The AWC newsletter has a new name and it's no mistake. Our creative wiles got away from us when coming up with a title for our new electronic newsletter last fall. Unbeknownst to the editor, the previous name had already been chosen by another wilderness advocacy group in the Southwest. We apologize for any confusion it may have caused our readers and advocates, and we hope you will enjoy our belated Spring edition.

As always, your feedback is appreciated. Please send editorial comments, story ideas, and other suggestions to AWC Communications Coordinator Kate Mackay at kmackay@azwild.org, or by phone at 602-254-0361. We look forward to your comments. Enjoy the new issue and thank you for your interest!

Issue 2, Spring 2003

OUT OF THE BLUE…
Don Hoffman photo
Grazing and Wilderness: A Quiet Struggle, by Don Hoffman. Activists often struggle with the relationship between wilderness and grazing. As we advocate for new wilderness, we must constructively discuss ranchers' concerns regarding their access and maintenance needs on wild lands. Read more…


IN DEPTH

Bighorn head Bighorns on the Brink
Ironwood Forest National Monument, one of Arizona's newest additions, offers refuge for the last viable herd of desert bighorn sheep in Pima County. Can wilderness designation secure a better future for these magnificent symbols of wild Arizona? Read more…


Roads to Nowhere
Mojave Desert
A sinister statute left over from the Civil War era is threatening to wreak havoc on western public lands by developing old hiking trails, canyon washes, cattle paths, and other inconspicuous wilderness pathways into paved access roads. Read more…

 

Having it All at Havasu
With population numbers on the rise throughout Arizona, recreational pressures have allowed the western desert region to become a haven for off-road vehicle enthusiasts, turning potential wilderness areas into a maze of wildcat roads and illegal trails. But the AWC's latest wilderness proposal could stop future damage in its tracks. Read more…

 


WILDERNESS TO WATCH
Saddle Mountain: One of the last places in central Arizona to find unparalleled solitude is overshadowed by encroaching development spurred by Phoenix's skyrocketing suburban growth.
Read more…


BOOK OF THE SEASON

Land That We Love: Americans Talk About America's Public Lands, a collection of essays.

Compiled by a variety of nature lovers, authors, and public figures, here are nearly 30 tales of how public lands touched the lives of people at work, at play, and in moments of spiritual reflection. Essayists range from western writers like Terry Tempest Williams, Mark Spragg, and Brady Udall, to land managers from the National Park Service, the Forest Service, and the BLM. Magnificent photographs compliment each story. Forward by US Representative Jim Hansen, and introduction by Stephen Maurer. Commemorative, collectible edition published for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT.

 

SUPPORT THE ARIZONA WILDERNESS COALITION

We Need Your Help Protecting Our Wildlands for the Future.

The AWC appreciates the very generous financial support that we receive from private foundations and individuals. With your generous support, we are poised to do some very significant and exciting work on behalf of wilderness protection. However, fundraising remains an immediate priority.

Private foundations, large donors, and individuals may make tax-deductible donations through our fiscal sponsor, The Wilderness Society. Please make your checks payable to "The Wilderness Society" and send them to:

Don Hoffman, Executive Director, AWC
P.O. Box 529
Alpine, AZ 85920

**Please make note on the memo line of your check "For Arizona Wilderness Coalition."

Or contact our director's office directly at: Don Hoffman, AWC Executive Director, dhoffman@azwild.org
Or telephone: (928) 339-4426.

THANK YOU.

 

 

 

 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Current Issue Index

AZ Wild Web Site

SHORT TAKES

Mexican gray wolf. Photo by USFWS.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

PLAN AHEAD!
binoculars graphic Make your spring and early summer outdoor plans here! Visit our comprehensive list of day outings, inventory trips, meetings, and upcoming AWC events for the latest in wilderness “happenings” around the state. Read more…

DID YOU KNOW…?
Saguaro stands, Ironwood Forest N.M. Photo by Mark Miller.
The amount of saguaro cacti in Ironwood forest National Monument--pictured above, and one of Arizona's newest public lands--actually outnumber the saguaros protected in Saguaro National Park outside of Tucson.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE…

Springtime in the desert is not unlike the colorful burst of oranges, reds, and yellows that sets New England hills and towns aflame in autumn. Check out our list of the best places to find wildlflowers in Arizona!

Wildflowers in Goldwater Range. Photo by Jack Dykinga.
The Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, the third largest national wildlife refuge in the lower 48 states, is an important sanctuary for a wide array of desert life, including wildflowers. It was established in 1939, primarily to protect desert bighorn sheep. Adjacent to it is the Barry M. Goldwater Range, also a magnificent wildflower destination.
Photo: Jack Dykinga