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…
Tag: sonoran desert
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…
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…
Transplanting 101: How To Install Potted Plants In Your Southern Arizona Garden
So you’ve purchased a plant from our Fall Plant Sale. What happens next?
Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery: A Binational Effort
As evidenced by its common name, the Mexican gray wolf is native to northern Mexico as well as to southern Arizona and New Mexico. Early this summer, U.S. and Mexican authorities signed an important agreement to continue their collaborations to conserve, manage, and recover this endangered animal. The Mexican gray wolf is a subspecies of…
Pop the champagne, it’s time for RAIN!
Herpetofauna awaken with the rainy season An Arizona summer is dry. It’s hot. There’s not a drop of moisture in the air. Life is seemingly absent at first glance as humans are indoors while the wildlife is underground or minimally active in cool shady hideouts. The desert is one of the harshest climates to live in,…
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 Diaries 