Tortolita Alliance
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 &...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Aug 29
- 1 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Aug 24
- 3 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Aug 4
- 2 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 28
- 3 min
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%...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Jun 26
- 1 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Jun 11
- 1 min
TA Alert!-Pedestrian Trail-Irrigation Lines-Trip Hazards-Fix Coming
Pedestrian Trail (Dove Mountain Blvd at Boulder Bridge Pass) Exposed Irrigation Lines TA contacted the Dove Mountain Civic Group and the...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 19
- 1 min
TA Tidbits #57-Transition To Summer
First Light-Alamo Springs Spur Trail (5/19/24) Hiked the Alamo Springs-Spur-Wild Burro Trail Loop very early this morning. The transition...
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Tortolita Alliance
- May 8
- 2 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- May 2
- 3 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Apr 21
- 2 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Apr 11
- 4 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Apr 7
- 2 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Mar 18
- 1 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Mar 15
- 1 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Feb 14
- 1 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Feb 10
- 2 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Feb 3
- 1 min
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...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Jan 21
- 1 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Nov 19, 2023
- 1 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Sep 30, 2023
- 1 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Sep 1, 2023
- 2 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Aug 27, 2023
- 2 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Aug 20, 2023
- 2 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 23, 2023
- 1 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 16, 2023
- 2 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 2, 2023
- 1 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jun 4, 2023
- 1 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 14, 2023
- 2 min
Water Woes XXII-Cautious & Frugal
The water situation in the West has improved but it is only one year in a 24-year period whereby the Colorado River reservoir system has...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 10, 2023
- 2 min
Dave DeGroot-Trailblazer
Dave DeGroot-Grand Canyon One of the great benefits of the Tortolita Alliance (TA) is meeting and working with wonderfully talented...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 7, 2023
- 1 min
Dry But Colorful
Hedgehog Cactus Tortolita Preserve (4/23/23) Hiked the Wild Burro-Alamo Springs-Spur Trail early this morning. The lower trail potions...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Apr 22, 2023
- 2 min
TA Tidbits #43-Blitz & Bitz
The following serves to update some important activities at the Tortolita Preserve (TP) and Upper Javelina Trail. TP Spring Bioblitz The...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Apr 10, 2023
- 4 min
Saguaro Facts & Status
It has not been a good year for our treasured saguaros. Strong-Arm passed after a wonderful 160-year life in the Tortolita Preserve. We...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Mar 26, 2023
- 1 min
March Gladness
Most likely your favorite team(s) have been eliminated from the NCAA basketball tournament. So its time for a little March Gladness to...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Mar 4, 2023
- 1 min
Snowscapes
Tortolita Preserve-Snow Bound (3/2/23) The rare Sonoran Desert snow event on Thursday, March 2, 2023 was beautiful and captured for...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Feb 12, 2023
- 1 min
A Wild Mustang Valentine
Happy Valentine's Day From The Wild Mustang Trail! Hiked the Wild Mustang Trail (9 miles) last Sunday. See 3-D video of the hike and...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Feb 5, 2023
- 1 min
TP Naturalists
Tortolita Preserve-Cool & Captivating (Mark & Shirley-2/1/23) The Arizona Master Naturalist Association (AZMNA) held their annual meeting...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jan 15, 2023
- 1 min
Shades of Gray Make The Day
Wild Burro Wash & Trail 1/15/23 Hiking the Tortolita Preserve or the Tortolita Mountain Trails on a cloudy, pre-storm day is just as...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Dec 17, 2022
- 2 min
TP Holiday Cheer!
Tortolita Preserve (12/10/22) Mule Deer Jumping For Joy Good news from Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR) on three Tortolita Preserve (TP)...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Dec 4, 2022
- 2 min
TA Reflections & Future
The Beginning The Tortolita Alliance (TA) was formed three years ago in response to efforts by the Town of Marana (Marana) and the...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Nov 12, 2022
- 1 min
TP BioBlitz (11/19) Sign-Up Reminder
A BioBlitz is an event to inventory as many species as possible in a specific area during a specific time frame. Using the smartphone app...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Oct 29, 2022
- 2 min
TP BioBlitz Sign-Up
A BioBlitz is an event to inventory as many species as possible in a specific area during a specific time frame. Using the smartphone app...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Oct 20, 2022
- 3 min
TA Tidbits #39-Saguaros, BioBlitz & H2O
Tortolita Preserve-Fiery Monsoon Skies Old Growth Sagauro Deaths-Bacterial Infection & Climate Change Strong-arm passed on 8/4/22 and is...
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Jill Kismet
- Aug 28, 2022
- 4 min
A Keystone Of The Sonoran Desert: Why Old Saguaros Matter
When I stand beside a truly massive saguaro, I am in constant awe of their magnificence – as I’m sure you are. I reflect on its...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 31, 2022
- 3 min
Storm-Water-Shed
Upper Wild Burro Canyon Watershed (7/31/22) Hiked the Wild Burro Trail and Alamo Springs Loop Trail early this morning after nice...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 3, 2022
- 1 min
Upper Javelina Monsoon Watch
Hiked the Upper Javelina Trail very early this morning. Two javelina observed. No hikers seen. A few saguaro cactus flowers. Nice...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jun 5, 2022
- 1 min
Tortolita Wild Horses & More
TA Members Kit Nidever and Joe Thomas hiked the Ridgeline Trail on May 31 and saw a herd of wild horses. See photo by Kit above. A herd...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jun 1, 2022
- 1 min
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...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 15, 2022
- 1 min
Iron-would Bloom?
Tortolita Preserve (5/15/22) Old Timer (left) and Youngster (right) Ironwood Trees No Bloom Recently I have seen ironwood trees in...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 1, 2022
- 1 min
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...
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