The town of Oro Valley, Arizona, is nestled between mountain ranges within the Sonoran Desert, just a few miles north of Tucson. The Vistoso Golf Course in Oro Valley ceased operations in 2018, leaving area residents to wonder what would become of the 208-acre property that weaves it way through a residential area called Rancho Vistoso. One potential fate for the property would have been to be developed into more homes and buildings. However, many Oro Valley residents envisioned preserving this open space and turning it into a nature preserve with trails open to the community. These residents soon organized and rallied around the town’s motto, “It’s in our nature,” to bring their vision to fruition, contacting The Conservation Fund for assistance along the way.

Our Role

After successful negotiations with the seller, we reached an agreement for TCF to purchase 202 acres of recreational open space that was once the fairways of the former golf course. A six-acre parcel, a parking lot zoned for high-density residential use, will be sold separately to an outside developer.

When the 202 acres once occupied by the Vistoso Golf Course are purchased, TCF will protect the land with a conservation easement. While Oro Valley will become the eventual owner of the property, a qualified land trust will be named as the long-term property steward to ensure the town’s adherence to the terms of the conservation easement.

Why It Matters

Preserving the Vistoso property provides an opportunity to save open space — woven throughout several neighborhoods in Oro Valley — that boasts spectacular mountain scenery, Sonoran Desert vegetation, Native American petroglyphs and habitat for local wildlife. This acreage already contains more than six miles of paved trails, three restrooms and trail underpasses for major roads, all of which will be immediately useful as the property is transitioned from a golf course to a public park.

We Need Your Support

We have launched a $1.8-million fundraising campaign to make this critical conservation effort a reality. Your donation today will directly support the Vistoso preservation project in Oro Valley, Arizona.

Tax-deductible charitable contributions may be made online or by check, wire transfer, securities transfer or qualified charitable distribution.

Online – To donate online to the Vistoso project, please click here.

Check – Checks should be made payable to The Conservation Fund. Please designate your gift by including “Vistoso” on the reference line of your check, then mail your check to The Conservation Fund’s headquarters: 1655 N. Fort Myer Drive, Suite 1300, Arlington, VA 22209.

Wire – Please contact Scott Tison at stison@conservationfund.org to make a donation via wire.

Pledge Form – Download the Pledge Form here.

In the unlikely event that the Vistoso project does not come to fruition, you may choose to redirect your gift to one of the Fund’s other conservation initiatives or be refunded. We will contact you directly should this unlikely event occur.

Learn More

• Insight: Preserving Open Space Is Par for the Course in Oro Valley, by Mike Ford
• Preserve Vistoso official website