The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area contains about 40 miles of the upper San Pedro River in southeastern Arizona extending from the Mexican border to St. David. The major purpose of the Conservation Area is to conserve the desert riparian ecosystem. The Southwest was once crossed by rivers whose moisture supported a wide variety of animal and plant life. Most such rivers are now dry or their natural habitats have been degraded.

The approximately 56,000 acres of the Conservation Area have a very rich assortment of animals and plants, including more than 350 species of birds. People come from around the world to view its animals, especially the rich assortment of birds.

The Bureau of Land Management manages the Conservation Area. The Friends of the San Pedro River (FSPR), is a volunteer, non-profit, non-political organization. It supports the BLM in conserving and interpreting the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area through volunteer support programs and projects.

The FSPR operates a gift and bookstore at the San Pedro House and the Fairbank ghost town, leads guided interpretive walks/hikes and trail rides along the river and throughout the adjacent area, presents educational programs to schools and community groups, and assists the BLM in a variety of other programs. The Friends homepage on the internet is at: http://www.sanpedroriver.org/