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In Southern Arizona, the proposed Santa Cruz River Urban National Wildlife Refuge would honor Indigenous stewardship, enrich community efforts to restore biodiversity, and provide equitable outdoor access for communities of color. It would also bolster President Joe Biden's conservation legacy by contributing to the national goal of protecting 30 percent of America's lands and waters by 2030.
The effort to revitalize almost 20 miles of the river corridor is led by a diverse coalition of over 50 individuals and organizations who are calling on Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to designate the Santa Cruz River Urban National Wildlife Refuge.
Over the course of about a hundred years, the Santa Cruz River was degraded by settler diversions and overuse. But thanks to diligent community involvement, water has returned to the river, bringing biodiversity with it.
In a new storymap from the Center for Western Priorities, we meet members of the coalition who are restoring the Santa Cruz River and leading the effort to designate the wildlife refuge. The storymap is part of the Center for Western Priorities' Road to 30: Postcards series, which highlights community-driven efforts across the country that will bring America closer to the national goal of protecting 30 percent of lands and waters by the end of the decade.
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Great Pizza. Beautiful Park. Fine Rangers.”
