Additional Resources

Community

Cultural

Natural

Scroll down to explore a variety of resources from our pledged partners and other trusted organizations within each area of our Focus. Including:

  • Online Resources
  • Helpful Guides
  • Books & Booklists
  • Videos, Podcasts, Lectures, etc.
  • Historic Photos & Collections
  • And more!

Do you have a relevant resource to suggest? Email [email protected] to submit a request to add it to this webpage.

Or, maybe you happen upon a broken link while browsing? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll strive to fix it!

Saguaro cacti, native to the Sonoran Desert, in the foothills of the western range of the Santa Catalina Mountains as seen from Catalina State Park. Photo courtesy of Visit Tucson.

Sonoran Desert

Flora & Fauna

Plants & Animals (including ID guides)

Mammals & Biomes of the Sonoran Desert – National Park Service (webpage)

Sonoran Desert Fact Sheets (Animals, Plants, & Bats) – Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (webpage)

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Book of Answers
by David Wentworth Lazaroff
 (book)

Guide to the Wonders of the Sonoran Desert (Tumamoc Interpretive Signs) – University of Arizona Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill (photo gallery)

Sonoran Desert Species & Observations – iNaturalist (webpage)

Learn More about Canyon Life – Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (webpage)

Plants and Animals in the Yoeme World: Ethnoecology of the Yaquis in Sonora and Arizona
by Richard S. Felger & Felipe S. Molina
(book)

Hidden Life of the Desert
by Thomas Wiewandt
(book)

The Sonoran Desert: A Literary Field Guide
edited by Eric Magrane, Christopher Cokinos
(ID guide)

Sonoran Desert Journeys: Ecology and Evolution of Its Iconic Species
by Theodore H. Fleming
(book)

Plant-Specific

Crop Maps & Site History – Mission Gardens (webpage)

Learn About the Plants of Saguaro National Park – National Park Service (webpage)

Garden Photos, Map of Gardens & Garden Plant Lists – Tohono Chul (webpage)

The Saguaro Cactus: A Natural History
by David Yetman, Alberto Búrquez, Kevin Hultine, Michael Sanderson
 (book)

Field Guide to Cacti & Other Succulents of Arizona
by Peter Breslin, Rob Romero, Greg Starr, Vonn Watkins
(ID guide)

Animal Specific

Learn About the Animals of Saguaro National Park – National Park Service (webpage)

Wildlife Species Gallery – Sky Island Alliance (webpage)

The Sonoran Desert Tortoise: Natural History, Biology, and Conservation edited
by Thomas R. Van Devender
(book)

There’s a Bobcat in My Backyard: Living with and Enjoying Urban Wildlife
by Jonathan Hanson
(book)

Borderland Jaguars/Tigres de la Frontera
by David E. Brown
 (book)

Digital Experiences

Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve-Railroad-Pradera-Creek Loop (video)

Tour the Cienega Watershed: A Green Oasis in Southeastern AZ; Hosted by Cienega Watershed Partnership on TravelStorys (virtual tour)

Patagonia Trail Nature Walk: In the Sonoita Creek Watershed; Hosted
by Friends of Sonoita Creek on TravelStorys
(virtual tour)

Desert Discovery – Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (video)

Plants & Animals: Get to Know the Living Desert – Visit Tucson on YouTube (video)

Walk the Hill – University of Arizona’s Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill (virtual tour)

Explore Sonoran Native Plants – University of Arizona Campus Arboretum (virtual tour)

Water Conservation

General Water Conservation Tips

Take Action in Response to Drought (webpage)

A Guide To Responsible Desert Dwelling – Tucson Water Runs Deep (webpage)

Spadefoot Splash Exhibit plus Water Conservation Tips – Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (webpage)

Hydro-Local At Home (How-to) – Watershed Management Group on YouTube (video playlist)

Water Saving Tips –  University of Arizona Cooperative Extension (webpage)

Rain Tanks & Active Water Harvesting

Rain Tanks (Active Water Harvesting: Storing the Rain for Human Use) – Watershed Management Group (webpage)

A Guide: Rain Barrel Water Harvesting
by Terry Sprouse, Amy McCoy, and Joaquin Murrieta, Sonoran Institute, and University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center

(pdf)

Rainwater Harvesting Rebate & Resources – City of Tucson (webpage)

Rainwater Harvesting Program – Tucson Clean & Beautiful (webpage)

Active Water Harvesting – Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands & Beyond by Brad Lancaster (webpage)

Tank the Rain – Brad Lancaster on YouTube (video playlist)

Greywater Harvesting

Laundry to Landscape Greywater Systems – Watershed Management Group (webpage)

Greywater Harvesting – Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands & Beyond by Brad Lancaster (webpage)

Greywater Harvesting – Brad Lancaster on YouTube (video playlist)

Graywater Guidelines – Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona (pdf)

Rain Gardens & Passive Water Harvesting

Build a Rain Garden! – Watershed Management Group (webpage)

Rain Garden Care Handbook – Watershed Management Group (webpage)

Passive Water Harvesting – Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands & Beyond by Brad Lancaster (webpage)

Plant the Rain – Brad Lancaster on YouTube (video playlist)

Watch this 10-minute video featuring how the Sonoran Desert (the most biodiverse desert in the world) has sustained life for more than 12,000 years.

