User:Cinndeee/sandbox/land use

Saguaro National Park


Tucson, Arizona is home to the largest cacti in the nation. The Saguaro Cactus is the universal symbol of the American West that provides nesting areas, shelter, and food for many animals. The Saguaro National Park, located in Southern Arizona, protects the native species and wildlife of the Sonoran Desert. It has two locations on both sides of the city of Tucson located East and West with a total of 91,327 acres. The eastern section of the Saguaro National Park is larger, contains many mountains, rises over 8,000 feet, and has 128 miles of hiking trails. The western portion has a denser saguaro forest and is lower in elevation.

The Saguaro National Monument was created in 1933. Then in 1975, 71,400 acres of the Saguaro WIlderness area was added. The Saguaro National Park was not established until October 14, 1994. It has provided many activities to thousands of visitors which include watching the breathtaking Arizona sunsets, hiking, picnics, and embracing the cactus diversity. However, there are any threats that affect this park, this includes invasive plants, fires, theft, and vandalism. The Saguaro Cactus is protected under the Native Plant Protection Act. If an individual is caught cutting down a saguaro, they may be charged with felony criminal damage that can result in 25 years in prison. Other actions of vandalism that include transplanting the cactus and theft will result in high fees and jail time.

Las Cienegas National Conservation Area
Las Cienegas National Conservation Area in Southeastern Arizona protects more than 45,000 acres of railing grasslands and woodlands. The oak-studded hills in the region connect several lush riparian corridors and "sky island" mountain ranges. Within the Las Ciengas National Conservation Area flows the Cienega Creek that supports the diverse plant and animal community and is rich in cultural and historic resources. The Empire and Cienega ranches are now managed by the Bureau of Land Management under the principals of ecosystem-management and multiple uses for future generations to enjoy. The Bureau of Land Management has formed a partnership with Empire Ranch Formation, a non-profit organization, who is dedicated to preserving the landscapes and historic buildings. There are many activities for visitors to do, which include birdwatching, wildlife viewing, picnicking, hunting, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, primitive camping, visiting historic sites, photography, and scenic drives.

Los Morteros Conservation Area
Los Morteros is located south of the Town of Marana's El Rio Open Space Preserve. It's 120 acres of land embodies major traditions of the region that include Mexican, Spanish, Native American, and the American Territorial. It is a site that was once inhabited by a large NativeAmerican village between about A.D. 850 and 1300. It was once a large village that stretched North and South along the Santa Cruz River and Past Silver Road. The site was named "Los Morteros" by archaeologists because they discovered many many bedrock mortars on the site. Los Morteros is a site where many important events took place in Southern Arizona. The undisturbed buried remains make Los Morteros an important cultural resource because they provide a lot of information about the history of the Tucson Basin. In fact, Tohono O'odham Nation considers this place as an ancestral site. The Pima County Conservation Area protects the archaeological and historic resources to preserve them for the future of Pima County.

Agriculture
There are many agricultural areas in Tucson in which they cultivate the soil, grow crops, and raise livestock. The plant and animal products are prepared for people to use and distribute into markets. The crops grown in Tucson include corn, cotton, wheat, pecans, vegetables, alfalfa, barley, citrus, and hay.

Civilization


Tucson is a large city that lies in Arizona Uplands of the Sonoran Desert. It is home to a large population of 545,975. Land use in this area is used for recreational, transport, agricultural, residential and commercial purposes. The land in the AZ Uplands is used to make houses, malls, stores, airports, roads, etc. As the population continues to grow by the minute, more and more land will be taken from the desert. Humans are the biggest threat to the wildlife that lives in the AZ Uplands.

Residential Land Use
Hermosillo is the capital of a large city that is centrally located in the Northwestern Mexican State of Sonora. It has a population of over 812,229 inhabitants. It is the 16th largest state in Mexico. As the population continues to increase, more land will be taken to accommodate the growing population.

Agricultural Land Use


Hermosillo uses some of their lands for agriculture, growing crops that include grapes, wheat, flowers, alfalfa, walnuts, and chickpeas. Rico Farm in Hermosillo, Mexico at Campo San Luis grows vegetables and has row crops that include tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, eggplants, and squash that are primarily grown for transport. This farm manages approximately 4,000 acres of land and most of the area is left in a natural state. Livestock is also important in this Hermosillo. There are many farms that raise cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, goats, and even bees.

Commercial Land Use
Industry and manufacturing is the dynamic sector of the economy in Hermosillo. Thirty percent of the population is employed by 26 major manufacturers in Hermosillo. Products manufactured in Hermosillo include cars, computers, televisions, textiles, wood products, cellular phones, printing, food processing, chemicals, and more. Commerce employs more than half of the population. Therefore, the majority of the land is used for commercial purposes.