Our Mission
CNUW connects people of all ages to the wonders and intricacies of the Sonoran Desert — through conservation, habitat restoration, urban ecology, and hands-on education. CNUW trains our students through hands-on practical fieldwork.
Established in 2000, the Center for Native and Urban Wildlife (CNUW or see-new) is dedicated to:
Promoting the Wonder of the Sonoran Desert — one of the most biologically diverse deserts in the world.
Preserving Degraded Habitats by restoring native plant communities and creating functioning ecosystems. Our students develop skill sets and best practices in the fields of conservation and urban ecology.
Educating the Community on why this unique desert matters and empowering individuals to make big differences for wildlife with simple changes and greater understanding. We share the value and importance of natural desert environments through our on-campus programs, nature center, campus wildlife gardens, and community outreach. Over 50,000 K-12 students have participated in CNUW’s on-campus programs, with many more people engaged through our community outreach programs and courses.
What We Do
Wildlife Conservation, Research & Restoration
Our students, volunteers, and partners make a difference by improving degraded desert habitats impacted by fire, invasive species and urbanization. Our campus is home to several threatened and endangered species along with a rewilded landscape supportive of pollinators and birds including nesting burrowing owl habitat.
Educational Programs & Outreach
From 3rd-12th-grade field trips to college biology labs, we inspire learners of all ages to experience the desert in a new light. Enhance your appreciation of the Sonoran Desert by visiting with many of our local animal species in our nature center or by wandering our beautiful campus wildlife areas.
Native Plant Micro-Nursery & Native Seed Library
CNUW maintains a small capacity native plant nursery and native seed collection — the backbones of many of our restoration and student-driven projects.
Upcoming events
CNUW Plant Sale Fundraiser
Sign up to get email announcements about our next plant sale.
Open House at Toad Hall
Join us for Open House at Toad Hall, CNUW's nature center! Every Wednesday from 11 am - 1 pm or most days when the door is open…so, come on in and explore. People of all ages and small groups under 10 are welcome. Come see and learn about desert wildlife, then visit our Wildlife Demonstration Gardens on campus.
Maricopa Native Seed Library
CNUW is now a site for the Maricopa Native Seed Library. Seed packets will be available outside the door of the CNUW offices 24/7. Enjoy up to 3 free seed packets per month. Contact [email protected] with questions. CNUW is between the Science Lecture (SL) and Computer Technology & Math (CM) buildings. View the Campus Location map for more information.
Support CNUW
If you would like to support CNUW through a donation, you can easily purchase items off of our Amazon Wish List and have it shipped to the Center. Your donations help us continually improve and we greatly appreciate your support!
