Saguaro Park Gets Bigger: New Land Joins Arizona’s Desert Treasure
Saguaro National Park West will grow by 47 acres after a conservation group bought two pieces of land in the Tucson Mountains foothills. The Trust for Public Land (TPL) bought these properties to better connect the national park with the nearby Sweetwater Preserve.
The purchase was made possible with money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, with extra help from Pima County and the Southern Arizona Hiking Club.
Outdoor recreation boost
“This expansion supports outdoor recreation, boosts the region’s outdoor economy, and advances TPL’s mission to connect everyone to the outdoors while protecting national treasures, like Saguaro National Park, for future generations”, stated Carrie Besnette Hauser, President and CEO of the trust, according to the news release.
Local officials are excited about the expansion. Pima County Supervisor Jennifer Allen expressed her support for the project.
New addition of beautiful natural land
“I’m beyond pleased to see Saguaro National Park West growing with this new addition of beautiful natural land”, Allen said. “Being good stewards of our public lands is one of the core principles of Pima County, as laid out in the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, and it’s an honor to see our conservation partner, Trust for Public Land, continue and expand that stewardship within our community.”
The west side of Saguaro National Park currently covers more than 25,000 acres, while the east side is even larger at over 67,000 acres. This new addition will help both protect the desert landscape and give more people access to enjoy Arizona’s natural beauty.
