Local opinion: The silver anniversary of a local natural treasure

Many people from the Tucson area and visitors from many other states have taken advantage of the wilderness recreation opportunities, including camping, hiking, biking, birding, photography, hunting and sightseeing. These and other uses contribute to the ecotourism of this region of Arizona.

The Ironwood Forest designation provides for permanent protection of its biological resources, its complex geology and archaeological features, for scientific study and the outdoor enjoyment of present and future generations. The Monument has an excellent collection of most of the plant and animal species found throughout the Sonoran Desert. Its variability in geology and elevation supports a wide variety of ecosystems. The Ironwood Forest contains the densest stand of desert ironwood trees remaining anywhere in the Sonoran Desert. These iconic trees can live over 800 years and each one can directly impact up to 500 species of other plants and animals. The Monument contains the tallest ironwood tree in Arizona.

The Ironwood Forest is also home to a healthy indigenous herd of desert bighorn sheep. They range across four of the central mountain ranges in the monument but have been sighted as far away as the Tucson Mountains.

These animals need to roam to maintain the health of the herd. The Ironwood Forest also contains endangered and threatened plant and animal species, including the Nichol’s turk’s head cactus, the ferruginous pygmy owl, the lesser long-nosed bat, the desert tortoise and others. The Monument contains other plants typically found far to the southwest such as such as the elephant tree and organ pipe cactus.

The Ironwood Forest has a rich archaeological story, dating from Paleoindians some 10,000 years ago, to the Archaic period and later the Hohokam. The Monument lands are the ancestral homeland of today’s Tohono O’odham. Surveys have found cultural artifacts at over 200 locations. Three sites are on the national register of historic places.

The Ironwood Forest faces several threats. Some are natural, such as invasive species of plants, while others are more man-made.

Climate change, of course, is affecting the ecosystems and biology of the Monument. Extractive industries are usually interested in expanding their footprint to accommodate the growth of population with its needs for minerals, utilities and roads. And, there is always political risk, that governments will change their minds about the conservation of nature and lean towards more private ownership and development.

A twenty-five-year milestone is significant. But it is still a relatively young natural treasure. The future existence, health, and availability of the Ironwood Forest National Monument depends on all of us.

We believe the public will stand tall for public lands, such as the Ironwood Forest, and the priority of its continued protection. Please let your representatives at all levels clearly know of your desire to keep it a special place, permanently.