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Don't Let Sonoran Desert Wilderness Slip Away

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has begun its planning process for the Sonoran Desert National Monument and the Phoenix South Management Area-1.42 million acres of stunning public lands.

Sonoran Desert National Monument (SDNM) and the Phoenix South Management Area include biologically and culturally important desert wildlands. In particular, the Sonoran Desert National Monument is home to important archaeological sites, desert tortoise, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, rare desert grasslands, and an ephemeral wetland supporting a remarkable array of amphibian species.

The Phoenix area has experienced significant growth in recent years and Arizona's population is expected to continue to expand rapidly in the near future. The BLM's multi-step, multi-year planning effort is an important aspect of open space and biodiversity protection outside the Phoenix metropolitan area. Although public lands are important for preserving Arizonans' quality of life, they are under increasing pressure from development, mining rights-of-way, and other purposes that result from the state's booming population growth.

What can YOU do?

Take a few minutes to write comments supporting wilderness using the guidelines below. Need help drafting a letter? Below you will find talking points developed by the Sierra Club to help you make salient and convincing points.
Attend a public meeting being held in your area. These meetings are meant for the public—don’t be shy about showing up and voicing your concerns! Dates, places, and times listed below.

Send written comments before March 31 to: Karen Kelleher, Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix Field Office, 21605 North 7th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85027. Phone: 623-580-5580; Fax or email: AZ_SDNM_Phx_South@BLM.gov.

The AZ Wilderness Coalition loves to see what our devoted members are submitting, so please send a copy your comments along to us as well.

Any questions or concerns about the process should be directed to: Jason Williams, South Central Regional Coordinator, P.O. Box 267, Prescott, AZ 86302. Phone: 928-717-6076; e-mail: jwilliams@prescott.edu.

Talking points for writing comments:

Wilderness is a resource that fits within the framework of multiple use management. Wilderness provides many opportunities for hiking, camping, sightseeing, hunting, birding, rock hounding, photography, rock climbing, and relaxing.
Wilderness provides the best form of resource protection available for public lands. It can effectively protect the resources for which the Sonoran Desert National Monument was created.
Wilderness is cheap. Extra funding is not normally appropriated or even necessary from Congress to establish Wilderness Areas. Costly structures or roads to construct and maintain are not allowed in wilderness.
The AWC wilderness unit proposals begin to create an effective wildland system. They encompass mountain chains that connect with flat travel corridors in between to help facilitate animal dispersal and migration.

Please ask BLM to take the following steps to protect Sonoran Desert National Monument:

Create a transportation system that provides reasonable access while upholding monument purposes. Prevent driving in washes, and close and rehabilitate all vehicle routes that threaten cultural and historic sites, fragment wildlife habitat, and damage plants, soils, riparian areas, and watersheds;
Do not allow Off Road Vehicle challenge courses or sacrifice areas;
Do not allow new Right Of Ways inside the monument;
Protect monument viewsheds and wildlife corridors from new power line development;
Assess range conditions and impact of Livestock grazing on monument objects in area north of I-8. South of I-8, begin removal of grazing as soon as leases expire, and meanwhile take action to restore deteriorated soil and vegetation on overgrazed parcels;
Continue work to acquire Vekol Road parcel and other parcels of state trust and private lands within the monument boundaries;
Involve local Tribes in planning and possibly management;
Do not allow any new artificial water developments - they do not really help wildlife, and they will require more motor vehicle intrusions and development in the monument;
Manage for primitive, dispersed camping;
Prevent sprawl from encroaching the monument -- do not trade away adjacent BLM lands for development;
Support AWC wilderness proposal for Sand Tank Mountains wilderness;

Protections Needed for the Phoenix South Planning Area:

Protect Sentinel Plain and Saddle Mountain as wilderness study areas

Sonoran Desert National Monument and Phoenix South Area Scoping Meetings

Thursday, March 6, 6-8 pm – Yuma
BLM Yuma Field Office
2555 East Gila Ridge Road