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TA Tidbits #63 Late Bloomers
The Sonoran Desert has some unique cacti that bloom one night per year with the flowers lasting only one day. You have to be on your...

Tortolita Alliance
Jun 121 min read
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Tortolita Preserve-Direction & Yield Protocol
TA members occasionally ask about the Tortolita Preserve Direction & Yield Protocol for cyclists, hikers/trail runners and equestrian. ...

Tortolita Alliance
Jun 41 min read
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TP North Trailhead Improvements Complete
Tortolita Alliance (TA) 2025 Strategic Plan Item No. 5 calls for Improvements at the Tortolita Preserve (TP) North Trailhead...

Tortolita Alliance
May 302 min read
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Wings & Blades Over Dove Mountain
Periodically, Tortolita Alliance (TA) is contacted by concerned Dove Mountain residents regarding aircraft (planes & helicopters)...

Mark L. Johnson
May 105 min read
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TA Alert!-TP North Trailhead Improvements
Tortolita Preserve-North Trailhead Tortolita Preserve (TP) North Trailhead (N Brittlebush Drive) will undergo some improvements over the...

Tortolita Alliance
May 81 min read
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TA Strategic Plan-Implementation
Tortolita Alliance (TA) Board met with Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR) leaders on 4/30/25 to review and discuss implementation of TA's...

Tortolita Alliance
May 41 min read
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TA Alert! Tortolita Preserve Potential Acquisition
Tortolita Preserve Trail Map & Tortolita Preserve Shown On ASLD Map In late March, Town of Marana (Marana) officials informed the...

Tortolita Alliance
Apr 221 min read
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Tortolita Preserve Easter 2025
The Tortolita Preserve was gorgeous this Easter morning. Not much color due to dry conditions but still teaming with wildlife and...

Mark L. Johnson
Apr 201 min read
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TA Tidbits #61-Groom No Bloom
Photos by Joe Thomas Tortolita Preserve-Trail Grooming Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists (SDMB) volunteers were out in the Tortolita...

Mark L. Johnson
Mar 301 min read
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Meet The Monument-25th Anniversary Ironwood Forest National Monument March 22
Friends of Ironwood Forest (FOIF) are having a celebration for the 25th anniversary of the Ironwood Forest National Monument on March 22...

Tortolita Alliance
Mar 161 min read
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TA Tidbits #60-Preserve Pursuits
Baby Strong-Arm Baby Strong-Arm is doing well and has grown about one-inch! This baby saguaro was planted almost one year ago on 1/14/24...

Tortolita Alliance
Feb 81 min read
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TA Alert! TRICO Meeting (2/7/25)
TRICO is holding an informational meeting for its District 1 (Dove Mountain) customers at the Highlands on Friday, February 7, 2025 at...

Tortolita Alliance
Feb 11 min read
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Dove Mountain Blvd Traffic Sound and Noise Assessment Report
Figure 9 taken from the Dove Mountain Blvd Traffic Sound and Noise Assessment Report-June 2024 The Town of Marana (Marana) published the...

Mark L. Johnson
Jan 131 min read
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Dove Mountain Development Status December 2024
Tortolita Alliance (TA) has periodically provided a status report on Dove Mountain development activity. TA's last report was Dove...

Tortolita Alliance
Dec 1, 20242 min read
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General Meeting & Strategic Plan 2025
Tortolita Alliance (TA) held its General Meeting on 11/12/24 at the Ritz Carlton-Dove Mountain-Golf Club at Dove Mountain Clubhouse. A...

Tortolita Alliance
Nov 14, 20242 min read
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A Different Min(d)e-set
This serves as an update to our 7/3/24 blog entitled TA Alert!-Aerial Recon For Minerals . It has taken some time but I finally figured...

Mark L. Johnson
Oct 16, 20243 min read
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The Secret Plan To Develop The Tortolita Fan
On April 17, 2024, Tortolita Alliance (TA) filed a Public Records Request (P RR) with the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) for "all...

Mark L. Johnson
Oct 2, 20244 min read
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TRICO Electric Transmission Line-Part II-Opacity
I met with Trico Electric Cooperative, Inc. (TRICO) staff at the Dove Mountain West Park regarding the Adonis Feeder Transmission Line...

