The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wants to authorize cattle grazing in the 31,792-acre Palmerita Ranch Allotment, which includes 4,200 acres within the Arrastra Mountain Wilderness northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. 

The Wilderness and surrounding area is unsuitable for grazing, consisting mainly of a combination of Mojave and Sonoran desert plants such as Joshua tree and saguaro cactus. The Santa Maria River and its tributary, the Big Sandy, provide a unique ephemeral riparian zone within the proposed grazing allotment and Wilderness, fostering plants like Fremont cottonwoods, willows, cattails, sedges, and honey mesquite. 

Threatened and endangered species inhabit the area, including the yellow-billed cuckoo, southwestern willow flycatcher, and northern Mexican gartersnake. The rare Sonoran Desert tortoise is also a special status species here. The area also provides important habitat for mountain lions, desert bighorn sheep, javelina, and numerous other birds, amphibians, reptiles, and bats.

The BLM allotment has not been grazed by cattle since 1996, and re-opening the area to cattle grazing would create substantial impacts to the Arrastra Mountain Wilderness, its watersheds, and native wildlife. According to BLM’s environmental assessment, only recently have native perennial grass species begun to recover since such recovery is a very slow process in these fragile desert environments. Allowing cattle grazing now would also halt and reverse recovery for species like Sonoran Desert tortoise, which depend on perennial grass. In fact, recent research shows cattle are the biggest threat to desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert.

BLM considers five alternatives in its Environmental Assessment, but four of the alternatives would degrade the Wilderness. The only alternative that protects the Arrastra Mountain Wilderness is Alternative E, the no livestock grazing alternative.

Please speak up for the Arrastra Mountain Wilderness and its wildlife by Wednesday, September 27. Comments must be submitted on the BLM site: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2025403/570/8003922/comment

Please speak in your own voice, but make the following points in your comments to the BLM:

• I support Alternative E, the no livestock grazing alternative, as it’s the best option to protect this fragile desert Wilderness and its wildlife.
• Cattle grazing would harm the wild character of the Arrastra Mountain Wilderness, as well as habitat for its threatened and endangered species, including the yellow-billed cuckoo, southwestern willow flycatcher, and northern Mexican gartersnake. The northern end of the allotment, which includes the Wilderness, also contains critical desert tortoise and desert bighorn sheep habitat.
• The Palmerita Ranch Allotment has not been grazed by cattle since 1996, and according to BLM’s environmental assessment, only recently have native perennial grass species begun to recover. Grazing by cattle will set back recovery of this area, including within the Arrastra Mountain Wilderness. Allowing cattle grazing now would also halt and reverse recovery for species like Sonoran Desert tortoise, which depend on perennial grass.
• The Palmerita Ranch Allotment has not yet reached the three key rangeland health standards and under no condition should grazing be allowed until those standards are met. The reality is, because of the damage from past grazing, the rangeland standards may never be met.

Thank you for raising your voice to defend the Arrastra Mountain Wilderness and the wildlife that call it home!

 Help us protect Arrastra Mountain and Wilderness around the country. A generous member has pledged to DOUBLE all first-time donations up to $30,000 this year.

Photo: Matt Fiedler 

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