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Sustainability and Sense of Place in the Sonoran Desert/Water

=Component Four – Water= Our two readings for this Component are the closing chapters for two of the most important - and poetic - books written on the major rivers of the Sonoran Desert, the Colorado and the Gila. The first was Gregory McNamee's Gila: Life and Death of an American River (McNamee, University of New Mexico Press, 1994), an early examination of the fate of the watershed at the heart of the region. The second was Chloe Sevigny's Mythical River: Chasing the Mirage of New Water in the American Southwest, a passionate plea for rational water use as applied to the Colorado River.

The high point of the semester in both years was the visit we got from Gregory McNamee (the first time in person, the second via Zoom) under the auspices of the Arizona Speaks, a visiting scholar program of Arizona Humanities. His presentation helped to fill in many of the missing pieces for us, particularly as concerns the history of indigenous cultures in the region. Also associated with this component was our visit to the Yuma Conservation Garden, guided by long-time resident and biologist Val Morrill.

Guiding Questions
In this chapter, McNamee quotes our hero Aldo Leopold, who said, "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise." How much of what has happened to the Gila River is therefore "wrong"? How much of what has happened to the Sonoran Desert? The world?

McNamee also quotes St Bernard: "You will find something more in woods than in books....  Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters." How well does this concept fit into Western Civilization?

The chapter mentions several proposals to create new wilderness areas and to enlarge existing ones. What "paradigm shift" in our thinking would need to take place in order for such projects to come about? In what ways does McNamee challenge our assumptions about the role of government agencies such as the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)?

In general, how practical - and how likely - are the solutions that McNamee proposes for reversing the destruction of the Gila watershed? "Should trees have standing?" Christopher Stone asks (P. 192). Should rivers have rights, as McNamee adds?

Once again, are you surprised by the many interacting components of an ecosystem, and disturbed by how easily it can all go wrong?

Student Discoveries 2021
Most of human intervention into the Gila River and the Sonoran Desert is wrong, with a few exceptions. The most notable exceptions include those individuals emulating Leopold in their endeavors to restore different regions of the Sonoran Desert; however, the efforts of these few individuals will be in vain unless more “right” action is taken toward restoration. The most notable “wrong” action taken against the Gila River and most of the river systems in the United States is the abundance of dams as a means to “control” rivers from flooding and thwart their natural path to bring water to larger cities and industrial farms, miles away from the river. Most human intervention into nature does not work or help in the way we think it does; in fact, we do more harm than good most of the time. Unless we figure out how to stop intervening where it is not necessary, our wrong actions will lead to the extinction of environments and ourselves.

McNamee disapproves of using desert to describe this environment because the original meaning of the word is used to describe an uninhabitable place, while the Gila region is actually full of life. It also sounds like "deserted" so in more ways than one it probably is why many  people believe all deserts to be deserted.

Desert is synonymous with depletion, abandonment, emptiness which leads ironically to the depletion of that biome, it doesn't recognize its richness, its story, and the cultural value it has. Can you destroy what is already unexistent? This is an important idea since it's often a rationale used by many corporations to justify their industrial and agricultural expansion and be oblivious to the consequences, this is something that can easily be refuted by explaining the intricate biological community and its many geological factors.

Legends have come to show the efforts people have put to place an explanation for what has happened in nature. It comes to show just how much the human race has made an effort to connect with nature, and to bring in a sense of familiarity with it.

Many portions of this reading can be connected to our previous readings. One example would be when the author is talking about the formations of the “desert” and how many of the rivers and mountains were relatively recent in geological terms. Even as far as calling them infants. It also touches on the subject of rainfall and the rivers, and how people are slowly deteriorating the integrity of such important rivers. With time people are stopping the flow of the river which not only affects the life of the region but also the people that live within.

The Gila River has a complex history of landscape stability and erosion. Some of the most notable changes that the Gila River has gone through were unfortunately caused by human activities. Whether it was the disappearance of different species and animals or the tremendous erosion taking place in the Gila watershed for years, all these changes give us an idea of how much has happened to the Gila River.

In regards to how likely are the solutions that McNamee proposes for reversing the destruction of the Gila watershed well it all depends on the effort everyone as a community puts in. I like to be optimistic and think that everything is possible. Personally, I do believe rivers should have rights as well since they are overall everyone including plants and animals main source of life. We don't want to damage or destroy our main source so we ought to take care of it by giving it rights.

I’m very surprised about all the different components of the ecosystem and how many things can disturb that special balance. For example, I always thought cattle were very good for the environment but apparently that can destroy thousands of acres of land. I’m also surprised that even back then the government did very little to protect our environment. It makes me think that if there weren’t people advocating for the protection of our land just how much worse things would be.