Mark L. Johnson
Sep 28, 20246 min read
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Tangerine Road Corridor-Part II
On April 17, 2024, Tortolita Alliance (TA) filed a Public Records Request (P RR) with the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) for "all...

Tortolita Alliance
Sep 21, 20243 min read
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TRICO Electric Transmission Line-Shocking
Tortolita Alliance (TA) received photos from TA members of a new electric transmission line currently being constructed across the...

Tortolita Alliance
Sep 16, 20241 min read
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TA Tidbits # 59 Giddyap!
Here are some upcoming events in our area by which you can volunteer, enjoy our Sonoran Desert environment and engage! Marana Parks &...

Tortolita Alliance
Sep 6, 20242 min read
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TA Alert! General Meeting 11/12/24
Tortolita Alliance (TA) will be holding a General Meeting of the organization on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at...

Tortolita Alliance
Aug 29, 20241 min read
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Tucson Urban Wildlife Conservation Program
Tortolita Alliance (TA) was invited and attended the first meeting of the Tucson Wildlife Partnership on 8/21/22 in Tucson. This...

Tortolita Alliance
Aug 24, 20243 min read
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TA Tidbits #58 Updates & The Ombudsman
Monsoon Brewing-Wild Burro Canyon (6/23/24) Dove Mountain Pedestrian Trail Maintenance Tortolita Alliance (TA) contacted the Dove...

Tortolita Alliance
Aug 4, 20242 min read
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Tortolita Preserve-Mid-Summer Report
Tortolita Preserve-SW Panorama (7/28/24) Hiked the Tortolita Preserve (TP) Big Loop (7 miles) very early this morning (83 degrees-48%...

Mark L. Johnson
Jul 28, 20243 min read
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TA Alert-Aerial Recon For Minerals
On June 16, 2024, a Dove Mountain resident reported to the Tortolita Alliance (TA) that an aircraft was flying over their home and making...

Tortolita Alliance
Jul 3, 20242 min read
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Wildflowers of the Tortolitas
The beauty of the Tortolita Preserve and Tortolita Mountains is enhanced each spring and early summer with the bloom of many different...

Tortolita Alliance
Jun 26, 20241 min read
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Tangerine Road Corridor-Part I
Tangerine Road (between I-10 and Dove Mountain Boulevard) parallels the Tortolita Preserve. Therefore, it is critical that we carefully...

Tortolita Alliance
Jun 8, 20247 min read
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Tortolita Preserve-Planning For The Future
Tortolita Preserve Strategic Concepts-Trail System Expansion & Connections Map In early April, the Tortolita Alliance (TA) Board met with...

Tortolita Alliance
May 8, 20242 min read
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Desert Fence Busters Visit TP
Legacy Barbed Wire Fence [The Problem] Barbed wire fence was installed throughout the Sonoran Desert over many years to identify property...

Tortolita Alliance
May 2, 20243 min read
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TA Tidbits #56-TP Enjoyment
Tortolita Preserve (TP)-Mount Lemon View (3/27/24) TP Trail Counter-First Year Results Tortolita Alliance (TA) contributed $500 to Marana...

Tortolita Alliance
Apr 21, 20242 min read
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Marana Retreat Newsbeat
The Marana Town Council held its annual retreat (2/14-16/2024) in Chandler, AZ---75 miles away from the citizens of Marana!! There is no...

Tortolita Alliance
Apr 11, 20244 min read
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TA Tidbits #55 Spring Loaded
Upper Javelina Trail (4/7/24) The wildflowers are now abundant in the Tortolitas and it will get even better in the next few weeks as it...

Mark L. Johnson
Apr 7, 20242 min read
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TA Tidbits #54-TA Reaching Out
Highlands Lifelong Learning Group Tours Tortolita Preserve With Dave Barker (TA Board Member-back left) Tortolita Alliance (TA) is...

Tortolita Alliance
Mar 18, 20241 min read
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TA Tidbits #53-TP Wildlife Cams & The Puma
Mountain Lion (Puma)-Tortolita Preserve (3/14/24) Tortolita Preserve Wildlife Cameras On 3/6/24, two new wildlife cameras were set up in...

