The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Spend an evening with Nature Conservancy ranch managers and scientists at the Tucson Museum of Art (TMA) on Thursday, March 21 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. The Conservancy’s science-based work on grasslands in southern Arizona and northern New Mexico, including Arizona’s Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area and Aravaipa Canyon Preserve, demonstrate a variety of practices designed to restore and protect one of the most threatened landscapes.

This event is part of a partnership with the Tucson Museum of Art which opened the Desert Grasslands Exhibition in January. Desert Grasslands features paintings, photography, and works on paper that express the beauty and vitality of desert grasslands. TMA is working with the Conservancy to raise awareness about this critical landscape.

Only one-third of Arizona’s grasslands are healthy. Lack of fire, improper range use, the spread of non-native plants and development are reasons grasslands are in bad shape. Grasslands are incredibly valuable. They:

• Provide forage for livestock which translates into a ranching family’s livelihood.
• Provide wildlife food and a home.
• Filter and store water, an important role for maintaining healthy river systems.
• Produce oxygen and hold our soil which prevents erosion.

Public and private land owners can utilize the Conservancy’s practices that improve land health and increase economic productivity. Panelists include Gita Bodner, conservation ecologist, Mark Haberstich, Aravaipa Canyon Preserve manager; Bob Rogers, Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area manager and Laura Paulson, Northern Mexico program director.

When: Thursday, March 21 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Where: Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave.

Why: Healthy grasslands support healthy water systems, local ranchers and wildlife but they are threatened. Ranch managers and scientists share lessons learned from the field.

Cost: Free with museum admission
 

The Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block connects art to life, inspiring discovery, creativity, and cultural understanding through meaningful, engaging experiences. The museum is open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Thursday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm, and Sunday 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm. The first Sunday of each month is free. It is located at 140 North Main Avenue in historic downtown Tucson, at the crossroads of West Alameda and North Main Avenue. The Museum also includes five historic houses, public tours, and a research library.