Tucson Audubon Society

Tucson Audubon Society, a tax-exempt nonprofit organization registered in SAM.gov since August 2003, provides comprehensive conservation and environmental stewardship services to the federal government through cooperative agreements and project grants. Operating under the Audubon Nature Shop division, the organization specializes in wildlife research, habitat restoration, invasive species management, and environmental education throughout the southwestern United States, with particular focus on Arizona's unique desert and riparian ecosystems. The Society has demonstrated sustained expertise in supporting the U.S. Department of the Interior agencies, including the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation, in achieving science-based resource management and conservation objectives.

Through 29 recent federal grant awards totaling over $1.8 million, Tucson Audubon Society has provided diverse services across multiple conservation domains. The organization has led habitat restoration initiatives, including a substantial $708,200 cooperative agreement to restore agricultural fields and riparian areas at Tumacacori National Historical Park by removing invasive species and replanting native vegetation. The Society has conducted extensive wildlife monitoring and research, including surveys for threatened and endangered species such as the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and Mexican Spotted Owl at Pecos National Historical Park, white-nose syndrome monitoring in bat populations across the Southeast Arizona Group of parks, and Desert Purple Martin migration tracking in collaboration with Saguaro National Park and Northern Arizona University. Invasive species management constitutes a significant portion of the Society's work, with multiple cooperative agreements funded through the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for seed collection, botanical surveys, native plant material development, and invasive species removal and control across southwestern ecosystems. Additionally, the organization has contributed to watershed planning through a $297,182 grant from the Bureau of Reclamation to develop a comprehensive restoration plan for the Sonoita Creek Watershed in partnership with local government agencies and academic institutions. The Society's work has been supported through federal grant programs including the Cooperative Research and Training Programs for the National Park System (CFDA 15.945), the Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (CFDA 15.963), the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CFDA 15.554), the Schools and Roads grants to states program (CFDA 10.665), and various U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regional initiatives. Recent sub-award activity demonstrates additional capacity through an Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management subgrant for the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program in June 2024.