Nativas Landscape
Embracing Urban Nature: Connecting People and Landscapes in the Built Environment.
by Christian Aguilar Murrieta
A Master’s Report submitted to the University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Landscape Architecture.
May 2025
This project explores human perspectives on urban wildlife, as well as existing efforts to integrate nature into the city. Interviews were conducted with local leaders and influencers who work with and for nature in the built environment. In each interview, they had the opportunity to discuss their work and their thoughts on the future of Tucson. Each interviewee was assigned to a geographic area within Tucson, mapping their work and area of influence and highlighting design solutions to connect people with nature. The goal of this project is to inspire people to integrate nature into their lives as urban dwellers, as well as to learn about the work the interviewees are doing and join these efforts in their own capacity.
Map Credits: Esri, NASA, NGA, USGS, FEMA, CONANP, TomTom, Garmin, Foursquare, SafeGraph, GeoTechnologies, Inc, METI/NASA, EPA, Bureau of Land Management, NPS, US Census Bureau, USDA, USFWS, Pima County, Storm to Shade and Watershed Management Group.
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PART 1: The Beginning at Tumamoc Hill with Robert Villa
Robert is the Community Outreach Assistant at the Desert Laboratory of Tumamoc Hill and the President of the Tucson Herpetological Society. Robert graciously shares with us his work, his passion for reptiles and his thoughts about the role that Tumamoc Hill plays in the urban fabric of Tucson.
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PART 2: In Tune with Nature at Time Market with Luis Salgado
Luis is the Green Infrastructure Project Manager at WMG, where he works closely with the community to create GSI Projects in the City of Tucson and South Tucson. Luis shares with us a bit of his personal journey in finding his place in the GSI world, as well as his perspectives on nature in the city and how sometimes everything in nature seems to be in tune, just like music.
PART 3: Healing with Pocket Parks at Jackie Kinman Butterfly Garden with Nichole Casebeer
PART 3: Healing with Pocket Parks at Jackie Kinman Butterfly Garden with Nichole Casebeer. Nichole is the Project Manager and Landscape Designer for the Pima County Flood Control District. She shares with us two pocket parks in central and south Tucson, whose creation she participated in and learned about the power of GSI as a tool for social transformation and a way to heal our relationship with nature in the city.
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PART 4: Rain Gardens and Arroyos at Poets Square with Joaquin Murrieta
Joaquin is the Cultural Ecologist Director at WMG, where he specializes in building resilience in diverse communities by enhancing connections between people, culture, and natural resources. Joaquín shares his thoughts and hopes for the City of Tucson and its connection to nature, as well as the importance of community, embracing rain and wildlife in the built environment.
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PART 5: Riding The Loop with Justin Risley
Justin is the Communications Coordinator for Native Seeds SEARCH and a passionate cyclist. He shares his journey to Tucson five years ago, when he just graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with degrees in Journalism and Sustainable Community Development, and how he finds ways to connect with nature in his neighborhood and The Loop.
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PART 6: Planning Habitats for All with Sarah Meggison
Sarah is the Project Manager in Planning & Development Services and former Housing Development Manager for the City of Tucson. She holds a Master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Arizona and in this interview, she shares her experience of working with the Bisbee community some years ago on the plastic bag ban and how community decision-making processes can have a ripple effect and change the way we live in the built environment. She emphasizes the value of every living being to feel safe in their own habitat, as well as the importance of incorporating landscape design into every housing development.
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PART 7: Resilient Landscapes at EcoSense with Eli Nielsen
Eli is the founder of EcoSense and co-owner of The Rain Store in Tucson, Arizona. He shares with us his vision for nature in the city, creating beautiful, resilient landscapes and prioritizing rainwater harvesting as something that should be integrated into our culture as urban desert dwellers.
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PART 8: A National Treasure at the Hop Shop with Mark Briggs
Mark is a hydrologist and a passionate mountain biker. He shares with us what he and his friends call a National Treasure: the legendary trail known as Urban Assault, northeast of Tucson. He talks about the complexities of using and enjoying this place, and concluding the ride at the Hop Shop. He also shares his reflections on the current administration and the point of inflection we live in today, where natural resources are at risk, as well as our future as human beings who rely on nature to survive.
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PART 9: Massive Opportunities
at El Rio Neighborhood Center with Blue Baldwin
Blue is the Storm to Shade Program Manager at Tucson Water, and she tells us a little about how she came to know the people and places that led her to where she is today, as well as dedicating her time to beautifying Tucson with natural resources by identifying the massive opportunities for green stormwater infrastructure and raising the bar for what a public space should look like for everyone to enjoy.
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PART 10: An Urban Grassland at Cherry Avenue Park with Brooke Bushman
Brooke is the Maintenance Program Manager for the City of Tucson's Storm Shadow program. She shares the importance of maintaining a native urban landscape, the hard work the crew puts into GSI maintenance, the resilience of native plants, and how she finds beauty in a bouquet of native flowers in the middle of an urban grassland.
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PART 11: Existing Together at Rio Vista Park with Xochitl Coronado-Vargas
Xochitl is the Public Outreach Coordinator at the Storm to Shade program. She shares a little about her work, her connection to nature, and her personal experiences living in two Tucson neighborhoods with different needs but one thing in common: the need for green spaces. A special guest appeared while we talked about coexistence with nature!
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PART 12: Biodiversity and Beauty in Carianne's Garden
Carianne is an expert in habitat restoration, gardens, and desert pollinator plants. She is the owner of Strategic Habitat Enhancements, where she focuses on bringing joy to people and wildlife in and around the city. Carianne talks about the importance of welcoming urban wildlife, as well as watering native plants for a healthy, beautiful garden that brings life.
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PART 13: Thinking Forward with Fátima Luna
Fátima is Tucson's first Chief Resilience Officer. In her position, she is responsible for implementing the city's Climate Action Plan across all city departments and with the community. She discusses the climate emergency in Tucson, one of the fastest-warming cities in the United States, and the importance of having diverse solutions, one of them being nature-based.
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Below is the final report that compiles all the information about this project, including the literature review, methods, results, and references. For more information, please contact us at nativasland@gmail.com
Thank you to all the participants in this project, who make Tucson a more vibrant, beautiful, and healthy place for everyone.
