The Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center (RSAC) thrives when community members lend a hand in service, and over the last few months our local community has gone above and beyond with assisting RSAC.

In February and March seven separate groups visited RSAC to donate their time and energy to improve the grounds, build better habitat for our wildlife, and to make our trails more accessible to the wider community.

Below are photos from some of these events highlight the amazing work that our volunteers were able to accomplish.

Not pictured below are the follwoing: NetWork Volunteers connected us with a group of highschoolers from Boston, Mass who while spending a week in Phoenix spent a day at RSAC removing invasive red fountain grass and had the opportunity to learn more about native Arizona mammals and Dr. Pedro Chavarria, Arizona State University-Polytechnic and students from his Wildlife Ecology course also spent a morning helping remove red fountain grass from our gardens.

Hunter Morrill from Scout Troop 39 conducted his Eagle Scout project to improve the condition of the 9-5 Stream that runs through our garden to better manage the growth of cattails in the streambed. Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Hunter Morrill from Scout Troop 39 conducted his Eagle Scout project to improve the condition of the 9-5 Stream that runs through our garden to better manage cattails in the streambed. Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Hunter Morrill from Scout Troop 39 conducted his Eagle Scout project to improve the condition of the 9-5 Stream that runs through our garden to better manage cattails in the streambed. Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Pathfinder club Alpha & Omega help trim back cattails in our pond to help improve the habitat for the native fish that call it home, Desert Pupfish, Gila Topminnow, and Razorback Sucker Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Pathfinder club Alpha & Omega help trim back cattails in our pond to help improve the habitat for the native fish that call it home, Desert Pupfish, Gila Topminnow, and Razorback Sucker Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Students from the Phoenix College's Garden Club helped widen some of the interpretive trails to allow easier access for mobility device users. Photo: Nichole Escobedo

Students from the Phoenix College’s Garden Club helped widen some of the interpretive trails to allow easier access for mobility device users. Photo: Nichole Escobedo

Students from the Phoenix College’s Garden Club helped widen some of the interpretive trails to allow easier access for mobility device users. Photo: Nichole Escobedo

Students from the Phoenix College’s Garden Club helped widen some of the interpretive trails to allow easier access for mobility device users. Photo: Nichole Escobedo

Volunteers lay down sand and pebbles to build an ideal breeding and nesting area for Desert Pupfish, an endangered native Arizona fish species. Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Volunteers lay down sand and pebbles to build an ideal breeding and nesting area for Desert Pupfish, an endangered native Arizona fish species. Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Volunteers clear out cattails from around the pond to ready the site for future projects. Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Students seeking real world experience opportunities from Arizona State University- Tempe Professor Allyce Hargrove Landscape Architecture class helped RSAC Educator Corey Lycopolus and RSAC Director Genaro Ruiz redesign the front entrance with 27 new native and drought-tolerant plants. Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Students seeking real world experience opportunities from Arizona State University- Tempe Professor Allyce Hargrove Landscape Architecture class helped RSAC Educator Corey Lycopolus and RSAC Director Genaro Ruiz redesign the front entrance with 27 new native and drought-tolerant plants. Photo: Corey Lycopolus

Students seeking real world experience opportunities from Arizona State University- Tempe Professor Allyce Hargrove Landscape Architecture class helped RSAC Educator Corey Lycopolus and RSAC Director Genaro Ruiz redesign the front entrance with 27 new native and drought-tolerant plants. Photo: Corey Lycopolus

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