These are not the Santa Catalina Mountains – 5/15/2017

A fin of rock below Wolcott Peak in Ironwood Forest National Monument. May 2017.
A fin of rock below Wolcott Peak in Ironwood Forest National Monument. May 2017.

Ironwood Forest National Monument preserves a beautiful piece of the Sonoran desert north west of the Santa Catalina Mountains. This site is focused on the Santa Catalina Mountains, which is already more than I could hope to cover and experience in my lifetime, but everything is connected…

I am not enough of a dreamer to visualize a map of Arizona with more than modest additions to our public lands, but in what what was clearly a bit of laughable optimism, I also never even considered a map where our public lands receive less protection.

Ironwood flowers against a clear blue sky - from a hike around Wolcott Peak. May 2017.
Ironwood flowers against a clear blue sky – from a hike around Wolcott Peak. May 2017.

Ironwood Forest National Monument is included in the Department of the Interior’s Review of Certain National Monuments Established Since 1996. I am disappointed with the government’s decision to conduct this review at all – but the inclusion of Ironwood National Monument is especially exasperating – the area is just so beautiful and important.

More convincing than any words I could write is a visit to the area – the Friends of Ironwood Forest National Monument have a ‘Visit’ section on their website that has useful information – it is a tough time of year for hiking in the desert but even just a drive into the area is a very very very worthwhile activity.

Sun and blooming Saguaro in Ironwood Forest National Monument. May 2017.
Sun and blooming Saguaro in Ironwood Forest National Monument. May 2017.

Comments on the review are open until 7/10/2017, please consider commenting – some links you might find interesting/helpful:

Sun, Ragged Top and a blooming Ironwood - near the parking for Ragged Top in Ironwood Forest National Monument. May 2017.
Sun, Ragged Top and a blooming Ironwood – near the parking for Ragged Top in Ironwood Forest National Monument. May 2017.

PS – The comment period closes 6/2/2017 on Proposed I-11 routes – I-11 could potentially put a major highway between Saguaro National Park and Ironwood Forest National Monument significantly, and I believe, negatively impacting the Avra Valley area – this short post from the Friends of Ironwood Forest National Monument is a very concise summary of the issues with links to more information.

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