What's New
As Arizona experiences unprecedented growth, there is increased pressure on decision-makers to give developers access to areas in the Grand Canyon scenic corridor and other lands on the urban edge. Home builders, looking to increase profits, spent large sums of money and narrowly defeated Conserving Arizona’s Future on Election Day, which would have conserved some of our state’s most important natural areas and protected them from development.
Brief Summary
Protecting Our Natural Heritage
People all over the world know Arizona for
the Grand Canyon. Here in Arizona, we
value all our natural treasures including
those near Saguaro National Park, along
the Cienega Corridor, the San Pedro River,
Verde Headwaters, Picacho Mountains,
Havasu Falls (pictured above) and Tortolita
Mountain Park.
As Arizona experiences unprecedented
growth, there is increased pressure on decision
makers to give developers access to
these and other lands on the urban edge.
Development Is Changing Arizona
Whether Arizonan by birth or by choice, you probably share an
appreciation of our state’s climate and natural beauty. Recently,
many of us have been experiencing Arizona’s rapid growth on
a daily basis—whether it is a new development being built in
our neighborhood, sitting in traffi c a little longer, or seeing air
pollution more frequently.
While Arizonans might have mixed viewpoints on whether
we should be growing at such a rapid rate, the majority of us
would agree that some of our natural heritage needs to be
conserved now—before it is too late.
Preserving Arizona
At statehood, Arizona received over nine million acres of
state trust land from the federal government to raise money
for benefi ciaries like public schools. Current law requires
these lands to be leased or sold at auction to the highest
and best bidder, but does not allow for conservation.
Conserving Arizona’s Future sets aside 694,000 acres in a conservation reserve to help save some of the most important
natural areas in Arizona. At the same time, it allows
cities and towns to work together with the state to plan for
growth and conservation.
Efforts to allow Arizonans to continue to use some of our
state’s most important natural areas for hiking, biking, and
fishing have been supported by the Sonoran Institute, The
Nature Conservancy, Arizona Education Association and
other leaders in the conservation, education and recreation
communities.
