Welcome to the new 2022 website for the
Santa Rita Experimental Range!
(SRER)
The SRER is part of the Arizona Experiment Station system
Explore and enjoy over 100 years of accomplishments and contributions
of the longest continuously operating research area in the United States!
Alerts!
Be aware! The hunting season has started on the SRER.
For personal safety, it is recommended to wear high-visibility clothing when visiting the SRER.
Also, we ask that all hunters do their part in keeping the SRER clean, safe, and accessible for all. Please dispose of all carcasses in accordance with AZGFD regulations, operate vehicles only on designated roadways, remove all trigger trash and be mindful of private property boundaries and research infrastructure. Target shooting is always prohibited on the SRER. See the other restrictions and tips for safety at Visiting.
Both hunters and visitors are encouraged to review the Arizona Hunt Season Schedule, Rules, and Regulations as well as Hunt Guidelines and Recommendations on the Arizona Game and Fish Department website for additional information on hunting activity prior to your visit.
In the event of an emergency please call 911
For wildlife-related incidents please report to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Region V @ 520-628-5376
For all other SRER related activities please contact the SRER main headquarters @ 520-625-3243 or reach out to SRER Manager, Hector Elias at hectorej@arizona.edu
News
On February 6th, 2023, "in recognition of their continued collaboration with the University of Arizona implementing adaptive management of rangelands on the Santa Rita Experimental Range and for their contributions to the science of range management", Andrew and Micaela McGibbon (Santa Rita Ranch) were awarded the "2022 Range Manager of the Year" by the Arizona Section of the Society for Range Management during the annual conference at the Maricopa Agricultural Center.
See Past Events for more information.
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February 2023 marks the tenth anniversary of the Dryland-Detrital Input and Removal Treatments (D-DIRT) experiment at the SRER. The DIRT network (https://dirtnet.wordpress.com/ ) explores how changing inputs of plant litter affects the storage and stability of carbon in soils. This network has ~10 long-term sites in mesic forests throughout the world. Arizona State University professor Heather Throop established SRER as the first Dryland-DIRT site to explore how soil organic matter processes are affected by litter inputs and drylands. Throop and collaborators maintain plots annually, but soil organic matter formation and stabilization is a long-term process and they anticipate tracking changes over decades. They collected their first comprehensive soil sampling in February 2023 and are looking forward to sharing results at a future RISE Symposium!
For more information about the D-DIRT experiment at the SRER, visit also Examples of Current Research Projects and Additional Research Datasets.
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Visiting the SRER and Using Facilities
The Santa Rita Experimental Range is a field station uniquely positioned to support research, education, and outreach in the Southwest and offers unique opportunities for recreation. Visiting the SRER and Using Facilities provide all the information necessary for researchers and visitors to plan a visit.
SRER Rules and Regulations and Safety
Are you planning to visit the SRER?
Take a minute and have a look at the SRER Rules of behavior and Safety tips to ensure you a pleasant time at the range and help us keep it clean and safe.
2022 RISE Symposium
The 18th annual Research Insights in Semiarid Ecosystems (RISE) Symposium was held on Saturday, 5 November 2022, on the University of Arizona campus. Seventy-six people attended the event in person. It was the largest audience for the Symposium, and many said the best one so far.
Posters and Presentations are available on the RISE website. For more information about the previous editions, visit RISE Symposia.
Long-term Vegetation Transects
The Long term Vegetation Transects database provides access to long-term (from 10 to more than 70 years) records of vegetation measurements completed at 1 to 7-year intervals on over 200 permanent transects on the SRER.
Repeat Photography
The Repeat Photography database provides access to the archive of photographs taken repeatedly over the years from the same 115 sites across the SRER. The earliest images were taken in 1902.
Grazing Management Plan
The current Livestock Grazing Management Plan on the Santa Rita Experimental Range from 01 November 2021 to 31 October 2022 is online!
All the previous grazing plans as well as all the information about the Livestock Grazing History on the SRER are available at Livestock Use.
Water and Carbon Exchange
Access the USDA-ARS Ecosystem-Atmosphere Water and Carbon Exchange database and graphs to know more about the exchanges of water vapor and carbon dioxide between the land and the atmosphere on the SRER.
National Ecological Observatory Network
Learn more about the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) at the SRER and how to access NEON open data.
Centennial Conference 2003
The Proceedings from the Centennial Conference 2003 provide a complete overview of more than one century of publications about the SRER.
"The vast opportunities for future research at the Santa Rita Experimental Range
are built on the rich legacy of a century of observation and research.
In addition to opportunities, there are obligations to maintain and add to this legacy.
Therefore, our future efforts should ensure a second century of research on the Santa Rita"
(McClaran 2003)
We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the University strives to build sustainable relationships
with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities
through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.