GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — An initiative to establish a wildlife refuge along the Santa Cruz River has sparked interest and debate among Green Valley residents and local businesses.
The proposed refuge was initially spearheaded by a coalition including the Wilderness Society, the Sonoran Institute and others.
Last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) engaged in a partnership with Pima and Santa Cruz Counties, along with the City of Tucson. The agreement would allow USFWS to manage non-contiguous tracts of land along the river.
While the designated area excludes Green Valley itself, the area borders the sections of the river chosen for the refuge.
Community members attended a forum on Thursday, Dec. 5 at Green Valley Recreation’s Desert Hills Center to learn about potential impacts.
Hosted by the Wilderness Society and other stakeholders, the meeting aimed to inform residents and gather input on the refuge's potential benefits and challenges.
Leslie Kontowicz, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area, explained the vision for the project.
“This would allow for access to the Santa Cruz River, which is a vital resource for wildlife and people,” she said. "It's available for everybody to recreate."
Proponents argue the designation would bring ecological and economic benefits. Rebecca Perez, Urban to Wild Program Manager at the Wilderness Society, highlighted the positives.
“It’s a part of the landscape here,” she said of the river. “And it will only bring in more resources to the Santa Cruz corridor,” Perez stated.
She explained how conservation efforts could be a boon for activities like birding, which brings additional revenue to the area through visitors using local restaurants and retail shops. Perez also says that attracting visitors exposes visitors to the local culture.
The forum also revealed issues needing to be addressed. Community members, including Randy Graff, President of the Green Valley/Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the importance of involving local businesses in the designation process.
He expressed concern that the list of supporters only included environmental organizations.
“I didn’t see any support or any indications that they’ve reached out to the business community,” Graff said. “I certainly want to make sure they have our information so we can be involved in the discussions and know what the total impacts are.”
However, Graff says after talking with Perez, he is confident that the groups can find a compromise on the proposal.
"I'm certain she'll be following up with us,” he said. “The presentation sort of hinted that we shouldn't have much to be concerned with."
Perez says that the issues raised, and the forum format, will lead to a stronger approach.
"We definitely need to include more businesses and private land who will be impacted by the designation," she said. "We want to make sure they know what this proposal looks like so they can help us field any challenges and opportunities that come up with this designation."
Kontowicz says that Fish and Wildlife has it in their best interest to find agreement among the community.
"They want to have good working partnerships," she said. "If they create an Urban National Wildlife refuge, they want to make sure the community supports it."
The initiative has already cleared some major hurdles. In September, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved a landscape conservation design that identifies target areas for the refuge.
As part of the plan, the proposed refuge would extend a half mile from the river's border. This border can be adjusted over time based on the needs and willingness of the surrounding communities.
The amount of land eligible for acquisition includes over 7,500 acres in Santa Cruz County and 570 acres in Pima County.
Not all of this land will be acquired by the refuge.
"This is just a boundary of potential land that can be acquired," Kontowicz said. "The jurisdiction doesn't affect any of the land outside the refuge."
The designation would not need congressional approval but does need approval from the Secretary of the Interior.
If approved, the refuge designation would provide the highest standard for the permanent federal protection of wildlife. It would also make the land eligible for federal conservation funds.
According to slides presented at the forum, the proposal will next need to provide a landscape protection strategy.
This will be followed by a 45-day public comment period, giving residents and stakeholders the opportunity to voice their opinions before final decisions are made.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
