Park Holds Wilderness Day

On February 12th, the park held its first “Commitment to Wilderness Day,” with over 75 employees and volunteers celebrating the park’s unique relationship with wilderness. 

Last year Intermountain Regional Director Mike Snyder challenged the region’s wilderness executive committee to create a shared vision for wilderness management.  That effort spawned the idea of park’s hosting a “Commitment to Wilderness Day.”

After viewing the inspirational program “American Values: American Wilderness,” the staff was divided into teams and went into the park’s wilderness to battle buffelgrass, an invasive grass that is quickly overtaking the Sonoran Desert ecosystem.  The staff pulled 59 bags of grass, treating a little over one acre.  Afterwards the group enjoyed a lunch provided by the Friends of Saguaro National Park. 

An American Hiking Society volunteer group and the Bandelier fire use module (here to assist with preparation for an upcoming prescribed burn) joined the staff in the wilderness presentation and grass pulling efforts.