Stewart L. Udall Parks in Focus® Program

Foundation-Led Programs - Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona, is home to the Udall Foundation’s flagship Parks in Focus® program, a year-round initiative that engages hundreds of Tucson youth from our partner schools and youth organizations in hands-on learning and outdoor exploration against the backdrop of the Sonoran Desert.

Activities take place in-school and afterschool, on the weekends, and throughout the summer. Our outdoor classrooms range from schoolyards and city parks to some of southern Arizona’s most spectacular national parks and public lands. Sites frequently visited include Agua Caliente Park, Saguaro National Park, Chiricahua National Monument, Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tohono Chul, Sweetwater Wetlands, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and several sites throughout Coronado National Forest.

Whether the activity is 30 minutes or several days, students learn about local flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert as they explore and photograph places they have generally never been before. A small, but vibrant community of volunteers support our local activities and help enrich our students’ overall Parks in Focus® experience.

A traveling photo exhibition features some of the best images taken by our Tucson participants each year. The exhibit is featured annually at the Western National Parks Association and has also been featured at the Tucson International Airport, Children’s Museum Tucson, the Joel D. Valdez Downtown Library, and the University of Arizona.

Please contact Parks in Focus® Program Manager Ernesto Somoza at somoza@udall.gov or (520) 901-8566 for more information about the flagship Parks in Focus® activities in Tucson.