Tortolita Alliance
Mar 15, 20241 min read
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Heart Warming-Saguaro Planting Day
Baby Strong-Arm II Today's Valentine's Day Saguaro Planting Event at the Tortolita Preserve was a huge success. This event was sponsored...

Tortolita Alliance
Feb 14, 20241 min read
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TA Strategic Plan & Financial Update
The Beginning The Tortolita Alliance (TA) was formed four years ago in response to efforts by the Town of Marana (Marana) and the Arizona...

Tortolita Alliance
Feb 10, 20242 min read
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TA Tidbits #52-TP Secure & Strong-Arm Still Strong
The Front Tortolita Preserve (1/24/24) TP North Entrance (Brittlebush Drive) Secure Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR) has installed...

Tortolita Alliance
Feb 3, 20241 min read
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TA Tidbits #51-TP Fence Complete & Valentine's-TP Saguaro Planting Day
Tortolita Preserve (TP)-Western Fence Project-North Section TP Western Fence Project Complete Marana has completed the Western Fence...

Tortolita Alliance
Jan 21, 20241 min read
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TA Tidbits #50-Invasive Grasses Too Close To Home
Buffelgrass-Brittlebush Drive-Dove Mountain (11/29/23) On a recent hike, my wife (Shirley) and I noticed a patch of buffelgrass on...

Mark L. Johnson
Dec 10, 20231 min read
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TA Tidbits #47 Litter, Glitter & Critters
Tortolita Preserve (10/28/23) Branch Litter Mulching To Restore Old Cow Path Tortolita Preserve (TP) Projects In The News The TP...

Mark L. Johnson
Nov 19, 20231 min read
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TA Tidbits #46-Trailhead Construction & Rose Kennedy
Tortolita Preserve-New Moore Rd. Trailhead Construction (9/30/23) Tortolita Preserve (TP)-Moore Rd Trailhead Construction The...

Mark L. Johnson
Sep 30, 20231 min read
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Animals And Plants Of The Tortolita Preserve
The Tortolita Alliance (TA) Strategic Plan (2020) included a strategic goal to collaborate with other groups/agencies/public to conduct a...

Mark L. Johnson
Sep 1, 20232 min read
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Tortolita Preserve-Post Storm(s) Report
Tortolita Preserve-After The Monsoon (8/27/23) Hiked the Tortolita Preserve (TP) Main Loop (7 miles) this early this morning. Reports of...

Mark L. Johnson
Aug 27, 20232 min read
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TA Tidbits #45-Mr. Big Stuff, Pygmy Owl, Monsoon & More
Mr. Big Stuff Tortolita Preserve (TP) This huge Sonoran Desert Tortoise paid a visit to a property adjacent to TP near Moore Road and...

Mark L. Johnson
Aug 20, 20232 min read
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Hot? Think Snow!
Tortolita Preserve-Snow Bound (3/2/23) Only 143 days ago we had 4 inches of snow in our Sonoran Desert and now the daily temperatures...

Mark L. Johnson
Jul 23, 20231 min read
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TA Tidbits # 44-Tortolita Preserve Project Updates
Shades of Purple (TP-4/23/23) Tortolita Alliance (TA ) has been working with Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR) for the last 3.5 years on...

Mark L. Johnson
Jul 16, 20232 min read
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Tortolita Summer
Tortolita Summer The summer solstice is 10 days nigh, And the temps are getting kinda high. But the early morning you can’t dislike, A...

Mark L. Johnson
Jul 2, 20231 min read
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Night Blooming Wild Cereus Plant Ready To Bloom In Tortolita Preserve
One of the plant species identified in the Fall Tortolita Preserve (TP) Bioblitz was the Night Blooming Wild Cereus Plant aka Queen of...

Mark L. Johnson
Jun 19, 20231 min read
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Fruitful Hike
Hiked the Upper Javelina Trail early this morning. First time on the new section near Boulder Canyon Pass (see photos in collage). The...

Mark L. Johnson
Jun 4, 20231 min read
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