Friends Of Ironwood Forest

Programs: Activities and accomplishments summary:conservation goalsour overall conservation goal is to increase community understanding of, and participation in, actions and responses to protect the ironwood forest national monument and to encourage a strong conservation ethic within the bureau of land management. Meet the monumentthe friends held the 3rd annual meet the monument event in november of 2013. More than 250 people attended from tucson, marana, phoenix and other areas of the state. We had a visitor from maine attend the event. The event was a one-day opportunity to hike the monument, join naturalists and professional photographers on walks around the monument, to participate in educational opportunities for children and to hear expert speakers, from many disciplines provide information and interpretation on the ironwood forest national monument and its considerable resources. Volunteer days and national public lands daynational public lands day on the ironwood forest national monument had about 40 volunteers working in and on various sites on the monument. Lunch and an education program was provided for participants at the glider port located on the ironwood forest national monument. The friends also hold regularity scheduled volunteer work days throughout the spring, fall and winter season. We also sponsor regularity scheduled hikes on the ironwood during these same seasons. The bureau of land management, tucson field office, has sought the advice of the friends on many different matters, including the transportation management plan implementation. The friends has been a close part of transportation management plan implementation and will continue to work closely with the bureau of land management. Impactfriends of ironwood forest has been a consistent voice for conservation of the irreplaceable resources and values of the ironwood forest national monument. We have increased participation in, and stewardship of, this special place with both individuals and organizations in this area. Our frequent relevant communications to members, supporters, the general public and the media promotes the ironwood forest national monument and the border conservation lands within this system.