Salt River Restoration Project · Sunridge, AZ
The Salt River Restoration Project is a community-led civic initiative dedicated to reviving the Salt River corridor through habitat restoration, water quality stewardship, native plantings, and public education.
What we do
From wetland re-vegetation and water quality tracking to Saturday work parties and school tours, every SRRP program has one mission: bring the Salt River back to life.
We restore degraded riparian zones by removing invasive species, re-grading floodplains, and re-establishing native plant communities that shelter wildlife and stabilize banks.
Our citizen-science monitoring program tests dozens of sites along the corridor each month, tracking nitrates, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and aquatic health indicators.
We propagate and install native Sonoran Desert riparian species -- cottonwood, willow, mesquite, and native sedges -- through seasonal planting events open to all skill levels.
Join a Saturday morning work party to remove buffelgrass, plant natives, collect seeds, or conduct wildlife counts. No experience needed -- bring gloves and water.
School programs, guided nature walks, and birding tours bring the restored corridor to life for students and community members of all ages throughout the year.
Financial gifts, in-kind contributions, and corporate partnerships fund restoration crews, monitoring equipment, and community outreach programs year-round.
Why it matters
The Salt River corridor once supported dense cottonwood-willow forests, clear water, and abundant wildlife. Decades of water diversion, invasive plants, and urban encroachment stripped much of that away. We are putting it back.
How to get involved
Register online for a scheduled volunteer event or tour, or show up at the Riparian Way trailhead any Saturday morning from 7 to noon. All tools and supplies are provided.
Project staff lead each session -- planting natives, clearing invasives, collecting water samples, or restoring trail infrastructure. Every pair of hands makes a measurable difference.
After each event, data and photos are posted to our restoration progress page. Watch the corridor grow greener and see your volunteer hours turn into acres of recovered habitat.
Community voices
"I have brought my fourth-grade class to the river tour two years in a row. The kids are completely captivated -- and so am I. You can see the habitat coming back before your eyes."
"Volunteering with SRRP on Saturday mornings has become the best part of my week. Hard work, great people, and you can literally see the difference you are making in real time."
"Our company sponsored a corporate planting day here. We planted 400 native cottonwood seedlings in one morning. Meaningful work the whole crew is still talking about months later."
Whether you give an hour on a Saturday or support us with a donation, your involvement directly funds habitat recovery in the Salt River corridor.