Getting There
Approved participants are responsible for getting to the BANWR Visitor Center, located approximately 55 miles southwest of Tucson. The Sierra Club advocates carpooling to this location by encouraging phone and/or email communication among approved participants. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.
Accommodations and Food
We will be camping within a fenced enclosure at the Wildlife Refuge. You can also bring a camper. The leaders will be sleeping in a large camper with a kitchen
Getting There
Approved participants are responsible for getting to the BANWR Visitor Center, located approximately 55 miles southwest of Tucson. The Sierra Club advocates carpooling to this location by encouraging phone and/or email communication among approved participants. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.
Accommodations and Food
We will be camping within a fenced enclosure at the Wildlife Refuge. You can also bring a camper. The leaders will be sleeping in a large camper with a kitchen.
The leaders will prepare all meals but participants will be expected to help with kitchen responsibilities on a rotating basis throughout the week.
Trip Difficulty
Working at altitudes of 3-4,000 feet in warm, dry, desert conditions with cacti makes this a moderately strenuous trip. We will be walking on uneven surfaces including arroyos, sand, and grass. Tools we will be working with are: spreader cutters, bolt cutters, post pullers, and a winding machine (under close supervision). Participants will be urged to hydrate often, take frequent breaks, and work at their individual comfort levels throughout the week. If you are in reasonably good physical condition, you will have no problem with any of the tasks we will be assisting BANWR staff with during our service experience. Each volunteer must have a current tetanus shot prior to the trip departure date.
Equipment and Clothing
A detailed list of recommended gear will be sent to approved participants. Basics will include a day pack to carry water, leather work gloves, sunscreen, raingear, simple first-aid needs, and a plastic container for your lunch and snacks for the day. Desert temps can vary significantly from hour to hour, so dressing in layers that can be added or easily removed usually works best. Work clothing and boots should be broken-in, worn, and comfortable, and protect the wearer from plants that want to jump out and stick to you…which includes about 98% of desert plants! Though it's usually warm weather this time of year, keep in mind that there is a possibility of snow and cold weather in the mountains.
References
Books:
- Brown, David and Neil Carmony, Aldo Leopold’s Southwest.
- Larson, Lane and Peggy, The Deserts of the Southwest: A Sierra Club Naturalist’s Guide.
Websites:
Video:
Conservation
We will be working closely with the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge staff to improve, protect, and conserve the ecological balance of this unique Southwestern environment.
The plants and wildlife of the desert grasslands feature a fascinating array of fine-tuned adaptations for survival. Livestock grazing, fire suppression, and human demands on water supplies have altered the ecological balance of the Southwestern grasslands. Recent crossings by undocumented immigrants have reached over 1,000 per day during winter months, causing further habitat damage by foot traffic and trash left behind. Law enforcement practices create additional pressures on already fragile desert and grassland ecosystems. Concerned volunteers, like us, who partner with conservation agencies in land stewardship, help ensure that this legacy of wildlands will continue for future generations.
Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.
