Seminar: Connecting Water, Plants, and People: Building Resilience in the Borderlands

Abstract: 
Across the Sky Islands of southern Arizona and Northern Mexico, ecological systems and communities are under increasing pressure from drought, extreme weather, and legacy land use that have disrupted natural processes and accelerated landscape degradation. At Borderlands Restoration Network, our work is centered on shifting these systems from breakdown to resilience through integrated, nature-based solutions.

This talk will explore how our programs in watershed restoration, native plant conservation, and place-based education work together to restore ecological function and strengthen community connection to the land. From slowing and spreading water in degraded drainages, to growing and returning native plants to the landscape, to engaging the next generation through hands-on education, our approach is rooted in reconnecting people, water, and ecosystems. We will share how these efforts scale across public and private lands through collaboration, offering a practical pathway for building resilience in arid and semi-arid regions.

Speaker Bios:

Dr. Rodrigo Sierra Corona
Executive Director
Borderlands Restoration Network
rsierracorona@borderlandsrestoration.org

Dr. Sierra Corona is a conservation scientist and restoration practitioner with over 20 years of experience researching and implementing conservation practices on endangered landscapes in Northwest Mexico and the US West. Rodrigo has worked on establishing protected areas, developing and implementing large-scale management plans for private conservation lands, and the recovery of black-footed ferrets, American bison, prairie dogs, and jaguars.  

Rodrigo is the Executive Director of Borderlands Restoration Network, a nonprofit in Patagonia, AZ. The organization protects land from development and implements restoration practices and education programs on both sides of the US-Mexico border. 

Sarah Colombo
Watershed Restoration Program Director
Borderlands Restoration Network 
scolombo@borderlandsrestoration.org 

Sarah Colombo is an interdisciplinary environmental scientist serving as the Watershed Restoration Program Director at Borderlands Restoration Network. Raised in Arizona, her work is grounded in a connection to desert landscapes across the Southwest.

With a background in field-based research and restoration across the region, she leads program strategy and supports a team implementing low-tech, process-based restoration across public and private lands, focused on restoring hydrologic function, rebuilding soils, and supporting biodiversity. Sarah works closely with partners, landowners, and community members to expand and connect restoration efforts, advancing landscape-scale impact and long-term resilience.