Amid growing concerns over its ecological future, the Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona is set to receive a significant conservation boost. In a move that aligns with recent efforts to establish a new urban wildlife refuge, a conservation group has dedicated $600,000 to support this initiative.
Once a vital waterway sustaining indigenous communities like the O’odham and Yaqui for millennia, the Santa Cruz River now faces endangerment. Originating near the Patagonia Mountains, the river traverses into Mexico before looping back through Tucson towards the Gila River.
The push for a national refuge status is backed by a diverse coalition of local stakeholders. Mackenzie Waller, a landscape architecture professor at the University of Arizona, highlights the river’s appeal to birdwatchers globally. “This refuge could really make it so Tucson could permanently protect and have access to these resources that we’ve been taking for granted,” Waller stated.
The funding, provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, will be channeled into crucial research activities such as mapping. These efforts aim to identify which segments of the river should be preserved and for what purposes. Decades ago, the river nearly dried up, losing its historical significance as a life-giving river city, as noted by Waller: “The city of Tucson is historically a river city. But over generations we have lost that connection.”
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