On September 29, the Río Sahuaripa swelled from the heavy, residual rains of Hurricane Polo, and a giant wave of water flooded our demonstration site at La Tierra del Jaguar. Normally, the river brings life and beauty to this land: Just days before the flood, we were surprised to find our first boa constrictor on the property. Our trail cameras often catch fun sightings of badgers and Neotropical river otters; muddy impressions of cat tracks regularly line the water’s edge; and local students explore the riverbank with us on field days — where we might spot a yellow-billed cuckoo or the colorful blue grosbeak. One of the highlights of this land is how rich and fertile it is, and our vivero greenhouse was thriving with 30,000 baby agaves and other native plants being tended to in preparation for restoration plantings on nearby ranch lands.
The flooding was unprecedented, unlike the remnants of any other hurricane. A raging river more than six feet in height reached our door just before dusk. Our friends in the small pueblo of Ponida called to warn us. They had never seen the river this big, and it was headed our way: There was not much time. Trees and branches floated by in the swift current. The water had come from upstream at Tarachi, a mountain community impacted by large wildfires earlier this year. These fires directly increased the amount of runoff we witnessed from Hurricane Polo.
Thankfully, everyone on our team is safe. We were able to gather all of our animals and get to higher ground, minus the flock of chickens who were tragically swept away. We are reeling having watched years of hard work and dedication collapse before our eyes.
We watched as the water rose and wiped out the greenhouse structure along with all of its young plants. We watched the river take years of tools and equipment we had accumulated, stored up high but not strapped down. We watched our educational materials float away and the earthen walls of the classroom be eaten by the water’s force. And we watched as the water continued to climb to reach the brand new inverter and batteries that powered our solar-energy demonstration site. We know these things can be replaced, but the hardship is a heavy burden, and the cleanup that’s ahead is a substantial obstacle before us.
We are nothing if not full of guts, grit, heart, and resolve. We have grown this nonprofit born out of a dream to help nature, promote coexistence on working lands, and to foster healthy relationships living alongside the area’s wild inhabitants. We are an integral, rooted part of this community, and we are motivated by a deep desire to make a difference. We have already invested everything of our time, energy, and resources. We live on the land fulltime, and we don’t come from money: “Our hearts are bigger than our wallets.” Everything we have was built through hard work and with caring individuals, supporters, and local residents who share our vision of thriving people and a thriving natural world.
In the face of such incredible, traumatic loss, so much is needed. We can’t face this devastation alone and must call, lean on, and rally everyone who cares about the future of jaguars, wild species, wild places, and the people of this region of Sonora and the U.S.-Mexico borderlands on a larger scale. Our work is vital to increase resilience in the face of the climate crisis evidenced by wildfires, hurricanes, and the long-standing, widespread drought.
Here’s what we know comes next in our post-flood response:
- Clean up, mud removal, and mold inspection of the buildings
- Search for and retrieve still-usable materials carried downriver
- Discard accumulated debris
- Inventory the tools, construction materials, and equipment to be replaced
- Fix our solar infrastructure
- Repair damage to classroom building and fencing
- Revamp site design to avoid future damage
- Rebuild greenhouse, resupply with everything that was lost
- Improve soil conditions where compromised
- Other items we cannot yet see
We recognize this process will be lengthy, involved, and, ultimately, worthwhile.
We are deeply grateful to our team and community. La Tierra del Jaguar supports the livelihoods of 10 local residents who, along with their families, depend on this project. They built the demonstration site, making it a valuable community resource, receiving hundreds of rural students and adults for environmental education classes and workshops in regenerative land management. They tend to the plants, they move the rocks that restore landscapes, and they have the most to gain from the work.
Our commitment to our team, and the local relationships we’ve fostered, meant that immediately after the floodwaters receded, our community showed up. All hands were available to help begin the cleanup, accepting that at this moment and for the months ahead, this is what the work entails.
Now we need you. The future of La Tierra del Jaguar is in your hands. Your donations and generosity guarantee we can recover from this devastation and continue to teach regenerative skills and empower rural communities to partner with nature. With your support, we will restore ecosystems, improve watershed health, and create sustainable livelihoods across the shared landscapes of the Sierra Madre Occidental.
Together, we will ensure that people, jaguars, and all wildlife can thrive.
— Randy, Allison, and the La Tierra del Jaguar team
Allison Kreis
Anonymous
Joan Powell
Dan Wylie
Keep the hope alive! Build it back!
Conrad Reining
Heard about the impacts from the recent hurricane. Hope you are able to recover!
Allison Kreis
Juan Carlos Bravo
De nuestra familia, con cariño.
Anonymous
Kathleen Dreier
Sending you strength and love.
David Parsons
I was a participant in the Rewilding Institute float trip organized by Turtle Southern last year. I'm so sorry to see this devastation. Your mission is too valuable to not … Read More
I was a participant in the Rewilding Institute float trip organized by Turtle Southern last year. I'm so sorry to see this devastation. Your mission is too valuable to not rebuild. I hope my contribution can help in some way. Dave
Steve Marlatt
Hang in there. Will give more when I can.
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