Thank you, City of Scottsdale Mayor Ortega, commissioners and council members for recognizing the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy and our 650+ volunteer stewards in proclaiming October as "McDowell Sonoran Preserve Month." We sincerely thank the vision of the community leaders and elected officials who imagined what is now the largest urban preserve in the continental United
Our Fall 2021 Mountain Lines, magazine of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, is available now. Check out our web edition to learn about AZH2O, Water and the Human History of the McDowell Mountains, New Pima Dynamite Trailhead, Results of a Trail Restoration Study, Revising the Conservancy's Approach to Education, and so much more.
The PastFinders: Saving the History of the McDowells When we preserve a mountain range, we preserve so much more than the mountains themselves. We preserve the landscape for the outdoor enjoyment of hikers, cyclists, equestrians and other seekers of the Sonoran experience. For those less inclined to travel the desert, we preserve the viewscape –
Our Summer 2021 Mountain Lines, magazine of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, is available now. Check out our web edition to learn about Water and the Human History of the McDowells, Being Fire Wise, Empowering Future Change Makers, and so much more.
The Founding of the Parsons Field Institute The original conception in 2005 for the Parsons Field Institute was focused on ecotourism – combining talks about the natural and human history of the land with guided hikes in the nascent Preserve – as a source of funds for the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. At that time, the
In an article published by Scottsdale Progress, CEO, Justin Owen was interviewed about the role of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy attracting tourists to Scottsdale. "Because over 40 percent of Scottsdale’s tax revenue comes from nonresidents, the ability for Scottsdale to have a thriving tourism enterprise has allowed the city to be able to preserve this much
Looking at Our Past and Present to Envision Our Future Author: Barbara Montgomery-Ratcliff Mark Twain is purported to have said, “History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” In other words, we hear echoes of our past in our present-day experiences in our vision for our future. In this way, history provides a sense
Why is there a study project? What’s it all about? The Sonoran Desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) is a protected species found here in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This species is under increasing pressure from climate change, human activities, and habitat degradation, which may affect their numbers. Through generous support from the Heritage Fund, the
The Scottsdale History Hall of Fame features more than 100 past and present community leaders and organizations, each having their own unique impact on Scottsdale. The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy was honored in 2010 for its tireless work protecting and preserving the McDowell Mountains — a 1.8-billion-year-old treasure and pristine desert landscape. During the celebration in
