Boosting Ecosystem Resilience in the Southwest's Sky Islands

Warming temperatures threaten native species in the Madrean Sky Islands Archipelago as plants and animals cannot migrate to higher elevation under the steep slope and finite extents. Conservation organizations collaboratively document the climate vulnerability of mountain springs and facilitates restoration work to enhance habitats and protect biodiversity. They completed a spring inventory project assessing the ecological status of over 100 streams in the region. From there, volunteers identified and enhanced habitats at 10 spring sites in Arizona by planting native trees to attract and support native pollinators, installing structures to slow moving water and reduce erosion, and removing invasive species from the area.