Alongside our partners in public land and connectivity conservation, we are monitoring news of a reported threat from the Administration against six national monuments and their protected lands — including threats against Ironwood Forest National Monument.
News outlets reported last week that the Interior Secretary said “We’ll go through a thorough review,” but added, “this is not a top priority for the administration.”
We will keep you updated. And, while any reviews may be taking place, we feel it’s important to voice our support for Ironwood Forest National Monument.
Press release
TUCSON, AZ, April 28, 2025 — Last week we learned that the Trump Administration is preparing to shrink the size of multiple national monuments, including Ironwood Forest National Monument (IFNM). The monument, which recently had a public celebration for its 25th anniversary, has become increasingly popular and now sees well over 100,000 visitors a year.
“This is exactly what we’ve feared,” said Tom Hannagan, President of Friends of Ironwood Forest. “This move would open the door to irreversible destruction of vital Sonoran Desert habitat that is beloved by both our local community and hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.”
Ironwood Forest National Monument is part of a critical corridor for wildlife, connecting seven mountain ranges and serving as the core habitat for the region’s last indigenous herd of desert bighorn sheep in the Waterman and Silverbell Mountains. The introduction of mining infrastructure—access roads, heavy machinery, and nonstop noise—would devastate native ecosystems and sever wildlife connectivity.
The Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, who was instrumental in the monument’s creation in 2000, will be working with their 31 member groups to advocate for the continued protection of Ironwood Forest. “This monument is an integral part of federal, state, and local government plans to protect Sonoran Desert habitat and wildlife corridors for current and future generations,” said Kate Hotten, co-executive director of the Coalition.
“Fortunately, we know that removing protections for public lands, especially ones as scenic and appreciated as Ironwood Forest National Monument, is hugely unpopular.”
In addition to its ecological importance, the Ironwood Forest holds profound cultural and historical value. It is home to archaeological sites dating back more than 10,000 years and forms part of the ancestral lands of the Tohono O’odham people.
“This action, should it be taken, is wholly unconscionable,” said John R. Welch, Vice President for Preservation & Collaboration, Archaeology Southwest. “The boundaries of these national monuments have been well vetted and are working for the communities involved, including and especially Tribes. This would be a boldface rejection of years of good-faith policy negotiations.”
Tom Hannagan sums up the next steps this way, “Let’s be clear, we will be calling on our community and our elected officials to make it clear to the administration that any change to the monument would not only be unpopular and unwelcome, but illegal.”
CONTACT
Tom Hannagan, Board President
Friends of Ironwood Forest
tom@ironwoodforest.org
(847) 910-9310
Kate Sarther, Vice President, Communications & Outreach
Archaeology Southwest
kate@archaeologysouthwest.org
(520) 818-8033
Kate Hotten, Co-Executive Director
Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection
kate.hotten@sonorandesert.org
(520) 365-5187