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 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.
Comments on the review are open until 7/10/2017, please consider commenting - some links you might find interesting/helpful:
- HOW TO COMMENT ON TRUMP’S NATIONAL MONUMENT REVIEW - Modern Hiker
- Preserving the preserver - Bedrock and Paradox
- Action Items to Protect Our National Monuments - Friends of Ironwood Forest National Monument.
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.
