Russ McSpadden
@peccarynotpig.bsky.social
Desert rambler, writer, activist in the Arizona/Mexico borderlands @ Center for Biological Diversity
Hope you can make it to the launch of Borderlings, my new book of poetry, this Saturday, Oct. 18, 6:30-8. Reading at 7. Signed copies available at event.
If not, you can order a copy through ArtSpeak Press here: www.artspeakpress.com/shop/p/borde...
If not, you can order a copy through ArtSpeak Press here: www.artspeakpress.com/shop/p/borde...
October 16, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Hope you can make it to the launch of Borderlings, my new book of poetry, this Saturday, Oct. 18, 6:30-8. Reading at 7. Signed copies available at event.
If not, you can order a copy through ArtSpeak Press here: www.artspeakpress.com/shop/p/borde...
If not, you can order a copy through ArtSpeak Press here: www.artspeakpress.com/shop/p/borde...
“…destruction of jaguar habitats amounts to a violation of the Constitutionally guaranteed First Amendment religious liberties of the Tohono O’odham communities.”
October 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
“…destruction of jaguar habitats amounts to a violation of the Constitutionally guaranteed First Amendment religious liberties of the Tohono O’odham communities.”
“…this resolution condemns the destruction, damage, and disruption of the natural habitat of jaguars on Tribal and federal lands that are aboriginal homelands of the O’odham; and contends that the…”
October 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
“…this resolution condemns the destruction, damage, and disruption of the natural habitat of jaguars on Tribal and federal lands that are aboriginal homelands of the O’odham; and contends that the…”
“…protect jaguar habitat, safeguard connectivity from border walls and reintroduce jaguars to their native range in the U.S. Southwest.”
October 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
“…protect jaguar habitat, safeguard connectivity from border walls and reintroduce jaguars to their native range in the U.S. Southwest.”
The San Xavier District of the Tohono O’odham Nation in Arizona has passed one of the most moving and powerful resolutions memorializing the role of the jaguar as a protector of the O’odham with deep cultural and spiritual ties. The resolution also calls on U.S. Fish and Wildlife to…”
October 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
The San Xavier District of the Tohono O’odham Nation in Arizona has passed one of the most moving and powerful resolutions memorializing the role of the jaguar as a protector of the O’odham with deep cultural and spiritual ties. The resolution also calls on U.S. Fish and Wildlife to…”
Chasing a rainbow over the northernmost occupied jaguar habitat on the planet. Gotta love Arizona.
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Chasing a rainbow over the northernmost occupied jaguar habitat on the planet. Gotta love Arizona.
Excited to share this! Join us to celebrate the release of BORDERLINGS, the debut book of poems from environmental activist RUSS MCSPADDEN, Saturday October 18, 2025, 6:30pm doors, 7pm reading and book signing. Free & all-ages.
Che's Lounge, 350 N. 4th Ave, Tucson
Published by Artspeak Press.
Che's Lounge, 350 N. 4th Ave, Tucson
Published by Artspeak Press.
September 19, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Excited to share this! Join us to celebrate the release of BORDERLINGS, the debut book of poems from environmental activist RUSS MCSPADDEN, Saturday October 18, 2025, 6:30pm doors, 7pm reading and book signing. Free & all-ages.
Che's Lounge, 350 N. 4th Ave, Tucson
Published by Artspeak Press.
Che's Lounge, 350 N. 4th Ave, Tucson
Published by Artspeak Press.
BREAKING: The first segments of border wall have gone up in the San Rafael Valley, south of Tucson, Ariz. Construction crews have drilled at least two wells and have turned the area, a corridor for jaguars, pronghorn, bears, mountain lions, ocelots, porcupines, into an devastating industrial site.
September 16, 2025 at 12:20 PM
BREAKING: The first segments of border wall have gone up in the San Rafael Valley, south of Tucson, Ariz. Construction crews have drilled at least two wells and have turned the area, a corridor for jaguars, pronghorn, bears, mountain lions, ocelots, porcupines, into an devastating industrial site.
Trump smearing us as ‘anti-American’. If Oak Flat is mined, the winners won't be Americans, and definitely not Native Americans, whose sacred site will be destroyed but two foreign mining giants, BHP (Australia) and Rio Tinto (UK) whose largest shareholder is a Chinese state-owned company.
August 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Trump smearing us as ‘anti-American’. If Oak Flat is mined, the winners won't be Americans, and definitely not Native Americans, whose sacred site will be destroyed but two foreign mining giants, BHP (Australia) and Rio Tinto (UK) whose largest shareholder is a Chinese state-owned company.
