By Jack Dash There has been a lot of talk in the news lately about a mass saguaro collapse caused by heat and drought. This claim, and the media storm around it, requires a bit of unpacking. The story begins with the fantastic research team at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix who have been…
Author: desertmuseum
Wildfire Smoke and Our Health
Featured image by Wendy Witzig You may already know that invasive grasses and other invasive species are bad news for the Sonoran Desert’s unique ecology, threatening native species like saguaros and desert tortoises. Invasive grasses like buffelgrass, red brome, and fountain grass not only provide ample fuel for fires but also thrive in their aftermath,…
Earth Camp in Review
By Kyleigh Sacco, Education Specialist “Just seeing (my students) actually giving back to the community as well as learning about the area which they’ve been born and raised in has been great […] because they live in this very small bubble and to be able to pop that bubble and show them the world that…
Practical Tips for Preventing the Spread of Invasive Species
The Sonoran Desert, with its unique ecosystem and breathtaking landscapes, is a haven for diverse plant and animal life. However, this delicate balance is constantly under threat from invasive species that can wreak havoc on its native ecology. The key here is prevention. Prevention, early detection and eradication is the most economical and effective means…
Volunteers Protect The Places We Love
Volunteers all around the Tucson Basin regularly pull buffelgrass, a sometimes strenuous but incredibly rewarding activity. As a result of their efforts, many thriving acres of wild, native desert surround Tucson. Without the consistent work of these dedicated volunteers, buffelgrass, an invasive grass that harms the native flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert, would…
Saving Arizona’s Valuable Groundwater
By Denise Meeks Rather than using Arizona’s valuable groundwater for irrigation, the Desert Museum keeps its flora thriving by recycling its wastewater, about 3,000,000 gallons annually. The water, used by our visitors and in our deer and bighorn sheep enclosures, begins its recycling adventure by flowing through sewer pipes into clarification tanks, and ends its…
Mapping Tumamoc Hill
By Aaryn Olsson Sometimes you’ve got to do it the hard way in order to do it the easy way later. This winter we’re mapping buffelgrass on Tumamoc Hill the hard way by walking 50 miles back and forth across its volcanic slopes in a tight grid pattern. While many Tucsonans hike the zigzagging road…
Restoring Tumamoc Hill, the Heart of Tucson
Support the Save Our Saguaros campaign and help us restore Tumamoc Hill Article by Kim Franklin, Conservation Science Manager, Desert Museum and Ben Wilder, Next Generation Sonoran Desert Researchers This past weekend, over seventy-five people showed up on a Saturday morning to help rid “A” Mountain of buffelgrass. For many, this was their first experience…
Endure, Evade, or Evacuate
Climate Change in Tucson and the Surrounding Desert Region by Katie Predick, Conservation Research Scientist February in Tucson Snow dabs mountaintops and our breath puffs visible on morning walks. Last week I considered purchasing an ice scraper to save my debit card some wear and tear. Even so, freezing temperatures are less common than decades…
2022 In Review
As we kick off 2023, we’d like to take some time to reflect on key highlights from the past year. The Desert Museum is working to sustain the incredible biodiversity of The Sonoran Desert by slowing the spread of invasive buffelgrass, discovering the hidden worlds of our native bee pollinators, exploring arid-adapted foods, saving rare…
Desert Diaries 