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Your Living Lab and Learning Center

From water harvesting to lush food forests, the Living Lab is your community educational resource for regenerative desert living.

Visitors of all ages are invited to explore sustainability practices in action through our interactive exhibits and demonstrations in the heart of Tucson. As the headquarters of WMG, the Living Lab also houses our staff working on programs that span Tucson, Mexico, and the Southwest. We are proud to “walk the talk” each day as the 2016 winner of Arizona's Greenest Workplace challenge. Come join us in drinking our rainwater, using the composting toilets, harvesting fresh snacks from the food forest, enjoying native gardens, and biking or busing to the Living Lab.

Come visit us for a tour or class at your Living Lab.We're proud of the Living Lab's rich history and how it's always evolving.

Access WMG's Living Lab and Learning Center Data Portal for weather data, rainwater supply and demand, and moreSee what's new at your Living Lab and Learning Center - it's growing, changing, and developing all the time!

Living Lab & Learning Center News

On October 25, Watershed Management Group (WMG) teamed up with International Rescue Committee/New Roots Farm to install a rain garden, bringing together community members to learn about and create a green infrastructure solution that will help mitigate flooding and provide much needed shade. The installation was a hands-on learning opportunity for everyone involved, demonstrating how rain gardens can be a natural solution to managing stormwater, extreme heat and providing food through native...
  Next Family Saturday | Próximo Sábado Familiar: Beavers, Dams, and River Jams! November 16th, 2024 | 9:00am-12:00pm  Join us at the Living Lab on Saturday, November 16 from 9:00am - 12:00pm to learn about the return of beavers to Tucson's rivers and what you can do to help them. This event is free for the whole family! For this month’s featured activity, learn about beavers through arts and crafts, science experiments, and build your own beaver dam model. Enjoy a variety of additional...
a group of bicyclists smiling at the camera
Why Sustainable Mobility? Combat Urban Heat: Tucson is now 11 degrees warmer on average than it was 100 years ago. Half of that is due to our built environment Cool Our City: By shifting to sustainable mobility, we can help reduce the city’s temperature by up to 5 degrees Healthy & Equitable: Sustainable transportation supports the well-being of the watershed and people Upcoming Events...
a photo of a real life beaver seemingly dancing in a river
  6th Annual Beavers & Brews Tuesday, Sept 24th, 2024 | 5:30pm to 8:30pm At the Living Lab | 1137 North Dodge Blvd. Calling all beaver believers new and old! Join us at this year’s Beavers and Brews immersive experience. Gather at the Living Lab to eat, drink, dive into river restoration, and learn about the latest beaver projects. Our Learning Center will be transformed into a riparian habitat, with the sights and sounds of Cienega Creek, showcasing photos of the habitat...
a family at an event at the living lab and learning center
  Next Family Saturday | Próximo Sábado Familiar: Building Rain Gardens with Native Edibles / Haciendo Jardines de Lluvia con Plantas Comestibles Nativas October 19th, 2024 | 9:00am-12:00pm  Bring the whole family to learn about using native food plants to build rain gardens. Participate in a 1 hour workshop to learn about native edible trees, shrubs, and seasonal plants, and how they can be supported by rainwater harvesting. Those who complete the workshop can take home a native food kit,...