Tortolita Preserve-Western Fence Installation (11/8/23)
On 5/22/20, the Tortolita Alliance (TA) met with Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR) to continue collaborative discussions regarding the Tortolita Preserve (TP). One item on the agenda was fencing the western portion of TP (14,800 feet), which never got fenced when TP was created in 2001.
Fencing the western end of TP would keep cattle out to protect the native plants and provide a safer situation for bikers and hikers. The other purpose is to prevent Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs) from entering TP and damaging this marvelous Sonoran Desert ecosystem.
On 8/5/20, TA was invited by MPR to meet and review the preliminary draft of the Marana Parks & Recreation Master Plan-2020-2030 (MPR Master Plan). TA was pleased to see that a new western fence was included in the proposed MPR Master Plan. The western fence project was ultimately included in the final MPR Master Plan and the Town of Marana Capital Improvement Budget. The TP-Western Fence was designed by EPS Group and is being built by Henry & Company Construction.
Fence construction is now underway and I had a chance to observe the installation with Jay Grodman (MPR-Natural Resources Supervisor) on 11/8/23.
The new fence is wildlife friendly with no barbed wire on the top and bottom and two strands of barbed wire in the middle. See photo (right).
Fence construction should be completed by early December. See photo collage below.
