Visiting a beautiful oasis in Phoenix's Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area

NPR | By Alex Hager

Published June 6, 2026 at 7:41 AM EDT

Tucked away in hot, dry, concrete and asphalt sprawl of Phoenix is a small sliver of the Salt River's green, damp natural beauty.

Alex Hager

WEKU depends on support from those who view and listen to our content. There's no paywall here. Please support WEKU with your donation.

Contribute now

Related Content

Despite a competitive market, finding a summer job is highly beneficial for teens

Teenagers looking for summer jobs face a tough labor market. But the personal benefits are huge.
Los Angeles Dodgers' permanent exhibit honors former players Glenn Burke and Billy Bean

Steve Futterman

The Los Angeles Dodgers dedicated a permanent exhibit honoring two of MLB's gay trailblazers -including two former Dodgers who never publicly came out until after they retired.
Demonstrations cause disruptions across Mexico City ahead of FIFA World Cup opening

Fernando Narro Roman

As the opening for the FIFA World Cup in Mexico City approaches, tensions in the city rise with multiple organized groups taking to the streets to force the government to address their demands.
The Supreme Court races to decide several explosive cases before its recess

Carrie Johnson, Eyder Peralta

The next few weeks will bring decisions in several major Supreme Court cases from birthright citizenship and immigration to the president's power to fire federal officials.
Week in Politics: Pushback to Trump's agenda on foreign policy, immigration, ballroom

Eyder Peralta, Ron Elving, Melissa Gray

President Trump faced some pushback to his agenda and policies this week from both the courts and Republican lawmakers in Congress.