Central Arizona Conservation Alliance: Community Science Monitoring of Urban Saguaro Health: The Saguaro Monitoring Program within the Desert Botanical Garden’s Saguaro Initiatives

The Saguaro Census, organized by the Desert Botanical Garden, provides an important snapshot of saguaro distribution across the Phoenix Valley. However, long-term monitoring is essential to strengthen these data and better understand changes in plant health and survival over time. To address this need, the Saguaro Monitoring Program was developed as a student- and volunteer-led initiative in which community members are assigned a plot of approximately 20 saguaros that they visit regularly to document plant health and condition. As the project completes its first year of surveys, results from the initial monitoring effort will be presented, along with a discussion of the benefits and challenges of using community science to monitor urban plant populations.   CAZCA is dedicated to hosting inclusive, accessible events so all participants can engage in and enjoy the program. Please email us with your accessibility needs at cazca@dbg.org.