Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008
On March 1st, Saguaro National Park celebrated its 75th anniversary. The park and its two districts, which book-end the Tucson metropolitan area, preserves and protects a premier example of Sonoran Desert, as well as the iconic species of the American Southwest, the saguaro cactus.
Dignitaries on hand for the anniversary event included Dorothy “Doro” Bush Koch (President Bush’s sister), Tricia Reilly Koch, Deputy Director Lindi Harvey, and Intermountain Region Deputy Director Tony Schetzsle. The event highlighted not only the park’s history, but many of the Service’s current children’s initiatives, including Junior Rangers and the Teacher to Ranger to Teacher program.
In her closing comments, Superintendent Sarah Craighead urged the crowd to “reflect on how we might all work together in insure that the next 75 years of Saguaro National Park is as good as the first,” adding that “this can only happen through volunteerism, community service, making sure we engage diverse cultures, and by ensuring that our kids are actively involved.”
An estimated 2,500 visitors enjoyed the many anniversary activities, including special interpretive talks and hikes offered throughout the day, highlighting the history and culture of the park and local area.
In the morning, prior to the celebration events, Superintendent Sarah Craighead, Deputy Director Harvey and the other dignitaries also participated in a volunteer project. A group of 50 volunteers had gathered to remove buffelgrass, a non-native plant, from a portion of the park. Buffelgrass is an invasive plant that threatens the entire Sonoran Desert ecosystem.
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