Borderlands Restoration Network Watershed Restoration Team
Patagonia, AZ
November 6th, 2025
A day in the sun, on our hands and knees, carefully crafting beautiful and sturdy rock walls with the Borderlands Restoration Network’s awesome Watershed Restoration Team, was a memorable experience for us Westies. The BRN is a nonprofit in Patagonia, Arizona focused on rebuilding healthy ecosystems, restoring habitat and wildlife, and reconnecting communities on the U.S.-Mexican border to the land. The watershed restoration team was composed of crew lead Zach Farley, with watershed technicians Jade Snowhook, Trevor Lauber, Murphy Hazletine, and Dalton Trantham. They welcomed us into the field with snake gators, gloves, and hammers, allowing us to accompany them on a day in the life of their work.
The Watershed Restoration Team’s goal as a branch of the BRN is to help prevent erosion in the valley, by slowing down and allowing for water to be retained on the landscape. This work is done through the creation of retention dams, made from entirely natural materials found along the channels and surrounding hills. We explored some of their beautiful and successful previous works and helped to create new structures. With the gathering of rocks, sticks, dirt, and even some scattered bones, we pieced together the dams, helping reinforce the BRN’s mission of non-destructive human management, and the importance of locally sourced materials.
Thank you to the Watershed Management crew for an educational and inspirational field workday, and for welcoming us onto your team!
by Rose Peterson