ACTIVE PROJECTS

PROJECT OASIS

Phase 1: Operation Kitchen Gardens

The nearest supermarket is 24 miles away from this community of 435 people, with 45% of the population living below poverty level.

    • 39% of global carbon emissions are generated from food production and distribution.

    • Desertification results in 5.24 billion tons of arable soil lost every year due to water scarcity and human activities such as tilling and the use of petrochemical fertilizers.

    • Trees are clear cut at rate of 48 football fields per minute for logging, agriculture, cattle ranching, mining, oil extraction and dam-buildin.

    • Groundwater is pumped by growing industries faster than aquifers are naturally replenishing.

    • Coal-based electricity produces 2.23 pounds of carbon emissions per kilowatt, for a total of 13.97 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (GtCO2) worldwide in 2020.

    • To protect biodiversity

    • Repair ecological damage

    • Improve human health and wellbeing

    • Rebuild sustainable relationships between people and natural systems

    • Improve food and water security

    • Increase economic prosperity

  • Project Oasis presents a new model that will do just that, a model needed for food supply and distribution chains that will result in:

    • Lowered carbon emissions

    • Local food production and security

    • Lowered food cost to families

    • Improved nutrition

    • Less toxic health side effects

    • Protection of biodiversity

    • A slow down in the depletion of aquifers

    • By developing alternative water sources

    • And rebuilding arable soil

  • Earthworks & infrastructure retrofitting for storm and rainwater catchment

    • Low Impact Development on streets for irrigation

    • Metal roofs, gutters, cisterns, filters & valves on buildings

    Local food production

    •  Small Kitchen Gardens for each family home

    • Community High-Yield Food Forest

    • Build and protect soil throughout the town

    Use resources in new ways

    • Waterless composting toilets

    • Solar Energy

    • Reduce dependency on groundwater, and use less

    Focused on small-scale high-yield food production starting in Bowie, Arizona, Project Oasis will facilitate infrastructure and landscape modifications for participating families in small rural communities throughout arid regions around the world.

Project Presentation
Problems Presentation

Project Summary

Location: Downtown Bowie, Arizona, USA

Project Type: Construct site-specific earthworks-based rainwater catchment and retention methods on public and private property.

  • Construct site-specific earthworks-based rainwater catchment and retention methods

  • Restore and protect soil viability

  • Reseed native vegetation without irrigation

  • Design and plant an educational demonstration site

Size: This project model will be reproduced in up to 100 Bowie homes and then expand to the nearby Apache Reservation.

Environmental benefits:

  • Engagement in community initiatives that also slow down global warming and carbon emissions.

  • Restoring ecosystem homeostasis.

Community benefits:

  • Significantly improve quality of life for small rural towns in arid regions through the availability of local healthy food sources.

  • Retrofitted rainwater catchment, storage and distribution infrastructure and earthworks reduces need on pumping ground water from lowering aquifers.

  • Irrigation systems and methods for high-yield organic food forestry on both private and municipal properties.

  • Learn about ecological sustainability and earth systems.

  • We aim to ensure water and food security within community food deserts through ecological education resulting in individual empowerment to make a difference in the world.

Status: In process

A community-based food forest will be installed at SkyHarvest Headquarters in central Bowie, AZ where families harvest food in addition to the fruit and nut trees planted on the streets, and herb gardens planted at home.

Conceptual LID Flood Mitigation Opportunities.

Upper Bear Gulch Erosion Control Structure Installation Project
Site 3

BOWIE, ARIZONA, USA

The primary purpose and desired outcome of this Plan are to guide installation of at least 50 rock erosion control structures for Borderlands Restoration Network’s (BRN) 2023, 2024, and 2025 summer youth program, Borderlands Earth Care Youth (BECY), along with workshops hosted jointly by BRN and Diamond Mountain Retreat Center (DMRC). The work described below will occur in the upper watershed of private land at DMRC, the project’s host and steward of 1,000 acres in the Dos Cabezas Mountains 120 miles east of Tucson, Arizona.

Defining the Problems and Summary of Solutions

  • Located in the Madrean Sky Island Archipelago, the Dos Cabezas Mountains feature a mix of desert and mountain ecosystems, home to diverse plant and animal species. The project aims to remediate the effects of historical land uses, such as grazing and fire suppression, by enhancing vegetation diversity.

  • The region’s geology—fault lines, slopes, and varied soils—creates ideal conditions for building erosion structures. These structures capture sediment and increase water infiltration, promoting vegetation growth. The project emphasizes collaboration among agricultural, historical, and spiritual groups, using watersheds as an organizing principle for ecological and social restoration.

  • Erosion Control Structures (ECS) slow water flow, increase soil moisture, and capture sediment, offering a cost-effective landscape restoration solution. Structures such as One-Rock Dams, Trincheras, Media Lunas, and Zuni Bowls are tailored to specific conditions. The project prioritizes six key drainages for erosion control.

  • A mature riparian forest near the main road needs protection from road runoff. The plan includes stabilizing exposed tree roots using rock and soil, safeguarding this forest, which plays an important role in the Nature Trail and broader restoration effort.

  • The plan is part of a larger effort to restore the DMRC watershed, using rock structures to manage water, support vegetation, and improve habitat connectivity. This collaborative project ensures ongoing restoration efforts that will benefit the environment and local communities in the Dos Cabezas Mountains.

Our Impact

Over three years (2023–2025), this project restored critical ecosystems at Diamond Mountain Retreat Center through collaborative, community-driven efforts.

  • 216 erosion control structures installed

  • 1.84 miles of streams restored

  • 36.5 acres of habitat regenerated

  • 700+ native plants established

  • Invasive species removed across 0.54 miles

Environmental Outcomes

This work led to measurable ecological improvements:

  • Increased soil moisture and groundwater recharge

  • Reduced erosion and sediment loss

  • 118 tons of sediment captured

  • Enhanced habitat for pollinators and wildlife

  • Creation of an agave garden supporting endangered bats

Community Impact

Beyond ecological restoration, the project strengthened human connection and learning:

  • 804 people engaged through programs and workshops

  • 32+ volunteers from across the U.S. and Mexico

  • Youth training and hands-on restoration experience

Our Approach

We applied adaptive, low-impact restoration strategies tailored to the land:

  • Low-tech, process-based restoration methods

  • Drought-resilient native planting strategies

  • Native seed pellets to support natural regeneration

    Why It Matters

    This project not only exceeded its goals, but created lasting ecological and community impact—supporting resilient landscapes for years to come.

Project Summary

Location: Bowie, Arizona, USA

Project Type: Erosion Control and Increased Water Infiltration above Bear Spring

The work described below is occuring in the upper watershed of private land at DMRC, the project’s host and steward of 1,000 acres in the Dos Cabezas Mountains 120 miles east of Tucson, Arizona.

Choices of drainages to work were made after extensive in-field and archival research to determine and coordinate the following variables:

  • Areas of greatest erosion control needs;

  • Availability of rock material for building;

  • ⁠Crew and tool access points;

  • Local needs of DMRC;

  • And the needs of summer youth crews from Douglas and Patagonia.

Size: 150 rock erosion control structures on 6 drainages and riparian forest protection are currently funded.

Environmental benefits:

  • Mitigate impacts of climate change and historical damage

  • Restore native vegetation and critical habitat

  • Enrich local biodiversity

  • Reduce erosion and improve soil quality

Community benefits:

  • Enhance economic viability through sustainability

  • Create local jobs

  • Educate public and youth

Grant Partners

  • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

  • Borderlands Restoration Network

  • Diamond Mountain Retreat Center

Status: Active