PATAGONIA, ARIZONA
The site of a failed housing development in the semiarid desert of Patagonia. Roads and infrastructure were begun here. The property has been purchased by the Border Lands Restoration Institute who are conceiving of ways to fund the restoration project while potential working with housing developers and agriculture.
A patch of agave cultivated by someone who lived in the region several hundred years ago. Cultivation changes the plant and evolves the species.
Below: LAAW and Borderlands Restoration group at the wildlife corridor; Rock dams are built in areas where erosion washes away earth and vegetation. The damns catch silt and become populated with vegetation. The Institute uses rocks, branches and sometimes donated post consumer construction materials from demolition to build the dams. This has been the year of concrete, brick, rock and building for FAM.
Below: Border fence at Nogales begun by Clinton and completed by Bush in 2006.
Border fences at La Noria. Cattle have found their way across to the US side from Mexican ranches.
Below: Dry river beds in Patagonia
GILA WILDERNESS
In the Gila the rock is sunset colours. You can find openings to former florite mines and purple, green and golden florite and quartz crystals can be found on the ground. As a semiarid desert (less than 20 inches of rain per year), the Gila has a river and hot springs. Many hot springs are maintained by volunteers in a DIY fashion. The one below was made with two basins fashioned with rock, lined with tarp and fed by a pipe.
White Sands National Monument
Dunes at White Sands with San Andres Mountains in the background