BREAKING: A US judge just denied our request for an injunction to the land transfer of Oak Flat to Resolution Copper. Oak Flat, a sacred site of the Apache and part of the Tonto National Forest, is scheduled to be privatized on Tuesday.
With the clock ticking, we have appealed to the 9th Circuit.
With the clock ticking, we have appealed to the 9th Circuit.
August 16, 2025 at 12:27 AM
BREAKING: A US judge just denied our request for an injunction to the land transfer of Oak Flat to Resolution Copper. Oak Flat, a sacred site of the Apache and part of the Tonto National Forest, is scheduled to be privatized on Tuesday.
With the clock ticking, we have appealed to the 9th Circuit.
With the clock ticking, we have appealed to the 9th Circuit.
The Forest Service intends to convey Oak Flat, an Apache sacred site, to Resolution Copper on August 19.
@biologicaldiversity.org, conservation allies & San Carlos Apache Tribe will be in fed court August 6 to argue for a halt to the Oak Flat Land Exchange until our lawsuits are resolved.
@biologicaldiversity.org, conservation allies & San Carlos Apache Tribe will be in fed court August 6 to argue for a halt to the Oak Flat Land Exchange until our lawsuits are resolved.
August 5, 2025 at 7:46 PM
The Forest Service intends to convey Oak Flat, an Apache sacred site, to Resolution Copper on August 19.
@biologicaldiversity.org, conservation allies & San Carlos Apache Tribe will be in fed court August 6 to argue for a halt to the Oak Flat Land Exchange until our lawsuits are resolved.
@biologicaldiversity.org, conservation allies & San Carlos Apache Tribe will be in fed court August 6 to argue for a halt to the Oak Flat Land Exchange until our lawsuits are resolved.
BREAKING: The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump Admin today for unconstitutionally waiving dozens of enviro laws to speed border wall construction across San Rafael Valley in AZ’s Sky Island region, a biodiversity hotspot w/the most significant jaguar corridor remaining along border.
July 9, 2025 at 4:43 PM
BREAKING: The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump Admin today for unconstitutionally waiving dozens of enviro laws to speed border wall construction across San Rafael Valley in AZ’s Sky Island region, a biodiversity hotspot w/the most significant jaguar corridor remaining along border.
New @biologicaldiversity.org report by my colleague @laikenjordahl.bsky.social and I on the impending border wall construction across a jaguar corridor linking Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. The jaguars El Jefe, Yo’oko and O:shad have relied on this corridor. biologicaldiversity.org/species/mamm...
July 7, 2025 at 7:21 PM
New @biologicaldiversity.org report by my colleague @laikenjordahl.bsky.social and I on the impending border wall construction across a jaguar corridor linking Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. The jaguars El Jefe, Yo’oko and O:shad have relied on this corridor. biologicaldiversity.org/species/mamm...
Historically some 33 jaguar records exist in this corridor, including 3 jaguars since 2015: El Jefe, Yo’oko and O:shad.
June 27, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Historically some 33 jaguar records exist in this corridor, including 3 jaguars since 2015: El Jefe, Yo’oko and O:shad.
U.S. Customs & Border Protection has waived environmental, public health & Native American cultural protection laws, & awarded a > quarter of a billion dollar contract to Fisher Sand & Gravel to construct 27 miles of new border wall across critical habitat in the jaguar’s northern range.
June 27, 2025 at 1:23 AM
U.S. Customs & Border Protection has waived environmental, public health & Native American cultural protection laws, & awarded a > quarter of a billion dollar contract to Fisher Sand & Gravel to construct 27 miles of new border wall across critical habitat in the jaguar’s northern range.
BREAKING: A federal judge just blocked the Trump admin’s push to fast-track the Oak Flat land swap—halting the giveaway of sacred Apache land + rare desert ecosystems to a foreign mining giant until SCOTUS rules.
May 10, 2025 at 12:40 AM
BREAKING: A federal judge just blocked the Trump admin’s push to fast-track the Oak Flat land swap—halting the giveaway of sacred Apache land + rare desert ecosystems to a foreign mining giant until SCOTUS rules.
BREAKING: A federal judge just hit pause on the Oak Flat land exchange, blocking the Forest Service from advancing the project until the Supreme Court rules on the case.
This protects a sacred site, rare desert ecosystems and public lands from being handed over to a foreign mining giant.