Become a Valley Voyager – explore our Interactive Map

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Discover Trails for walking, running, biking, & riding

Sky Islands & Desert Seas

Get to Know the Sky Islands

Natural History, Geology, & Biomes 

Biomes & Communities of the Sonoran Desert Region – Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (webpage)

Natural Features & Ecosystems at Tumacácori National Historical Park – National Park Service (webpage)

Sonoran Desert Network Ecosystems – National Park Service (webpage)

Geology of Saguaro National Park – National Park Service (webpage)

A Natural History of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona: with an Introduction to the Madrean Sky Islands
by Richard C. Brusca & Wendy Moore; Foreword by Bill Broyles
(book)

A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert, 1st Edition
edited by Steven J. Phillips & Patricia Wentworth Comus
(book)

A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert, 2nd Edition
edited by Mark Alan Dimmitt, Patricia Wentworth Comus, & Linda M. Brewer
(book)

Arizona Uplands & Plains of Sonora – Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (photo gallery)

Sonoran Desert Network Biomes – National Park Service (photo gallery)

Coffee Break: Geology and Geomorphology of the Sky Islands from the Sky Island Alliance on YouTube (video)

Mammals & Biomes of the Sonoran Desert – National Park Service (video)

Life Amongst the Sky Islands & Desert Seas

Sky Islands – U.S. Forest Service (webpage)

About the Sky Islands Region – Friends of Saguaro National Park (webpage)

Preserving Wildlife with the Oracle Wildlife Crossing – Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection (webpage)

Our Region – Sky Island Alliance (webpage)

Sky Islands: Encountering A Landlocked Archipelago
by Dan L. Fischer
(book)

Digital Experiences

Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve-Railroad-Pradera-Creek Loop (virtual tour/video)

The River Man – Desert Song Discovery Road Segment (video)

A Video Tour of the Sky Islands of Southern Arizona – Visit the Sky Islands of Arizona (video)

Santa Cruz River at Tumacácori – National Park Service (virtual tour)

Soarin’ Over Santa Cruz County, Arizona – Nogales-Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center (video)

Tour the Cienega Watershed: A Green Oasis in Southeastern AZ; Hosted by Cienega Watershed Partnership on TravelStorys (virtual tour)

Patagonia Trail Nature Walk: In the Sonoita Creek Watershed; Hosted by Friends of Sonoita Creek on TravelStorys (virtual tour)

Drone Views Along the Tucson Loop – Tucson Loop Authority (virtual tour)

Sky Island Spots – Sky Island Alliance on YouTube (video playlist)

Virtual Field Trip Series: Sky Island Region, Arizona – The Nature Conservancy on YouTube (video)

Outdoor Recreation Clubs

Watch this 6-minute Discovery Road segment about how a bridge in Oro Valley, Arizona has helped wildlife move, survive, and flourish in the desert.

Become a Valley Voyager – explore our Interactive Map

Find workshops & events on our Community  Calendar

Discover Trails for walking, running, biking, & riding

Streams in the Desert

Water Conservation

General Water Conservation Tips

Take Action in Response to Drought (webpage)

A Guide To Responsible Desert Dwelling – Tucson Water Runs Deep (webpage)

Spadefoot Splash Exhibit plus Water Conservation Tips – Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (webpage)

Hydro-Local At Home (How-to) – Watershed Management Group on YouTube (video playlist)

Water Saving Tips –  University of Arizona Cooperative Extension (webpage)

Rain Tanks & Active Water Harvesting

Rain Tanks (Active Water Harvesting: Storing the Rain for Human Use) – Watershed Management Group (webpage)

A Guide: Rain Barrel Water Harvesting
by Terry Sprouse, Amy McCoy, and Joaquin Murrieta, Sonoran Institute, and University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center

(pdf)

Rainwater Harvesting Rebate & Resources – City of Tucson (webpage)

Rainwater Harvesting Program – Tucson Clean & Beautiful (webpage)

Active Water Harvesting – Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands & Beyond by Brad Lancaster (webpage)

Tank the Rain – Brad Lancaster on YouTube (video playlist)

Greywater Harvesting

Laundry to Landscape Greywater Systems – Watershed Management Group (webpage)

Greywater Harvesting – Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands & Beyond by Brad Lancaster (webpage)

Greywater Harvesting – Brad Lancaster on YouTube (video playlist)

Graywater Guidelines – Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona (pdf)

Rain Gardens & Passive Water Harvesting

Build a Rain Garden! – Watershed Management Group (webpage)

Rain Garden Care Handbook – Watershed Management Group (webpage)

Passive Water Harvesting – Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands & Beyond by Brad Lancaster (webpage)

Plant the Rain – Brad Lancaster on YouTube (video playlist)

Watch this 4-minute Discovery Road segment featuring Dan Judkins’ exploration of the entire length of the Santa Cruz River.

