Arizona Lottery and Borderlands Restoration Network Partner to Provide Conservation Opportunities for Southern Arizona Youth
$25,000 Arizona Lottery Gives Back contribution will support hands-on environmental education and workforce development through Borderlands Earth Care Youth program
PHOENIX (October 1, 2026) – The Arizona Lottery and Borderlands Restoration Network today announced a new partnership supporting conservation education and career-readiness opportunities for young people across Southern Arizona.
Through a $25,000 Arizona Lottery Gives Back contribution, the Lottery will support Borderlands Restoration Network’s Borderlands Earth Care Youth program, a week-long paid conservation experience that introduces young people to environmental restoration, natural-resource careers and stewardship of Arizona’s unique borderlands.
The program serves youth in Santa Cruz and Cochise counties and provides participants with hands-on experience in areas that include watershed restoration, erosion control, native plants, wildlife conservation and career development. Participants receive the equipment, meals, training and other resources needed to take part at no cost, as well as a stipend upon completion of the program.
This partnership underscores our commitment to environmental conservation, one of the core pillars supported by the Arizona Lottery beneficiaries. Every Arizona Lottery ticket purchase helps fund vital environmental and natural resource programs across the state, ensuring long-term stewardship of Arizona's diverse landscapes and wildlife habitats. To date, the Arizona Lottery has contributed over $472M to Arizona Game and Fish to support their environmental conservation efforts.
“Borderlands Restoration Network is giving young people an opportunity to learn new skills, explore career pathways and be an active participant in caring for the Arizona communities around them,” said Alec Thomson, Executive Director of the Arizona Lottery. “That combination of education, workforce development and community impact is the kind of work that the Arizona Lottery is proud to support through our Gives Back program.”
Borderlands Earth Care Youth has operated for more than a decade, giving young people an entry point into conservation work and helping participants build practical and professional skills. Some alumni have gone on to pursue additional education and careers in conservation, including positions with Borderlands Restoration Network itself.
The next program will take place Oct. 11 - 16 in Cochise County, with another cohort planned for March 15 - 20 in Santa Cruz County. Each week typically brings together approximately 10 to 12 young people for a 40-hour experience combining field work, environmental education and professional development.
“Support from the Arizona Lottery will equip the BECY program with essential gear and program necessities to continue providing youth with memorable experiences in nature.” said Karla Hernandez, Environmental Field Coordinator at Borderlands Restoration Network. “These experiences not only connect participants with the outdoors, but also introduce them to potential pathways they may have not previously considered, and inspire them to become stewards of their local communities.”
Activities can include native seed collection, restoration projects, erosion-control work and wildlife-camera training alongside Borderlands Restoration Network staff and conservation professionals. The program also incorporates career-readiness opportunities designed to help participants understand the range of environmental and natural-resource careers available to them.
The partnership is part of Arizona Lottery Gives Back, which supports organizations and programs creating measurable impact in communities throughout the state.
