Collaborative Science on the Upper San Pedro River: Building the Blocks
Brooke Bushman1
1The Nature Conservancy, Tucson, Arizona, USA; bbushman@tnc.org
The Nature Conservancy’s collaborative approach to protecting Arizona’s San Pedro River over the past 20-plus years has influenced the wealth of science and strategies now being used to protect this biologically diverse, jewel of the desert Southwest. These partnership-driven strategies target groundwater levels to protect the dependent riparian habitat and San Pedro River flows. This approach acknowledges that river protection and restoration not only include interventions at the river-proper, but also in strategic locations where we can build hydrologic resilience. Featured in the forthcoming book, Renewing our Rivers: A Guidebook to Dryland Stream Corridor Restoration, protection of the San Pedro River has required long-term engagement in understanding the ground and surface water hydrological processes along with our partners. And, then working together to use and adapt the science to implement a network of projects that will support an enduring San Pedro River for both people and nature.