Rio Vista Conservation Project
A collaboration between Friends of Rio Vista and the City of Tucson Department of Parks and Recreation to protect and restore Rio Vista Natural Resource Park
Coyote (Canis latrans). Photo credit: Scott Olmstead.
Rio Vista Natural Resource Park
A place in the urban desert where wild and human communities restore each other
At a bend in the Rillito (Spanish for “Little River”), in the heart of Tucson, Arizona, lies a wild treasure. Rio Vista Natural Resource Park is unlike any of the other parks managed by the City of Tucson Department of Parks and Recreation: its primary purpose is to protect the natural ecosystem, and it is situated along a major ecological corridor in midtown. Bobcats and Great Horned Owls, devil’s claw and velvet mesquite, pinacate beetles and gopher snakes call this desert landscape home. So do the human visitors who come to the park — many of them daily — to immerse themselves in the restorative power of nature.
Friends of Rio Vista
Friends of Rio Vista is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to uniting stakeholders in preserving this uniqueness. Our mission is to support the City of Tucson Department of Parks and Recreation and the Rio Vista Conservation Project in protecting and enhancing the ecological values of Rio Vista. Our vision is a natural resource park that is a haven for native plants and wildlife, that offers a unique visitor experience of nature in midtown Tucson, and that models collaborative conservation in the City of Tucson park system. Learn more…
Rio Vista Conservation Project
The Rio Vista Conservation Project is Friends of Rio Vista’s vehicle for connecting park managers with other stakeholders in behalf of the park’s wild inhabitants. Since early 2019, the conservation project has united volunteers and professionals for fieldwork, planning, and oversight.
Rio Vista Natural Resource Park
This natural gem in the desert supports habitats from open creosotebush flats to thick stands of small trees along ephemeral washes. Dirt trails connect them all. On a 15-minute walk through Rio Vista, you may see a javelina, a horse and rider, a wolf spider turret, a Cooper’s Hawk nest, and a glorious patch of white datura flowers and golden crownbeard — all against the backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The future of the park depends on managing this diverse ecosystem so that the wild things stay wild. Learn more…
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Help support our mission
Make a tax-deductible donation to support the Rio Vista Conservation Project.
News from Rio Vista
- Construction in Rio Vista Starts on TuesdayMany thanks to all the park supporters who came to the meeting on Thursday April 18 at Rio Vista. And deep gratitude to Tucson Parks and Recreation Commissioners Robin McArdle, Manon Getsi, Beki Quintero, and Steve . . .
- Stakeholder Meeting with Tucson Parks Staff TOMORROWYour voice for the park matters. Please join other members of the Rio Vista community for Discussion and Stakeholder FeedbackThursday, April 18, 2024, 3:00 p.m.Rio Vista Natural Resource Park, 3974 N. Tucson BoulevardLarge ramada on the . . .
- Critical Discussion on Rio Vista’s Future: next Thursday, April 18Our natural resource park needs your help. Please join other members of the Rio Vista community for Discussion and Stakeholder FeedbackThursday, April 18, 2024, 3:00 p.m.Rio Vista Natural Resource Park, 3974 N. Tucson BoulevardLarge ramada on . . .
- Our Five Years with You (Bulletin 9)As the year ends, all of us at Friends of Rio Vista are especially conscious of our debt to you: our donors, volunteers, advisors, mentors, private-sector partners, and other supporters. We also feel deep gratitude to . . .
- Gratitude for a Grant from the Community Foundation for Southern ArizonaFriends of Rio Vista is honored to have received a grant from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, to be used for general operating support. We’re truly grateful for this vote of confidence in our work from . . .
- Rio Vista Stakeholders Speak: Results of Our Recent Trail Plan SurveyThanks to everyone who took the time to complete our recent trail survey for Rio Vista! Your voice is important to ensuring that the diverse interests of park stakeholders are heard. The survey gathered input on . . .