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Welcome to the Rio Salado ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Center

The Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Center serves as the gateway to a unique urban green space in the heart of Phoenix. The Center and our programs help connect visitors to nature and provide actionable pathways to engage in conservation. ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ leads much of the habitat restoration efforts here through partnerships and community volunteering. 

The center offers free general admission and visits during regular hours, as well as many special programs and activities throughout the year, including:

Education Programs • School Trips • Guided Bird Walks â€¢ Rio Community Festivals â€¢ Facility Rentals â€¢ Community Use Space â€¢ Community Art Showcase Program â€¢ Habitat Restoration Work â€¢ Volunteering â€¢ Family Programs â€¢ Training Workshops

By inspiring people through education, exploration and conservation, the center helps inspire passion for nature and safeguard a critical habitat for birds today and into the future. 

History of The Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area

Located within the tribal lands of the O'Odham and Piipaash people and their ancestors, the Rio Salado (Salt River) has seen over a century of degradation. For many years, the river was a dumping site for waste and pollutants. In 1993, the City of Phoenix and the US Army Corps of Engineers began restoration work on a 5-mile stretch of river. Over the next decade, 138,572 cubic yards of waste and over one million tires were remove to make way for a major restoration project for native trees, plants, and flowering shrubs.

̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ joined the effort in 2005, and opened this center in 2009. Today, The Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area stretches five miles between 24th Street and 35th Avenue, just south of downtown Phoenix.. It is growing into a thriving riparian corridor filled with wetlands, mesquite bosque, cottonwood–willow forest, and accessible trails. Over 200 species of birds and other wildlife have been recorded here, making it one of the city’s most important urban wildlife refuges. The river corridor also serves as a vital stopover site for nearly 100 species of migratory bird and the endangered Monarch Butterfly.

̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ continues to directly manage 11 acres within the restored habitat, in partnership with the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department. We also support ongoing community and partner efforts to remove invasive plants, build pollinator gardens and restore natural landscapes within the larger 600 acre area.