On our last day highlighting the Arizona section of our The Mountain Pact report on national monuments, we're focusing on the potential NEW national monument in Arizona - The Great Bend of the Gila!
The public lands of the Great Bend of the Gila must be protected in a way that recognizes their importance to Tribes, their cultural and historical values, and the role of these lands in species survival, combating climate change, and redressing water scarcity.
The stretch of river valley and surrounding desert between the cities of Phoenix and Yuma, Arizona, constitutes a fragile landscape that also serves as a backcountry recreation area for tourists and nearby residents. Protecting the Great Bend of the Gila also means protecting recreation and economic opportunities for the region.
The Great Bend of the Gila will play a pivotal role in the region's future in several interrelated ways. Preserving open space will sustain natural vistas and the scenic quality of the West Valley while also protecting the habitat and habitat connectivity that desert-dwelling animals such as bighorn sheep, Sonoran desert tortoise, mule deer, and javelina require for survival.
It’s time to permanently protect this inimitable, enduring, yet surprisingly sensitive landscape. Although there are laws protecting cultural heritage on federal lands, permanent protection will better enforce these laws. Given their historical and ongoing ties to the land, Tribes should have a strong voice in how this land and their legacies on it are managed in perpetuity.
#MonumentsForAll #antiquitiesact #nationalmonuments #GreatBendOfTheGila
More in our report: https://lnkd.in/guyPutkz and on the coalition's website here: https://lnkd.in/enMfjrqC
