On Thursday, officials from local and federal agencies gathered at the historic Canoa Ranch in Green Valley to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing the Santa Cruz River National Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership.

This collaboration could be the first of its kind to create Arizona’s first urban National Wildlife Refuge.

The partnership brings together representatives from the City of Tucson, Pima County, Santa Cruz County, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to promote community-driven environmental management and improve the wildlife corridor that stretches from the Mexican border to Pinal. We will cooperate in their protection. county.

Beyond conservation efforts, this partnership also has the potential to attract future federal funding for river restoration and protection.

“what [we] We don’t want to borrow resources from other shelters to build this shelter, so it’s really going to be lobbying for more federal investment funding, as well as the various counties and cities involved.” said. Adelita Grijalva, Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair;

But changes in presidential administrations could complicate efforts to secure federal aid.

Martha Williams, director of the Veterans Affairs Association, expressed optimism and emphasized the agency’s continued commitment to community-driven conservation.

“We don’t expect support for it to change. It’s hard to know what the actual amount will be, and it’s hard to predict the unpredictable, but the Fish and Wildlife Service will I think we’ll be very involved in this conversation as we move forward,” Williams said. .

Mr. Williams was appointed by President Joe Biden in October 2021 and will retire from the board in January.

Amanda McAdams, Southwest Area Shelter Director for U.S. Forces Japan, emphasized that conservation efforts are a long-term issue.

“It’s not about elections, it’s not about how we got here, it’s not about hunting and fishing, it’s about caring for endangered and endangered species, it’s about migratory birds; it’s about what most Americans believe. “We’re really excited about that and it will help accelerate that impact,” McAdams said.

Williams also said the partnership is a model for future conservation efforts.

“The Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to build more urban preserves, but at the same time they’re really building the concept of community-driven wildlife conservation,” Williams said.

The proposed refuge is intended to protect natural resources along the Santa Cruz River, establish permanent habitat for wildlife, and increase public access to the outdoors.

Mr. Grijalva highlighted further partnership opportunities, including potential collaborations with the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O’odham tribal nations and neighboring cities.

“It doesn’t just mean protecting the environment and putting up big gates around it, but inviting communities and the world to consider what is possible in terms of conservation. I mean.” [as] It’s a way to get people back to where they were before,” Grijalva said.

Amy Rueders, Southwest Regional Director for USFWS, said this partnership is a lasting commitment.

“This is an important first step where the power of working together amplifies everyone’s efforts, and finding out how passionate the people here are and how passionate they are about this place through this process. “We can do that,” Rueders said.

In September, the USFWS, in collaboration with the Santa Cruz River Conservation Coalition, approved two landscape conservation plans that outline a blueprint for protecting habitats and species in the region.

The agency also hosted two community planning events to gather input.

Looking to the future, McAdams said the partnership will expand the stakeholder group and continue planning for future engagement events.

“Our goal is to increase conservation impact and expand it as much as possible, but we can’t do that without local voices, so we need to bring everyone to the table to ensure we have true local support.” We’re really trying to find a way to get them there.”There’s also a local voice on what conservation should look like here,” McAdams said.