Freeport-McMoRan Sierrita Mine

About the Program
Freeport-McMoRan Sierrita Mine is located in Green Valley, Arizona about 25 miles south of Tucson in the Sonoran Desert. The project includes an 0.23 acre landscaped pollinator garden, a rain garden, and a 10 acre bat pollinator desert habitat. The team works to control the spread of invasive species, enhance wildlife habitat, and educate the community about local conservation issues.

Practices and Impacts

• In partnership with Sahuarita Middle School and the Watershed Management Group, the team designed and installed a pollinator garden and rain garden on the school property. Species planted include hummingbird trumpet, pineleaf milkweed, and artichoke agave. The gardens provide pollinator habitat for native wildlife while also providing an educational opportunity for the students. Students water, weed, and monitor the gardens and are educated on topics including pollinators, water conservation, and native species.
• In partnership with Bat Conservation International and Borderlands Restoration Network, the team planted agaves to provide nectar and pollen to migratory bat species that rely on agaves.The plants are monitored for health and watered and shaded while small. The partners organize community events to educate the community on nectivorous bats and plant agaves.
• In 2017, the team partnered with Arizona Sonora Desert Museum to remove invasive buffelgrass from a 35 acre desert habitat. Public events are hosted to educate the community on buffelgrass and encourage individuals to remove it in their own neighborhoods.
• In partnership with the Tucson Audubon Society, the team installed nest boxes for Lucy's warbler, ash-throated flycatchers, elf owls, and western screech owls. More recently, they partnered with HawkWatch International to add boxes for nesting American kestrels. The team monitors the boxes during the nesting season and maintains them as needed.