 Note from the Executive Director
Our capacity to advance community-based conservation across the West relies on our ability to build trusting, productive relationships with local citizens, community leaders and diverse local "quality of life" organizations. This effort often includes working with teams of volunteers who are committed to making positive and lasting changes in their communities.
We are deeply grateful for the many volunteers already working with us from Mexico to Montana. Their commitment inspires our work.
If you are interested in joining our efforts, please consider helping with these vital projects.
Saving the Colorado River Delta
Our efforts to restore the Colorado River Delta have caught the attention of Patagonia, a leading retailer of outdoor clothing and equipment of exceptional quality. Patagonia is featuring the work of the Sonoran Institute in the Delta this fall using their publications, emails and web sites to motivate their devoted customers.
Together, Patagonia and the Sonoran Institute are urging our friends, partners and customers to join the Delta restoration effort by (1) urging political leaders in both the U.S. and Mexico to formally dedicate more water to the Delta, and (2) buying water through contributions to the Sonoran Institute and the Colorado River Delta Water Trust.
Here are some actions you can take to help save the Delta.
1. Email the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Ken Salazar.
It is important that the Department of the Interior recognizes the urgency of dedicating more water to the Delta region. Click here to email a letter to Secretary Salazar.
2. Email the Commissioners of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC).
The IBWC has been making great efforts towards restoration of priority conservation sites in the Delta. We need to thank them and encourage their continued leadership. Click here to email a letter to the IBWC Commissioners.
3. Support the Sonoran Institute's Delta restoration efforts with a donation today.
 Your donation can help restore native vegetation in the region; sponsor local student visits to our project sites to participate in restoration; and secure water rights for the environment. Please consider making a donation today by clicking on the Donate to the Delta icon!
Preserving the Essence of Arizona
We have launched an ambitious land conservation effort in Arizona called the Sonoran Desert Heritage Proposal. With our partners, we are asking Congress to protect approximately 700,000 acres of pristine desert land, all of it public land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The conservation region is located west of the growing Phoenix metropolis. This area includes rugged terrain filled with opportunities for hikers, hunters, birders, and outdoor enthusiasts of every kind. It is also home to a wealth of wildlife, from the bighorn sheep to the desert tortoise, Gila monster, bobcat, and more than 300 species of native birds.
We need you to join the diverse and bipartisan group of individuals and organizations that are supporting the plan to ensure the protection of these vital landscapes forever. Click on the link below to become part of the public process that shapes this conservation proposal!
www.sonoranheritage.org
Protecting a Vital River
A newly released Sonoran Institute report provides evidence of positive changes along stretches of the vital Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona. These improvements in water quality and fish activity are the result of collaborative efforts to reverse earlier devastation that threatened the viability of the River in the region.
In 2006, the Institute joined with the National Park Service, Friends of the Santa Cruz River and others to track the health of the river in an attempt to anticipate and help prevent future problems. A Living River: Charting the Health of the Upper Santa Cruz River, the third in a series of reports, tracks the 2010 water year and compares current findings with those from prior years, providing a clearer picture of the River's evolving health.
"The Santa Cruz River has a major impact on our quality of life every day-- providing habitat, wildlife corridors, and exceptional recreation opportunities," says Jen Parks, president of Friends of the Santa Cruz River. "This is why our team of volunteers has devoted so much time over the past 20 years to tracking and working to protect its health."
We invite you to join us and our partners to help restore the Santa Cruz River. If you are willing to lend a hand, please click here to contact the Friends of the Santa Cruz River.
These initiatives and our collaborative conservation work across the West depend on your continuing support. If you have contributed to the Sonoran Institute recently, I thank you for your support. If not, please consider contributing today to help us shape the future of the West. Together, we can continue this amazing work. Sincerely, 
Luther Propst |
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