Trash. It’s pervasive and pernicious.

It’s one of your pet peeves, and ours too! As every visitor to the Santa Cruz River knows, trash is a persistent environmental issue. Our community has long brought up trash as something… MORE ›

A Recap of Research Days

“Many different research projects are working in tandem to create a better environment for the natural world, but also for the one we carve out for ourselves.” Santa Cruz River Research Days brings together… MORE ›

An Update From Our CEO

The Colorado River Gives Life Now we must give life back to the Colorado River. The Colorado River has been a life source for centuries. As the most iconic river in the West,… MORE ›

Mensaje más reciente del director ejecutivo

El río Colorado nos da vida Ahora debemos devolverle la vida al río Colorado. El río Colorado ha sido fuente de vida durante siglos. Como el río más icónico del Oeste y escultor… MORE ›

Native Fish Make Six-mile Journey Down River

When you flush your toilet, you’re helping the recovery of native aquatic species. That may seem strange but let us explain. We’ve written about one of these species here before: the Gila topminnow.… MORE ›

What is Resilience?

A resilient system will keep working, and even positively adapt, when faced with immediate shocks or long-term stressors. Nearly a year into this pandemic and my only regular outings are to the trailhead… MORE ›

Capturing our Annual Fish Survey

On November 13, Sonoran Institute coordinated the annual fish survey at four locations along the Santa Cruz to determine which species are currently in the river. This multi-partner effort included staff from Arizona… MORE ›

Helping Gila Topminnow Swim Home

In 2015, we found about a dozen endangered Gila topminnow in the Santa Cruz River near Tubac. If you had told me then, that in 2020 I would help catch hundreds of the… MORE ›

A Living River: Where Community and Nature Meet

Charting Santa Cruz River Conditions from Northwest Tucson to Marana – 2019 Water Year The Santa Cruz River near El Camino Del Cerro and flowing north into Marana, has been improving for almost… MORE ›

Stephanie Sklar
An Update From Our CEO

Sustaining the Legacy of Conservation Nearly 6 years ago, I had the extraordinary opportunity to accept the position of CEO of the Sonoran Institute. I had been very familiar with the Sonoran Institute… MORE ›

Stephanie Sklar
Her Career Improved Conservation Outcomes in the West

Stephanie Sklar, Sonoran Institute CEO announces retirement Stephanie Sklar, Chief Executive Officer at Sonoran Institute, has announced her retirement as of August 1, 2020 concluding her 35-year career devoted to natural resource, wildlife… MORE ›

Stephanie Sklar
An Update From Our CEO

I will be retiring on August 1, 2020. To me, there would never be a perfect moment to retire, because our rivers, water supplies, lands and communities living in the North American West continue to require action.