The Tumacacori Highlands of Southern Arizona
Welcome to Sky Island Alliance's Protected Lands Program
In a region that is known as the most biologically diverse area in the United States, containing over half the birds of North America, over 4,000 species of plants, and 100 different species of mammals, the Sky Island region is facing an increasing threat.
Habitat loss and landscape fragmentation (the subdividing of quality habitats into smaller and smaller pieces), caused by rapid urbanization and irresponsible off-road vehicle use, threaten to destroy our Sky Island wildlands.
Protecting intact habitat and the natural corridors that allow wildlife movement between them are essential to maintaining native biological diversity on a large scale.
Protected lands provide us with thriving wildlife, scenic views, functional watersheds, and continued outdoor recreational opportunities. Sky Island Alliance's Protected Lands Program seeks to identify and protect special places across the region that require and deserve our protection, through the designation of new Wilderness, National Conservation Areas, National Monuments, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, Research Natural Areas, or other designations that provide protection for public lands.
Current Projects
 Land of Legends Wilderness Visit the Campaign Website |
TAKE ACTION! Add your name in support of the Land of Legends Wilderness today!
Why Wilderness?
In 1964, the U.S. Congress passed the Wilderness Act, a bipartisan bill signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, creating a process to designate high-quality public lands as "Wilderness Areas." Even then, Congress saw that increasing population, expanding settlement and growing mechanization might leave no lands preserved in their natural condition. Wilderness designation protects the historically wild character of the American landscape, and safeguards for the American people an enduring resource - now and for future generations.
Today, we know the values of Wilderness: as a functioning ecosystem and a clean watershed; as intact habitat for magnificent creatures like jaguars and leopard frogs; as a natural classroom where we can learn how the world works; as a place for traditional hunting experiences; as a spiritual resource; and a natural escape from the bustle of town life for hikers, photographers, painters, birders, picnickers, equestrians, and many others.
Wilderness designation preserves our right to continue to enjoy the landscape, the views and the solitude - without destroying why we want to be there in the first place.
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about Wilderness
Wilderness Area Assessments
For more information about the species, habitats, cultural sites and management concerns of the Tumacacori Highlands, Whetstones, Dragoons and Chiricahuas, read the State of the Coronado National Forest: An Assessment and Recommendations for the 21st Century. Download Entire Report (30MB).Historical documents on the Coronado National Forest can be found at the Sky Island Action Center.
Tumacacori Ecological Management Report
Whetstone Ecological Management Report
Dragoon Ecological Management Report
Chiricahua Ecological Management Report
 |
Volunteers make it happen! |
|---|
Staff
> Rod Mondt, Protected Lands Program Coordinator, rod@skyislandalliance.org
> Jessica Lamberton, Conservation Associate, jessica@skyislandalliance.org