This protects a sacred site, rare desert ecosystems and public lands from being handed over to a foreign mining giant.
May 9, 2025 at 10:35 PM
BREAKING: A federal judge just hit pause on the Oak Flat land exchange, blocking the Forest Service from advancing the project until the Supreme Court rules on the case.
This protects a sacred site, rare desert ecosystems and public lands from being handed over to a foreign mining giant.
This protects a sacred site, rare desert ecosystems and public lands from being handed over to a foreign mining giant.
Trump Amin’s argument to suspend birthright citizenship questions Native Americans’ citizenship, citing 1866 Act:”all persons born in the United States and not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians not taxed, are hereby declared to be citizens of the U.S.”
www.msn.com/en-us/news/o...
www.msn.com/en-us/news/o...
January 24, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Trump Amin’s argument to suspend birthright citizenship questions Native Americans’ citizenship, citing 1866 Act:”all persons born in the United States and not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians not taxed, are hereby declared to be citizens of the U.S.”
www.msn.com/en-us/news/o...
www.msn.com/en-us/news/o...
The top image shows California Gulch flowing into Sonora, Mex. This is one of the last homes for the endangered Sonoran chub, a fish clinging to survival.
But in the fall of 2024, this sanctuary was obliterated. The bottom image shows the aftermath, a stark and lifeless reminder of what was lost.
But in the fall of 2024, this sanctuary was obliterated. The bottom image shows the aftermath, a stark and lifeless reminder of what was lost.
January 15, 2025 at 7:05 PM
The top image shows California Gulch flowing into Sonora, Mex. This is one of the last homes for the endangered Sonoran chub, a fish clinging to survival.
But in the fall of 2024, this sanctuary was obliterated. The bottom image shows the aftermath, a stark and lifeless reminder of what was lost.
But in the fall of 2024, this sanctuary was obliterated. The bottom image shows the aftermath, a stark and lifeless reminder of what was lost.
My religious beliefs in a nutshell…
December 4, 2024 at 3:25 PM
My religious beliefs in a nutshell…
Interspecies drama from a New Mexico remote camera. An endangered Mexican gray wolf in the Gila returns to munch on a carcass and is blocked by a big ol' sleeping bear.
November 28, 2024 at 1:51 AM
Interspecies drama from a New Mexico remote camera. An endangered Mexican gray wolf in the Gila returns to munch on a carcass and is blocked by a big ol' sleeping bear.
Earlier this year a beautiful and rare wild ocelot appeared on one of my trail cameras in a Sky Island south of Tucson, Ariz. Take a look.
This cat likely crossed the U.S-Mexico border west of Nogales sometime in early 2024 and has traveled great distances in the U.S.
This cat likely crossed the U.S-Mexico border west of Nogales sometime in early 2024 and has traveled great distances in the U.S.
November 27, 2024 at 1:52 PM
Earlier this year a beautiful and rare wild ocelot appeared on one of my trail cameras in a Sky Island south of Tucson, Ariz. Take a look.
This cat likely crossed the U.S-Mexico border west of Nogales sometime in early 2024 and has traveled great distances in the U.S.
This cat likely crossed the U.S-Mexico border west of Nogales sometime in early 2024 and has traveled great distances in the U.S.
Border wall construction in southern Arizona's Pajarito Mts 4 years ago decimated the Mariposa Canyon watershed as well as jaguar & Mexican spotted owl critical habitat. The area remains in ruin today. Work crews continue to try to stabilize the site & the wall from collapse. The wall is useless.
November 26, 2024 at 6:09 PM
Border wall construction in southern Arizona's Pajarito Mts 4 years ago decimated the Mariposa Canyon watershed as well as jaguar & Mexican spotted owl critical habitat. The area remains in ruin today. Work crews continue to try to stabilize the site & the wall from collapse. The wall is useless.
Breaking: @centerforbiodiv.bsky.social is calling on AZ Game & Fish Commission to ban dog pack hunting for mountain lions, bears, coati & other wildlife. Currently hunters use GPS-collared dogs to track wildlife for miles via smart phone apps & satellites, putting jaguars & ocelots at risk.
November 25, 2024 at 4:28 PM
Breaking: @centerforbiodiv.bsky.social is calling on AZ Game & Fish Commission to ban dog pack hunting for mountain lions, bears, coati & other wildlife. Currently hunters use GPS-collared dogs to track wildlife for miles via smart phone apps & satellites, putting jaguars & ocelots at risk.