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TA Tidbits # 38-Strong Arm & TP Update
The Mighty Strong-Arm Strong-Arm was host to another Great Horned Owlet this Spring which has now fledged the nest and is hopefully doing...

Mark L. Johnson
Jun 1, 20221 min read


May Day! May Day! May Day!
The Conjunction Moon, Jupiter & Venus line up early Wednesday (4/27/22) morning over the Tortolita Preserve. Good things come in...

Mark L. Johnson
May 1, 20221 min read


Sunrise Service
Hiked the Upper Javelina to Wild Mustang to Wild Burro to Alamo Springs Spur Loop Trails early this morning. A nice 9-mile, peaceful...

Mark L. Johnson
Apr 17, 20221 min read


TA Tidbits # 36-Tortolita Red & TP Update
Tortolita Red Ocotillo Blooming & Pyrruloxia (Desert Cardinal) TA has been working closely with Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR) and...

Mark L. Johnson
Apr 6, 20221 min read


Trail Sights & Sounds
Hiked the Wild Burro to Alamo Springs Loop Trail this morning. Stopped for a rest at the top of the Wild Burro Trail and quietly listened...

Mark L. Johnson
Mar 27, 20221 min read


Zoom Or Bloom?
Coulter's Lupine-Upper Javelina Trail Tired of COVID-19 Zoom calls? Time to get out for a hike and see the wildflowers. The Bloom has...

Mark L. Johnson
Mar 13, 20221 min read


Freedom!
Strong-Arm Saguaro At Daylight Went for a 7.5 mile hike in the Tortolita Preserve (TP) this morning. I had to. The events in Europe are...

Mark L. Johnson
Mar 6, 20221 min read


TA Tidbits #35 Petitions, Owls & New Water Agency
Town Council Candidates Need More Signed Petitions Thanks to everyone who have signed the Non-Partisan Nomination Petitions for Patrick...

Mark L. Johnson
Feb 26, 20222 min read


TA Tidbits #34 Petitions & More
Meet The Change4Marana Candidates-Sign Petitions Patrick Cavanaugh, Mark Johnson and Tim Kosse are running for Marana Town Council as the...

Tortolita Alliance
Feb 16, 20222 min read


Mark 4 Marana Town Council Campaign
I first came to Marana in 1976 on a cross county RV adventure during my senior year in college. Having grown up in a coastal environment...

Mark L. Johnson
Feb 6, 20222 min read


Water Woes XIV-Pause On DAWS
The following serves as an update to the previously reported Marana Water Designated Assured Water Supply (DAWS) analysis. Remember DAWS...

Mark L. Johnson
Feb 1, 20222 min read


TA Tidbits #33 Elections & Reflections
Wild Burro-Alamo Springs Spur Hike (1/30/22) Wild Burro Upper Valley At Dawn Desert Spoon Making A Comeback Chuparosa-First Spring Wild...

Mark L. Johnson
Jan 30, 20221 min read


TP West & The Mound
Tortolita Preserve West Looking North & East Toward Dove Mountain From The Mound Happy New Year! Hiked the western portion of the...

Mark L. Johnson
Jan 11, 20221 min read


TA Tidbits #32-2021 Wrap Up
Night Watch Great Horned Owl keeps watch over the Tortolita Preserve! Tortolita Preserve-Trail Counter Update The Marana Parks &...

Mark L. Johnson
Dec 18, 20212 min read


TA Tidbits #31 BioBlitz & More
Tortolita Preserve-Natural Resource Survey (BioBlitz) TA met with representatives from Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR), Arizona Game &...

Mark L. Johnson
Dec 4, 20212 min read


Dove Mountain Development Status November 2021
Tortolita Preserve At Sunrise Dove Mountain Development 101 In June 2021, TA published a Dove Mountain Development Status blog that...

Mark L. Johnson
Nov 17, 20213 min read


The Case Of The Missing HCP
Another Marana mystery is solved! This time its about wildlife and habitat. What the heck is an HCP? HCP is the acronym for Habitat...

Mark L. Johnson
Nov 14, 20213 min read


Water Woes X No Status Quo
Drought Status Tortolita Alliance (TA) attended the Local Drought Impact Group (LDIG) Meeting via Microsoft Team on 11/10/21. LDIG is a...

Mark L. Johnson
Nov 10, 20213 min read


TA Tidbits #30 Grass, Planes & Trails
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I---I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."--Robert Frost Just back...

Mark L. Johnson
Nov 4, 20212 min read


TA Alert! Night Flight
Tortolita Alliance (TA) has heard recently from several residents in the Dove Mountain area about planes circling and buzzing at very...

Mark L. Johnson
Oct 21, 20211 min read
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