Events

In the arid Southwest, ranching has dominated agriculture with historically large ranches and a vibrant cowboy culture. More recently, vineyards have taken a strong position in the local economy. This tour begins with a visit to the Santa Fe Ranch north of Nogales, and an introduction to the challenges of ranching by Dean Fish, Ranch Foreman & Ph.D Cowboy. Then we'll venture eastward to Sonoita-Elgin to enjoy a Catered Ranchero Lunch at Sonoita Vineyards, then onto to tour one of the area's vineyards, getting an insider's perspective on Arizona viticulture and wine making.
$95/BCA Members
$105/Non-members
Tour price includes roundtrip van transportation from Tubac, Catered Ranchero Lunch at Sonoita Vineyards, and BCA tour guide. Wine tasting available at extra cost.
Cancellation Policy: More than 10 days notice-refund minus $25 cancellation fee.

April 23, 8:30-5:00: Nogales, Sonora tour. Visit our partner nonprofit organizations in Nogales, eat lunch at Burrito Hass, learn about the city of Nogales, Sonora and have coffee & dessert at La Roca. Tour fee: $95/ members; $105/ non-members

Join us for an overnight tour of the town of Ajo, AZ. On the way there enjoy a private docent-led tour of Himdag Ki, the Tohono O'odham Nation Cultural Center & Museum. We will also have a picnic lunch there. After that, we'll head to Ajo, a cultural, historical, and humanitarian aid hub. We'll stay at the lovely Sonoran Desert Inn. During our visit, we'll take a tour of the town, including its murals, artist housing complex, beautiful town center and square, and other historic sites. We'll make a stop at the Ajo Humanitarian Aid office to hear about the near-constant migrant activity nearby.
Tour fee: Member $375/NonMember $450 includes transportation, BCA tour guide and local guides.
Meet in Tubac Presidio Parking Lot at 8:00am. Bring picnic lunch for the van ride.
CANCELLATION POLICY FOR OVERNIGHT TOURS: A full refund if cancelled at least 21 days prior to tour. If cancelled less that 21 days prior, a refund will be issued minus a cancellation fee of $100.

May 2, 6pm, Borderlands Forum with Atascosa Borderlands.  Atascosa Borderlands is a long-term visual storytelling project by Luke Swenson (Documentary Photographer) and Jack Dash (Naturalist and Writer). Since 2017, they have been working to better understand the Arizona-Sonora Borderlands alongside ecologists, cattle ranchers, humanitarian aid workers, migrants, hunters, ex-border patrol agents, and indigenous community members. The project brings together hundreds of original film photographs, oral history interviews, botanical specimens, historical images, and found objects; creating a living archive dedicated to this remote 42-mile section of the US-Mexico border. Join Luke and Jack as they tell us about the origins of their project, and their personal experiences working along the Arizona-Sonora border. Together, this collaborative duo will share photographs and stories from this biologically and culturally diverse region. Giving us insight into what there is to lose in the Arizona-Sonora Borderlands if action is not taken to heal the ecological and cultural rifts which threaten these communities and landscapes.

Location: BCA Office, 8 Burruel Street, Tubac. Free event - donations welcome. Sponsored in part by a grant from the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area.

May 3, 8:30am-2pm, Humanitarian Aid in the Borderlands: A Tour of the Arivaca community’s response. We’ll meet at BCA’s office in Tubac at 8:30am and hop in a van for a drive to the community of Arivaca. We’ll visit the humanitarian aid office there and hear a presentation from aid workers. We’ll then head to site of a Humane Borders water tank and witness some of the crosses planted as markers to those who have died while migrating. The tour will conclude with lunch at La Gitana Cantina in Arivaca. Tour fee: $45 members; $55 non-members. Includes van transportation, tour guides and lunch. Location: Meet at the BCA Office, 8 Burruel Street at 8:30am.

May 23, 10am, “Hummingbirds of the Borderlands" with Jeff Babson. During this session will hear about the fascinating world of hummingbirds, which are found only in the Americas, from above the Arctic Circle to the southern tip of South America. Jeff owns Sky Island Tours, an environmental education and eco-tour company. Jeff is also the Wildlife Viewing Program Specialist for the Pima County Department of Natural Resources, Parks, and Recreation, where he offers a range of walks and programs on a wide range of topics on the natural world. Free Event, $10 Suggested Donation. On Zoom. Sponsored in part by a grant from the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area.