SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (September 12, 2024) — Today, the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, the official Congressionally-chartered charitable Foundation supporting the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), announced the City of Sierra Vista, the Friends of the San Pedro River, and the Borderland Restoration Network will receive $1.5 million in grant funding to improve drought resiliency in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.
The project will support stewardship of the San Pedro River and make critical infrastructure improvements to support the outdoor recreation economy and ensure critical access to drinking water for the community. The grant comes from the newly launched Drought Resilience Fund, which powers locally led partnerships with the BLM to combat the severe drought challenges facing public lands and Western communities.
“The Colorado River is an essential lifeline that millions of people rely on every day. As the West faces a worsening water crisis, communities are stepping up and leading meaningful work to curb the harmful impacts of drought on public land and their livelihoods. The Foundation’s new Drought Resilience Fund will invest in the work of partners on the ground who have deep knowledge of the land,” said I Ling Thompson, CEO of the Foundation for America’s Public Lands. “By investing in projects that are led by local community-based stewards, the Foundation will help drive economic vitality in rural communities and foster long-term, lasting stewardship of public lands and waters.”
Worsening drought in the West is a persistent challenge that poses an existential threat to communities, landscapes, and economies throughout the Colorado River Basin. While communities and partners across the Lower Basin are leading impactful efforts to implement water conservation measures and drought-resistant practices, additional resources are urgently needed to bolster long-term resilience.
The Drought Resilience Fund marks the Foundation’s first grantmaking endeavor as it charts its inaugural programs and priorities. Through strategic investments in locally led partnerships, the Fund will support projects that are building lasting solutions to overcome the challenges of drought on BLM-managed lands and waters. The Fund leverages investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and private philanthropic contributions.
Building Drought Resilience in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area
The City of Sierra Vista, the Friends of the San Pedro River, and the Borderland Restoration Network, — groups that have been long-standing partners of the BLM — will receive $1,500,000 over three years to invest in the restoration of the BLM’s San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. One of the most important riverscapes in the country, this region provides drinking water to Southwestern communities, bolsters national security through facilitating operations at the Army facility Fort Huachuca, supports the outdoor recreation economy, and provides vital habitat to hundreds of unique wildlife species. In its first year, the project will:
- Deploy restoration practices along the San Pedro River to decrease erosion, bolster habitat, and improve resilience to drought conditions.
- Improve visitor center infrastructure and renewable energy production and storage at the San Pedro House to support the growing recreation economy.
- Support the groundwater recharge network to ensure communities and Fort Huachuca have access to reliable drinking water, while also supporting flows in the San Pedro River.
- Support youth crews doing restoration and monitoring on San Pedro tributaries and the river.
The project supports the collaboration among the BLM’s Gila District, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Huachuca, Cochise County, and the City of Sierra Vista and their commitment to the conservation of the San Pedro River and Sierra Vista watershed. This commitment was reaffirmed in a September 2021 MOU for cooperative monitoring and management of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area and surrounding areas within Cochise County.
“With support from the Foundation, the City of Sierra Vista looks forward to expanding the partner collaboration around the groundwater recharge network that helps provide the City with a reliable water supply while also supporting San Pedro River flows,” said Clea McCaa, Mayor of the City of Sierra Vista.
“Public visitation to the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation area is growing yearly. The visitor services provided by the Friends of the San Pedro River operate in a remote area that is primarily off the power grid. These funds will be used to modernize the currently antiquated solar power system that is no longer reliable. This will provide a modernized solution to our energy requirements that does not rely on fossil fuels,” said Ron Stewart, President of the Friends of the San Pedro River.
“With generous support from the Foundation, we are implementing multi-faceted restoration strategies to enhance the ecological function and drought resilience of the San Pedro tributaries, while engaging local youth to gain practical experience alongside our team,” said Sarah Colombo, Watershed Restoration Program Director of the Borderlands Restoration Network.
“We are thrilled about this opportunity,” said Colleen Dingman, BLM Tucson Field Manager. “The Foundation’s funding award will strengthen our partnerships to enhance the resilience of BLM-managed public lands and waters to drought in the San Pedro River basin.”
Later this year, the Foundation will announce additional funded projects, and opportunities to apply for funding in 2025.
About the Foundation:
As the official charitable partner of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Foundation for America’s Public Lands serves as a convener, partner, and fundraising catalyst to help ensure the health and sustainability of America’s public lands and waters today, and for the future.
Founded in 2022, the Foundation works hand-in-hand with the BLM, local communities, and partners to increase support for public lands and waters and inspire more people to connect with the outdoors. Each unique and truly special scenic river, wilderness area, monument, historic trail, conservation area, and working land holds a story of its own.
To learn more about the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, visit americaslands.org or follow the Foundation on social media.
