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…
Tag: Conservation
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…
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…
Cultivate Backyard Biodiversity
Many people view the built environment and the natural world as two separate entities, but they coexist—all urban and developed areas are also a part of their ecosystems! Making a few simple enhancements around our homes and neighborhoods can greatly increase an urban area’s potential to serve as excellent habitat, especially for pollinators and birds….
Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery: A Binational Effort
As evidenced by its common name, the Mexican gray wolf is native to northern Mexico, New Mexico, and our precious Sonoran Desert here in Southern Arizona. This subspecies is not only the rarest and most genetically distinct gray wolf in North America, but it is also under major threat. Once numbering in the thousands, conflicts…
The Pollinator Party
National Pollinator Week, June 20-26, is a time to celebrate and BEE excited about the amazing work of pollinators! Join the festivities at our annual Party with Pollinators (Cool Summer Nights) evening this Saturday, June 25. We will have special pollinator themed activities and learning opportunities. Pollinator Week was developed to support pollinator health and…
Partner in Conservation: Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans
CEDO is located in Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), Sonora, Mexico. The world celebrates its oceans every year on June 8, World Ocean Day. Meanwhile, here in Tucson, June marks the depth of our “arid foresummer,” the hottest and driest time of the year. We may dream of the beach, the sound of lapping waves, and…
Desert Biota in a Changing Climate
Katie Predick, Conservation Research and Education Department Earth Day is a time to celebrate the fascinating, biodiverse, resilient nature all around us. And while it’s essential to appreciate and celebrate the unique nature of the Sonoran Desert and beyond, every Earth Day that passes without significant climate or environmental action brings us closer to the…
Desert Museum Science: Knowledge from Nature for People
A Day in the Life of Desert Museum Science Buzz Hoffman, a retired entomologist and founding member of the Museum’s Bee Team volunteers, spends several hours each week staring down a microscope, looking at minute details of native bees to sort them by genus. Isabella, a senior at Sunnyside High School, picks up where Buzz…
Desert Diaries 