Sopori Ranch Protected! - January 2009

We are delighted to announce that today the Pima County Board of Supervisors finalized an agreement between the County, Arizona Land and Water Trust, and the landowner of the historic Sopori Ranch to permanently protect more than 4,000 acres of the Ranch.

The acquisition, a two-year project of the Arizona Land and Water Trust, includes part of the Sopori Creek and associated pastures with grandfathered irrigation rights. “Due to its rich species diversity, riparian areas, and its cultural and historical value, Sopori Ranch has long been a high conservation priority for the Arizona Land and Water Trust,” said Jeff Hampton, President of the Trust’s Board. Stretching across the valley between the Cerro Colorado and Tumacacori Mountains, the Ranch connects an earlier conservation acquisition—Rancho Seco and Santa Lucia Ranch.

Sopori Ranch is home to the Sopori Creek, one of Pima County’s richest riparian areas with lush groves of mesquite and cottonwood trees, and is habitat for an impressive array of wildlife species, including the Swainson’s hawk, pronghorn sheep, and the lesser long-nosed bat. The Ranch will be protected using voter-approved funds from the 2004 Conservation Bond, and this acquisition is a key addition to Pima County’s conservation portfolio.

Thank you for supporting Arizona Land and Water Trust. Your support enables us to pursue our mission: to protect southern Arizona’s vanishing western landscapes by building prosperous relationships between our local agriculture, biodiversity, water resources and cultural history.