Friends of Rio Vista connects the City of Tucson (landowner) and Tucson Parks and Recreation (land manager) to a broad range of stakeholders in Rio Vista Natural Resource Park. The vehicle for this connection is the Rio Vista Conservation Project. Friends of Rio Vista has been incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the state of Arizona since August 2020 and became a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in March 2021. But the Rio Vista Conservation Project has a history of success since early 2019 in supporting Tucson Parks and Recreation’s conservation efforts at Rio Vista.
Friends of Rio Vista is a nonmember organization that relies on volunteer and pro bono work. We have no paid staff, and most of our financial support comes from private donations. Our partners and advisors generously donate their time and expertise.
Friend of Rio Vista conservation advisor Gary Bachman immersed in the Paths to Habitat restoration pilot. Photo credit: Carianne Funicelli.
Our Vision
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
Lucy’s Warbler. Photo credit: Luke Franke (courtesy of Tucson Audubon Society).
Our Mission
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 Natural Resource Park
Our Values
- Commitment to collaboration
- Respect for the intrinsic value of the park’s wild inhabitants
- Recognition of the ecosystem services that the park provides to human communities
- Responsibility to enrich the lives of Rio Vista’s human visitors and neighbors through direct involvement in conservation action
Our Goals
- To foster collaboration among stakeholders (including the landowner and land managers) in behalf of the natural assets of the park
- To enhance habitat for wildlife and native plants
- To address immediate needs related to ecosystem viability and visitor safety
- To support the development of a comprehensive plan to guide management and compatible uses
- To encourage an active connection between visitors and nature in an urban environment
- To assist the City of Tucson in defining natural resource parks and in developing guidelines for meeting their unique needs
Contact Us
For more information about Friends of Rio Vista and the Rio Vista Conservation Project, please get in touch with us at info@friendsofriovista.org.
Jennifer Shopland : Project Manager, Rio Vista Conservation Project; Chair, Board of Directors, Friends of Rio Vista
Susan (Suzie) Husband : Vice Chair / Recorder, Board of Directors, Friends of Rio Vista