Tortolita Preserve Sunrise
Tortolita Preserve BioBlitz
Preparations continue for the first BioBlitz at the Tortolita Preserve (TP) on 11/19/22. Tortolita Alliance is partnering with Marana Parks & Recreation, Pima Naturalists, Coalition For Sonoran Desert Protection and Arizona Game & Fish. Please reserve this date and come join us as we survey and catalogue plants and wildlife in various portions of TP. More details forthcoming.
The Washes
TP is located in the heart of the Tortolita Alluvial Fan. Over the centuries, mountain and monsoon runoff has created multiple washes that spread across the Sonoran Desert in a fan-like configuration. During a recent TP Big Loop hike, I set a waypoint at each of the small, medium and large washes that cross the TP trail within 3 miles of the Moore Road Trailhead. See the location (small flag) of these washes on the map above. There are 52 wash crossings west/north and 42 wash crossings north/east of the Moore Road Trailhead! These washes define our wonderful Sonoran Desert environment and we will be surveying some of these washes for plants and wildlife during the BioBlitz.
Other TP Images
Some photos from that same TP Big Loop hike (from left to right and down); Strong-Arm saguaro decomposing rapidly, cinchweed (yellow) prolific on north side of TP, barrel cactus bloom, desert thorn-apple throughout, older saguaro almost down, older saguaro down across trail.
