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Can we count on you to help us bring back the Saguaros? The National Forest Foundation needs help jump-starting a partner-led saguaro restoration program for wildfire recovery on the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.
The Tonto National Forest, a sprawling 2,873,200 acre area, is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and among the nine largest in the entire United States. It has an extensive range of terrain, from 1,400 feet (427 m) above sea level in the Sonoran Desert to 7,400 feet (2,256 m) amid the pine forests of the Mogollon Rim.
Sunset over the Tonto National Forest, Arizona.
The Tonto is also the most visited forest in America that’s situated close to a major city. It shares its boundaries with Phoenix on one side, and on the other sides stretch out towards the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian Reservation and northwards up to the Mogollon Rim.
In 2020, the Bush Fire engulfed more than 193,000 acres in flames, killing more than 80,000 saguaros on the Tonto. Saguaros play a similar role as trees in the desert ecosystem, providing food and homes for wildlife. That’s why the National Forest Foundation joined forces with National Restorations, a community-based local restoration non-profit organization, to plant (and rescue, as seen here) saguaros and other native cacti on the Tonto.
It costs about $65.00 per Saguaro to help restore this complex ecosystem and plant these beauties. Please note that this is different than the $1 per tree model with the Sapling Program, but you can join us by pledging one Saguaro to the Save Our Saguaros program.
Consider making a donation here!
Additionally, Natural Restorations has a Saguaro Planting Volunteer Event on November 4, 2023! To see what last year’s event was like, check out this blog. Look out for more information on how to RSVP and the details of that event at the start of fall!
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Skyblue Featured Video: More than a thousand saguaro replanted at Bush Fire burn scar
