near the Harquahala Mountains Wilderness; © Ian Dowdy
The Sonoran Desert Heritage Campaign is a diverse partnership working to permanently protect Arizona’s unique Sonoran Desert, which provides abundant natural, cultural, recreation, and economic benefits to the growing region of western Maricopa County.
The Sonoran Desert Heritage initiative is working to expand conservation designations that:
- Preserve the ecology, cultural heritage, and recreational opportunities in the Sonoran Desert west of Phoenix
- Ensure the viability of nearby military facilities
- Allow for future renewable energy development
- Protect important wildlife habitat and migration corridors
- Build connections between local communities and their public lands to increase stewardship and awareness about the values of the Sonoran Desert
As the Phoenix metropolis continues to grow westward, the Sonoran Desert Heritage campaign is committed to protecting our natural and cultural heritage so that future generations can enjoy these special places in the West Desert just as we do today. The public lands spread throughout western Maricopa County represent examples of the most spectacular, wild Sonoran Desert left in the Southwest. These scenic natural treasures belong to all of us as and are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under the U.S. Department of the Interior. Places like Hummingbird Springs [1], Cortez Peak [2] and Margie’s Peak [3] still look and function as they did hundreds of years ago, with rare and unique wildlife, plants, and ancient archaeological relics that tell human stories on the land.
The campaign is promoting sustainable growth, historic preservation, family recreation, and durable, lasting protection that will safeguard these treasured lands, their human record, and their wildlife for our children and grandchildren.
We are collaborating with diverse local stakeholders and community leaders to establish congressional protections for these public lands that will support conservation of the Sonoran Desert. Protecting our unique environment in western Maricopa County benefits everyone, from local businesses and real estate developers to homeowners and families. We owe it to ourselves and our future generations to pass on a healthy, ecologically rich, and culturally dynamic Sonoran Desert.
To view the legislation currently introduced in Congress (HB 1799) please click here [4].
Contact Us
Send us your feedback and ideas through our comment form [5], or email us at info@sonoranheritage.org [6].