Arizona & Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps

Support Arizona Conservation Corps & Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps

Empower Young Leaders. Protect Public Lands. Create Lasting Impact.

At Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) and Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (ALCC), we believe in the power of young people to restore and protect our lands while gaining invaluable job training, leadership skills, and a deep connection to conservation. This Arizona Gives Day, your support will fuel this vital work.

The Project: A Commitment to Conservation and Community

Through a unique partnership with Taproot Collaborative, AZCC and ALCC will complete crucial conservation work across Arizona’s Pinaleños region. Young conservation leaders will maintain trails, reduce wildfire fuel loads, and restore habitats. Additionally, crews will implement low-tech, process-based restoration techniques like constructing analog beaver dams. These simple, nature-inspired structures slow water flow, reduce erosion, and restore critical wetlands that benefit wildlife and improve water quality. These techniques also make the landscape more resilient and resistant to wildfire.

Located 70 miles northeast of Tucson, the Pinaleño Mountains are considered sacred by twelve regional tribes and are a popular outdoor recreation destination. This work is in close collaboration with the San Carlos Apache Tribe, whose members visit the springs of the Pinaleños annually for their healing waters. The invaluable knowledge and ancestral stewardship of the tribe paired with the capacity of AZCC and ALCC will address the effects of drought, catastrophic fires, and erosion that threaten these vital springs. Together, our efforts will protect the land and its cultural significance for years to come.

Triple Your Impact Today!

Every dollar you give for Arizona Gives Day will be matched 2:1 by Taproot Collaborative, up to $20,000. Taproot collaborative brings a holistic, integrative approach to restoration, emphasizing community partnerships and collaborative solutions to protect this treasured landscape. You can find more about them at www.taprootcollaborative.org.

Why This Matters

The Pinaleño Mountains are culturally significant and support the richest density of biodiversity in the Southwestern US including 18 endemic species found nowhere else in the world.  Many of these, like the highly endangered Mt. Graham Red Squirrel, are threatened with extinction. These critical watersheds have suffered three catastrophic wildfires over the last two decades and face urgent threats from drought, disease and erosion.  Your support provides:

• Fully equipped conservation crews with necessary tools and training
• Meaningful employment opportunities and career pathways in environmental stewardship
• Conservation projects that make tangible differences for public lands and communities

Join us this Arizona Gives Day to create a lasting legacy for Arizona's lands and people. Your generosity will directly support our crews' efforts to protect Arizona’s landscapes and nurture the next generation of conservation leaders.

Arizona Conservation Corps and Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps are programs of Conservation Legacy.