Become a Valley Voyager – explore our Interactive Map

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Bird Habitats & Migration Corridors

Light blue hummingbird silhouette against a transparent background.

Habitat Conservation & Preservation

Watch this 4-minute Discovery Road segment showcasing how the thriving birdlife of Madera Canyon reflects the health of our environment.

Become a Valley Voyager – explore our Interactive Map

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Native American Lifeways

Learn from Native Voices

Official Tribal Government Websites

Tohono O’odham Nation Pascua Yaqui Tribe

History & Context

History & Culture – Tohono O’odham Nation (webpage)

Culture – Pascua Yaqui Tribe (webpage)

T-A:ga (Our Story): An Introduction to the Culture and History of the Tohono O’odham – Amerind Foundation on YouTube (video)

Preserving Native Food Traditions

From I’itoi’s Garden
by Tohono O’odham Community Action with Mary Paganelli Votto & Frances Manuel
(book)

Cultivating Identity: Edible Plants of the Sonoran Desert (video)

Cultivating Identity: How Heritage Foods Connect Past, Present, & Future (video)

Big Cactus – Desert Song Discovery Road Segment (video)

Borderlandia Podcast (podcast)

↳ Traditional Sonoran Desert Foodways (podcast episode)

Expressions of Native Culture & Art

Yoeme Unidos, Heritage Mural in Old Pascua/Tucson (webpage)

O’odham New Year, Heritage Mural at Mission Garden in Tucson (webpage)

Ribbon of Life, Heritage Mural at Tubac Presidio State Park & Museum (webpage)

The Growth of a Thriving Future, Heritage Mural at WMG Living Lab & Learning Center in Tucson (webpage)

Browse O’odham Children’s Books from Desert Ink Press (webpage)

Tohono O’odham Young Voices (podcast)

Cultivating Indigenous Voices on KXCI (podcast)

When It Rains: Tohono O’odham and Pima Poetry edited by Ofelia Zepeda (book)

Michael Chiago: O’odham Lifeways Through Art by Michael Chiago, Sr. and Amadeo M. Rea (book)

  Browse These Collections

Native & Indigenous Literature – The University of Arizona Press (webpage)

The Yaqui and the O’odham – Pima County Library Staff-Created List (webpage)

Watch this 5-minute Discovery Road segment featuring how the Pascua Yaqui (Yoeme) keep their rich heritage alive.

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Spanish & Mexican Frontier

Frontier Expeditions & Historic Figures

Frontier History

The Tohono O’odham and Pimeria Alta
by Allan J. McIntyre and Arizona Historical Society
(book)

Spanish Exploration in the Southwest 1542-1706
by Herbert E. Bolt (currently out of print; check used bookstores and online resources)
(book)

↳ Historic Copy available to view online through the Arizona Memory Project

Spain in the Southwest: A Narrative History of Colonial New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and California
by John L. Kessell
(book)

Culture History of Southern Arizona: Europeans Arrive – Arizona State Museum (webpage)

Historic Tales of Territorial Tucson 1854-1912
by David Devine
(book)

Borderlands Collections –University of Arizona University Libraries  (historic collection)

Francisco Vazquez de Coronado (b. 1510 – d. 1554)

Francisco Vazquez de Coronado – National Park Service (webpage)

The Coronado Expedition: History & Culture of the Coronado National Memorial – National Park Service (webpage)

Eusebio Francisco Kino (b. 1645 – d. 1711)

Eusebio Francisco Kino – National Park Service (webpage)

Who Was Father Kino? – Kino Heritage Society (webpage)

Eusebio Francisco Kino – Arizona Memory Project (historic collection)

Juan Bautista de Anza (b. 1693 – d. 1740)

History & Culture of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail – National Park Service (webpage)

The Anza Expedition (National Park Service Film) – National Park Service on YouTube (video)

Juan Bautista de Anza: The King’s Governor in New Mexico
by Carlos R. Herrera
 (book)

Historic Missions, Churches, & Sites

Mission San José de Tumacácori (est. 1691)

Learn About Tumacácori – National Park Service (webpage)

Virtual Tour of Tumacácori – National Park Service (virtual tour)

Changing Face of Tumacácori – National Park Service (photo gallery)

