2026!

Calling all weekday warriors: On Jan. 13 and Jan. 20, we’re hosting volunteer events as part of our Tucson spring cleaning campaign to restore desert wildlife oases. We’ll be at Barrel Spring on the northeast side of town removing invasive arundo. Join us! skyislandalliance.org/calendar

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