U.S. Considers Boosting Sonoran Desert Conservation with Ajo Block Expansion
The U.S. Secretary of the Interior is considering a move that could significantly boost conservation efforts in the Sonoran Desert. The proposal involves expanding the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge to include the Ajo block, a crucial habitat currently managed for energy development and mining. This action could enhance habitat connectivity for the endangered Sonoran pronghorn and benefit local communities through ecotourism.
The Ajo block, east of the refuge, is home to significant cultural resources for the Tohono O'odham and Hia-Ceḍ O'odham peoples, including a cemetery and remnants of their former town. Locals have expressed concern about unmanaged off-road vehicle access destroying the region's 'desert pavement', a type of hard bedrock that protects the landscape from erosion.
The Sonoran Desert, often called 'The Green Desert', is renowned for its exceptional biodiversity. The refuge is a critical haven for endemic species like bighorn sheep, javelina, and elegant trogons. The Sonoran pronghorn, also known as the 'desert ghost', is the continent's fastest land mammal, capable of reaching 60 miles per hour. In the past, its population dwindled to a critically endangered level of just 21 animals.
Incorporating the Ajo block into the refuge would not only support Ajo's small community by boosting ecotourism but also address UNESCO's recent concerns about damage to the Sonoran Desert ecosystem and wildlife connectivity caused by the Trump administration's border wall.
The Secretary of the Interior's authority to expand the refuge could enhance habitat connectivity for the endangered Sonoran pronghorn and protect crucial habitats currently managed for energy development and mining. This move would support local communities and address international concerns about the Sonoran Desert ecosystem.