Tumacácori: A Cultural Crossroads – National Park Service (video)

Mission San Garbriel de Guevavi (est. 1691)

Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi – National Park Service (webpage)

Virtual Tour of Guevavi Mission – National Park Service (virtual tour)

San Xavier del Bac Mission (est. 1692)

Our History – San Xavier del Bac Mission (webpage)

San Xavier del Bac – Arizona Memory Project (historic collection)

Tubac Presidio (est. 1752)

Park History – Tubac Presidio State Park (webpage)

Tubac – Arizona Memory Project (historic collection)

Mission San Cayetano de Calabazas (est. 1756)

Calabazas Mission – National Park Service (virtual tour)

The Lost Border Town of Calabazas/Calabasas – Nogalepedia from Beyond Fronteras (webpage)

Calabasas – Arizona Memory Project (historic collection)

Presidio San Agustín del Tucson (est. 1775)

The Original Presidio San Agustín del Tucson – Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum (webpage)

Virtual Tour of the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum (webpage)

La Casa Cordova (mid 1840s)

La Casa Cordova Preservation – Tucson Museum of Art & Historic Block (webpage)

A History of La Casa Cordova and the Gabino Ortega Family and the Family of Maria Navarrete Cordova – Arizona Memory Project (historic document)

Sosa-Carrillo House (circa 1850s)

Sosa-Carrillo House Remodel – Los Descendientes de Tucson (webpage)

San Pedro Chapel (est. 1932)

History – San Pedro Chapel (webpage)

Remembering Manuela Peñuelas

Learn about the only member to die during the 1200-mile Anza expedition to San Francisco, California.

Bill Singleton painting of La Canoa campsite where Peñuelas’ son was born.

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Desert Farming

Watch this 7-minute video featuring heritage foods as they connect us to the past, present, & future.

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Ranching Traditions

Watch this 3-minute video featuring how Babacomari Ranch has spent centuries blending ranching heritage and conservation.

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Mining Booms & Ghost Towns

Explore the Timeline of Kentucky Camp

Learn about camp’s  history, from the first mining Gold Rush in 1874 to the present-day site preservation in the Coronado National Forest.

Photo by Karen Wytmans shows wild grass and shrubs near Kentucky Camp.

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U.S. Military Posts on the Mexico Border

The Legacy of Henry O. Flipper in the Borderlands

Learn about the former Lieutenant and, later, civil engineer who helped land owners in Nogales keep their properties.

Lieutenant Henry Ossian Flipper courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.

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U.S.-Mexico Border Culture

History of Cultural Communities

Indigenous (O’odham & Yoeme)

Jump to > Native American Lifeways

Spanish

Jump to > Spanish & Mexican Frontier

Mexican

Mexican Era: Culture History of Southern Arizona – Arizona State Museum (webpage)

Exhibits from the Mexican American Heritage & History Museum – Los Descendientes de Tucson (webpage)

Mexican Garden – Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace: Mission Garden on StoryMaps (virtual tour)

Songs My Mother Sang to Me: An Oral History of Mexican American Women
by Patricia Preciado Martin (book)

Mexican Heritage Project – Arizona Memory Project (historic collection)

Chinese

History – Tucson Chinese Cultural Center (webpage)

Chinese Garden – Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace: Mission Garden on StoryMaps (virtual tour)

Chinese History in Arizona – Arizona Historical Society (webpage)

Chinese Documents from Tucson, Arizona Collection – University of Arizona University Libraries (historic collection)

Oral History Project – Tucson Chinese Cultural Center on YouTube (video playlist)

Jewish American

Pioneering Jews of Southern Arizona – Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center (webpage)

Primary Resources on Jewish History in Arizona and the Southwest – University of Arizona University Libraries (historic collection)

African American

The Legacy of Henry O. Flipper in the Borderlands
by Jose Ramon Garcia
(webpage)

Arizona History – African American Museum of Southern Arizona (webpage)

Africa in the Americas Garden – Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace: Mission Garden on StoryMaps (virtual tour)

History of Dunbar/Spring – Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood (webpage)

Black History in the Borderlands – University of Arizona University Libraries (historic collection)

A Regional Perspective on Border Culture

The Big Ranch – Desert Song Discovery Road Segment (video)

Borderlandia Talks – Borderlandia on YouTube (video playlist)

Borderlandia Podcast (podcast)

How the Butterfield Trail Shaped Tucson – Butterfield National Historic Trail Association on Vimeo (video)

Borderlands Collections –University of Arizona University Libraries  (historic collection)

Nogalepedia from Beyond Fronteras (webpage)

Fronteridades Lecture Series – University of Arizona (webpage and videos)

Watch this 6-minute Discovery Road segment featuring a longtime family store where chili, spices, & recipes tell the story of southern Arizona’s cultural heritage.

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