On an early Saturday morning on the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, community members gathered under the warm sun, surrounded by the beautiful Sonoran Desert. Known also as the National Day of Service, MLK day is about serving our communities in any way we can, which brought together participants within the Tucson community who wanted to spend their weekend giving back.
Days of Connection Santa Cruz River Trash Cleanups are one of the simplest ways to serve our community, and each cleanup focuses on a designated location across Tucson and Arizona. Our January Days of Connection was held at the newly renamed Danny Lopez Park. Danny Lopez was a valued Tohono O’odam leader and storyteller, who believed in the importance of connecting with our communities and environments, and advocated for the indigenous people of Tucson through his work. Lopez explains in his short autobiography “My Story”,
“I want my people to know that I am one of them and that I never put myself above them. I want people to know that I am not just an O’odham but one who can accomplish many things with dedication, dreams, and faith. I want the youth to know that they too, can accomplish many things in their lifetime!”
These ethos are reflected at each Days of Connection with Sonoran Institute and partners. With the influence of leaders MLK and Danny Lopez, the participants recognized the value of the day ahead, not just for connecting with nature, but for connecting with our community in the spirit of service.
Within the first hour, partner organizations had set-up tables featuring education stations with pamphlets, reports, stickers, hats, games, activities, and snacks. People of all ages were chatting with each other, discussing the brisk winter air, holidays, and sipping coffee. When it was time to begin venturing into the Santa Cruz River, Tucson Clean & Beautiful’s Angel Breault led a “grounding” exercise to connect with the Park.
“Let the land, who we are serving today, introduce itself,” said Angel, who gathered participants to kick-off the cleanup.
He instructed everyone to close their eyes and connect with the world around them, focusing our senses on the sounds and smells of the desert; the one thing that connects us all. Participants introduced themselves to each other and the land, went over safety regulations, welcomed the organizations that help community events to form, and council member Kevin Dahl, who “loves picking up litter” even voiced his plans to take his kayak into Silverbell Lake. The purpose of this “grounding” was not just to ensure the safety of participants and the environment, but to highlight the focus of the activity in the spirit of connection and stewardship.
Participants were then invited to choose their own adventure. Some preferred to pack seeds into clay or learn about native fish, others were determined to get their hands dirty and hiked into the Santa Cruz River to collect trash or remove invasive Arundo and Buffelgrass.
With the return of flows to the once dried Santa Cruz River, new microecosystems have evolved. While trash threatens the ecosystem of the river, nature adapts–shopping carts become home for reptiles, insects, spiders, and other small wildlife. We work to remove invasive species, ensuring native plants can thrive in their place and create new homes for these creatures.
Despite the ways the Sonoran Desert adapts, the Santa Cruz River still needs our help, just as it helps us. Buffelgrass disrupts the delicate Sonoran ecosystems, suffocating saguaros, stealing nutrients from native vegetation, and increasing the chances of fire, as it is highly combustible, unlike other plant species in the river. Buffelgrass removal is tedious and laborious but rewarding once the desert thanks us by flourishing with native wildlife and plants.
Mike Quigley, Arizona State Director of The Wilderness Society, explained how physical work done in trash cleanups was “encouraging” for the community, especially with the presence of Gila topminnows in the clean water of the river. He explained how people witness the changes as the river repairs itself, and think to themselves, “This is actually working and I want to be part of it.”
By the end of the morning, bags of trash and Buffelgrass were collected and weighed in order to determine the main pollutants of the river, and to measure the success of the cleanup. Lamley “L” Andrews, the Santa Cruz River program intern for Sonoran Institute, lifted the heavy bags onto a scale while explaining what makes Tucson special.
“It’s hard to ignore nature here,” L stated.
Tucson is not like other places, as outdoor spaces are intertwined in city infrastructure. Tucsonans and visitors can’t help but notice the environment around them, especially the scenic mountains and landscapes that have been preserved by the community. Members of Tucson recognize the importance of our connection and preservation of nature, and trash cleanups help keep the environment healthy, “Be a steward in where you live”, L advises.
By the end of the morning, the sun was shining brightly over 760 pounds of removed trash and 825 pounds of Buffelgrass. In just a few hours, volunteers restored this section of the Santa Cruz River, removing items like shoes, clothes, plastic, and even mattresses. With the help of around 70 people, participants celebrated the hard, but fulfilling work that was done to improve conditions along the Santa Cruz River. The Santa Cruz River was gracious for the attention and care, and the proof was in the alluring sounds and sights of the Sonoran Desert, buzzing with life.
“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1968
We hope to see you at our next Days of Connection Santa Cruz River Cleanup. Stay up to date with our events here or subscribe to our monthly newsletter, The Sonoran Post.
Written by Sadie Deschaine, Marketing Intern through the University of Arizona