Restoration Successes

Thanks to our incredible volunteers and support from our partners, the park has now restored a number of park streams. After a 20-year absence, lowland leopard frogs are thriving in Box Canyon following reintroduction, and in 2024 we also reintroduced them to Wildhorse and Loma Verde Canyons after being gone for nearly a decade. These frogs came from a mix that included frogs from “backyard ponds” in cooperation with our park neighbors who have been raising them for us!

In addition, fountain grass has been removed from most of the canyons on the west side of the Rincons – Wildhorse, Steel Tank, Loma Verde, Bajada Wash, Douglas Spring and others. In these places, once dominated by this highly flammable invasive plant, the native plants are coming back! We are celebrating the return of deer grass, monkey flowers, yellow trumpet flower, tanglehead, gramma grasses, and many other beautiful native grasses.

 
The viewer is looking up a dry desert stream with and boulders in the foreground, mesquite trees on either side, and a hill with saguaros in the background. The stream is full of dark mounds of invasive fountain grass. The viewer is looking up a dry desert stream with and boulders in the foreground, mesquite trees on either side, and a hill with saguaros in the background. The stream is full of dark mounds of invasive fountain grass.

Left image
Dry desert riverbed, before
Credit: NPS

Right image
Dry desert riverbed, after
Credit: NPS

 
In the first photo we are looking up a steep canyon with cliffs on the sides and a row of saguaros along the top of the photo in the background. The stream is choked by yellow mounds of a single species, invasive fountain grass. In the first photo we are looking up a steep canyon with cliffs on the sides and a row of saguaros along the top of the photo in the background. The stream is choked by yellow mounds of a single species, invasive fountain grass.

Left image
Canyon riverbed, before
Credit: NPS

Right image
Canyon riverbed, after
Credit: NPS

 
The first photo shows a beautiful desert stream with water that flows over sand and smooth boulders, but also clumps of green fountain grass, an invasive plant. Saguaros line the shoreline, and there are distant mountains and clouds on the horizon. The first photo shows a beautiful desert stream with water that flows over sand and smooth boulders, but also clumps of green fountain grass, an invasive plant. Saguaros line the shoreline, and there are distant mountains and clouds on the horizon.

Left image
Desert stream, before
Credit: NPS

Right image
Desert stream, after
Credit: NPS

 
Looking downstream in a canyon with saguaros standing proud among steep rocks on the right side. In the left foreground, a young person with a red backpack kneels on a long slab of bedrock, writing in a notebook. No water in stream but lots of grasses. Looking downstream in a canyon with saguaros standing proud among steep rocks on the right side. In the left foreground, a young person with a red backpack kneels on a long slab of bedrock, writing in a notebook. No water in stream but lots of grasses.

Left image
Canyon stream, before
Credit: NPS

Right image
Canyon stream, after
Credit: NPS

Last updated: October 22, 2024

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3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730

Phone:

520 733-5153
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