Sonoran Joint Venture

Attention Tucson! Celebrate Earth Day at Bonita Park this Saturday, April 18, 2026. / ¡Atención, Tucson! Celebren el Día de la Tierra en Bonita Park este sábado, 18 de abril de 2026.

Audubon Southwest recently released a report to help illustrate the economic value of water in Arizona’s rivers, lakes, and streams. The new analysis assessed participation in water-based recreation by Arizona residents and the time they spent recreating between September 2024 and August 2025. The study also estimated resident and non-resident spending on various water-based recreational activities to measure the economic contributions generated annually from rivers, lakes, and streams throughout the state. Spoiler: water-based outdoor recreation generates $11.7 billion in economic output annual in Arizona, supporting 72,000+ jobs and adding $6.9 billion annually to the state's Gross Domestic Product.

Read the full report and county-specific analyses here: https://www.audubon.org/southwest/resources-publications/economic-impact-of-arizonas-rivers-lakes-and-streams

What is the economic value of water flowing in Arizona’s rivers, lakes, and streams? Check out our new report, which found that water-based outdoor recreation generates $11.7 billion annually for Arizona's economy, supporting 72,000 jobs in the state. Learn more at audubon.org/azrivers

📸 Kayakers on Lake Havasu. Photo: George Andrejko/Arizona Game and Fish Department

Congratulations to SJV Partner Audubon Southwest for being named one of the 2025 Migratory Bird Joint Venture Conservation Champions! Audubon Southwest Executive Director Jon Hayes accepted this prestigious and richly-deserved recognition on February 25, 2026 at a reception on Capitol Hill celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Migratory Bird Joint Ventures.

Audubon Arizona, now Audubon Southwest, has been a core partner of the Sonoran Joint Venture since the JV’s inception. Through their participation on our management board and Science Working Group they have helped develop the strategic direction of the SJV, supporting our partnership’s work to advance collaborative efforts for bird and habitat conservation in the SJV geography.

Learn more: https://sonoranjv.org/congratulations-audubon-southwest/
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Audubon Southwest ha sido recientemente nombrada una de las organizaciones campeonas de la conservación de la Migratory Bird Joint Ventures para 2025. El director ejecutivo y miembro del consejo consultivo de la SJV, Jon Hayes, aceptó este prestigioso y merecido reconocimiento el 25 de febrero de 2026 en una recepción celebrada en el Capitolio con motivo del 40.º aniversario de los Migratory Bird Joint Ventures.

Audubon Arizona, ahora Audubon Southwest, ha sido un socio fundamental de la Sonoran Joint Venture desde su creación. A través de su participación en nuestro consejo consultivo, han ayudado a desarrollar la dirección estratégica de la SJV, apoyando el trabajo de nuestra asociación para promover los esfuerzos de colaboración para la conservación de las aves y su hábitat en la geografía de la SJV.

Más información: https://sonoranjv.org/es/enhorabuena-audubon-southwest/

The JV8 Central Grasslands Conservation Initiative is excited to announce the official launch of its newly redesigned website, now live at JV8.org. The redesigned website offers a blueprint for expanding grassland habitat stewardship and conservation through coordinated collaboration, drawing from the 2025 publication of the JV8 Business Plan to recover North America’s Central Grasslands. The new JV8 website will serve as a resource for JV partners, conservation practitioners, policymakers and agency representatives, and philanthropic donors.

La Iniciativa para la Conservación de los Pastizales Centrales JV8 (JV8) tiene el gusto de presentar el lanzamiento oficial de su recién rediseñado sitio web, ya publicado en JV8.org. El sitio rediseñado ofrece un plan para ampliar la administración y la conservación del hábitat de pastizales a través de una colaboración coordinada, basándose en el Plan de Negocios JV8 de 2025 para la Recuperación de los Pastizales Centrales de Norteamérica. El nuevo sitio web de JV8 servirá como recurso para los socios de los JVs, los profesionales de la conservación, los responsables de las políticas, los representantes de agencias y los donantes filantrópicos.

Congratulations to SJV Coordinator Jennie Duberstein on her 22nd anniversary of working for the SJV/US Fish and Wildlife Service!

¡Felicitaciones a la Directora del SJV, Jennie Duberstein, por su 22º aniversario de trabajo para el SJV/Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE. UU.!

🌵 Do you live in New Mexico or Arizona — or, know bird lovers who do?
🐦 Celebrate birds & conservation in the Southwest and help protect the region’s incredible wildlife and habitats.
Join Sonoran Joint Venture and Chris McCreedy, ABC’s Riparian Bird Recovery Coordinator, at the Friends of Cave Creek Canyon (FOCCC) Heritage Days Festival’! On Saturday, Sept. 20, he’ll present on the declines of Southwest aridlands birds, featuring key findings from the 2025 State of the Birds Report. Discover Tipping Point Species such as Bendire’s Thrasher, LeConte’s Thrasher, Pinyon Jay, Allen’s Hummingbird, and more — and learn why these iconic birds need our help.
On Sunday, Sept. 21, take a guided bird walk to see some of these amazing species in action!

📍 Location: Geronimo Event Center, Rodeo, NM.
Enjoy an on-site buffet lunch, live music, and a crafts fair & market while connecting with fellow bird lovers. Come for the birds, stay for the conversation — and discover how you can help conserve the Southwest’s unique aridland habitats.
Learn more:
https://bit.ly/3HC2Vhf

The SJV Management Board wrapped up a successful fall meeting in Tucson, Arizona. After two days of work on finalizing our new Conservation Implementation Plan and developing actions for the coming year, we were thrilled to have Director Martha Williams and USFWS Southwest Regional Director Amy Lueders join us for a field trip to , where Ranch Director Steven Prager and Executive Director (and SJV board member) Jon Hayes shared some of the amazing work they are undertaking.

El Consejo Consultivo del SJV concluyó una exitosa reunión de otoño en Tucson, Arizona. Después de dos días de trabajo para finalizar nuestro nuevo Plan de Implementación de Conservación y desarrollar acciones para el próximo año, nos encantó contar con la participación de la directora de USFWS, Martha Williams, y la directora regional del suroeste de USFWS, Amy Lueders, en una visita de campo a Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch, donde el director del rancho, Steven Prager, y el director ejecutivo de Audubon Southwest (y miembro del Consejo Consultivo del SJV), Jon Hayes, compartieron parte del increíble trabajo que están realizando.

🪶¡Atención México!🪶

Hace poco les compartimos que con su cuenta de eBird, pueden acceder de manera gratuita a todo el contenido de la página: “Aves del mundo” Birds of the World - The Cornell Lab

¡¡Y ahora todo está en ESPAÑOL!!

https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home

(Gracias a CONABIO por compartir!)

Aves, amistad y ambiente: Acabos de cerrar la reunión de otoño del SJV Grupo de Trabajo Cientifíco en Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Muchas gracias a nuestros anfitriones locales por organizar los detalles, incluso un lugar fantástico para reunir, comida excelente y no solo uno pero DOS salidas de campo y experiencias con muchos especies endémicas de la región. Hay que volver pronto!

Visite nuestro sitio web (enlace en el perfil) para obtener más información sobre el Grupo de Trabajo Científico de SJV y cómo puede participar.

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Birds, friendship, and environment: We just closed the fall SJV Science Working Group meeting in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Many thanks to our local hosts for organizing the details, including a fantastic meeting location, excellent food, and not just one but TWO amazing field trips and experiences with many endemic species, including the Belding’s Yellowthroat and the San Lucas Robin. We have to come back soon!

Visit our website (link in profile) to learn more about the SJV Science Working Group and how you can get involved.