The Friends of the San Pedro River (FSPR), founded in 1987, is a volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of the river through advocacy, education, and interpretation. FSPR coordinates its activities with the BLM, the land manager of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) and the National Conservation Lands. The board meets monthly in Hereford, Arizona.
Join the Friends of the San Pedro River (application is on our website: www.sanpedroriver.org). Your modest dues will help, and your membership will increase our impact in the community. You will be helping to save our river for future generations. The Friends of the San Pedro River is a nonprofit organization that assists the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) care for and interpret the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. The Conservation Area with the San Pedro River forms an isolated green corridor in the desert. The river and surrounding conservation lands shelter many kinds of animals and plants. Many birds migrate through the Conservation Area between the tropics and temperate North America. The American Bird Conservancy has designated the Conservation Area as a Globally Important Area. The Conservation Area also has important historical sites dating from the Clovis era 13,000 years ago, Spanish settlement in the 1700s, and the “Wild West” mining and ranching era of the late 1800s.
During a recent year, the Friends provided 207 environmental & historical events to about 2,000 people. These events included interpreti ve walks, bird walks, history walks, hikes, and special events such as festi vals. The Friends' education program provided information to 700 students. The Friends operate information centers and gift shops in the San Pedro House and Fairbank Schoolhouse and help maintain these buildings. Members receive benefits such as guided tours, social events, talks about natural and human history of the area, discounts on gift shop purchases, and a newsletter.
You! can help protect the San Pedro River by joining the Friends. To join, simply fill out the membership application on our home page and mail it with your check to the address on the form or turn them in at the sales counters in the San Pedro House or Fairbank Schoolhouse.
A grassroots effort to protect the river in the upper San Pedro River Valley resulted in congressional legislation in fall 1988 that created the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.
