Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Coalition Gets to Heart of Wildlife Linkages And Growth

Posted By on Wed, Mar 19, 2008 at 9:29 AM

Those wonderful folks at the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, led by Carolyn Campbell, are hosting a free public forum on Thursday, March 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Oro Valley Public Library. The topic, "Wildlife Linkages: Opportunities and Challenges," will examine the need for connectivity between natural areas to protect wildlife.

According to a press release sent by the organization, the wildlife movement coridor between the Catalina and Tortolita mountains will be discussed. The event will also look at how land-use planning, transportation corridors, and public and private landowners can play a part in preserving wildlife linkages.

"Maintaing biological diversity and a healthy Sonoran Desert is a goal shared by many citizens of Tucson," Campbell says in the press release. "In order to do so, we must preserve large areas of key lands between the mountain ranges surrounding the community so that wildlife such as mountain lions and black bears will not disappear locally."

"This need takes on an amount of urgency as development plans emerge that threaten the remaining wildlife linkage between the Catalina and Totolita mountains, namely the 9,000 acres of State Trust Land immediately north of Oro Valley."

The forum is free, open to the public, and--the best thing--just the first in a series the Coalition has organized. The next will be held in Green Valley. Date to be announced. To learn more, call 388-9925 or go to www.sonorandesert.org.