Cortaro Mesquite Bosque Construction

Cortaro Bosque is an 80 acre habitat restoration project completed by the RFCD in March 2008.   The project is designed to increase the biological diversity and plant community structure of the Santa Cruz River floodplain, providing wildlife habitat, particularly forage and nesting area for birds.

The planting scheme consists of “islands” of vegetation zones or plant communities separated by areas of native grasses.  This planting scheme provide extensive “edge” habitat favored by animals.  The edge habitat created at the boundaries of the grassland and the islands of denser taller vegetation provides a diverse area for animals to forage and take cover.  The islands are comprised of five types of plat communities: cottonwood-willow, riparian mesquite, riparian grassland-willow, xeroriparian (drier) mesquite bosque, and upland grassland and shrub scrub habitat.  All plant material was grown for the project by the Pima County Native Plant Nursery using seed collected locally.

The Cortaro Bosque is located on the Santa Cruz River floodplain terrace adjacent to Continental Ranch residential development upstream of Twin Peaks Road.  A paved river park trail and area earthen paths provide opportunities for walking, wildlife viewing, bird watching.