Student Discoveries, 2020
For example, with Aldo Leopold’s quote, “Man always kills the thing he loves, and so we the pioneers have killed our wilderness." It reminds and still shocks me on how beautiful and diverse the Sonoran Desert is but yet humanity keeps slowly killing it with either pollution, overpopulation, etc. and it doesn’t seem it's going to end until it is too late.

The quote, "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise," is a strong statement. There have been many things that have affected the Gila River, and most of these problems arose from humanity. We have destroyed the land, hunted the animals that live around the river, and keep trying to expand our towns, which is destroying the habitat of many different animals. Besides just destroying the Gila River, we are also taking over the Sonoran Desert. We keep building and expanding our technology into the desert, and we are invading the habitat of many different types of plants and animals. Humans are slowly taking a piece of the desert to make more room for the increasing population. We are destroying beautiful sceneries, just because we care about showing it off. The world is taking over the earth in every possible way. Humans are the reason why this planet is dying, along with all the life on this planet.

As the human population continues to increase, the act of taking in more land will only get worse. Taking more land from the desert is destroying the wildlife the Sonoran Desert has to offer. This affects the animals and plants living in this region as they continue to have fewer and fewer areas to roam around in the wild. Not only are we taking in land from the Sonoran Desert, but we are destroying it.

Many animals live and depend on rivers and when a river is altered animals and plants that depend on it are affected too. One of the most important quotes McNamee mentioned in this last chapter is by Aldo Leopold, "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise." Many wrongs have been done to the Gila River since the status of the river today reflects it. The Sonoran Desert has not been treated properly, there have been many changes done by humanity to "improve" technology and obtain natural resources by destroying the land. Gregory McNamee does a really good job at making me personally realize what is happening to our world in the present tense. Not only looking at it from a ‘what I have done’ but also as a ‘what I am doing’ and ‘what will I do’ standpoint.

The way McNamee writes is very clear even thought it is scientific, but it is passionate. We make connections to previous readings and even his own experiences in life, to help readers understand his point of view. He even brings in the fact that the Gila River supports so much of our plant and animal life in the desert. The Gila River has been taken advantage of for many years. People have been fighting over its water rights, have built dams that effect the environment and plant life. The Sonoran Desert has been effected as well. When we went to the Yuma Conservation Garden we found out because of global warming it cause the Saguaro to bloom months from its original time.The quote from St Bernard "You will find something more in the woods than in books... Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters". I feel like this is very true because unless you are out in the environment getting first hand experience it wont really matter if you learned it from a book. Things can change over night and the only way for people to learn is to go out and see with their own eyes. McNamees thoughts on government agencies was understandable. The Forest Service and other agencies are run by people who have led us to where we are now. I understand why McNamee thinks they need to be "reeducated". Its because they are failing and they need to think outside of the box and come up with eco-friendly plans to help make our world a better place for the future. I feel rivers should have rights because they are very important to the environment. Many plants and animals depend on the river for food and water. If we continue to use the same amount of water and don't change who has access to it we can potentially lose the river and that will have serious repercussions.

The San Carlos Apache story is very similar to the biblical story of Noah. Because of the striking similarties between the stories of two different cultures, it is certain that the enviornment plays a major role in the lives of every culture. These stories tells us the importance of paying attention to the surrounding nature, and to not take it for granted. Today, many claim climate change is a hoax, but the science proves otherwise. If no action is taken now, humanity might endure something worse than a flood. I really like that quote, and I’m sure any of us that have spent time around a campfire with friends or loved ones could probably appreciate it too. I don’t know how well it fits into “Western Civilization” now. I find the concept of western civilization a bit difficult to understand. I always understood it as a kind of ubiquitous epithet or synecdoche that contained connotations for the worst parts of capitalism. Which in that case, it fits in poorly. However, having spent some time in eastern civilizations I might venture that it fits in equally as poorly there. They have all largely adopted capitalism (a broad claim, foregoing some places) and are equally as serious of polluters as ourselves and equally as corporately aligned. People could talk all day about the links between the widespread environmentalism and rising gdp vs pollution rates etc.. I find myself skeptical of most arguments and think there might be no way of knowing such things on a broad scale without committing serious logical fallacies. Anyway, certainly most eastern philosophy, when cherry picked, is conducive to environmentalism but I think the same could be said for many western ethical schools of thought if we would just commit to them. Certainly, Aristotelian virtue ethics at the least. If I had to venture what the quote fit in with the least, I would say, again at risk of sounding too iconoclastic, the c -word, capitalism.

I specifically enjoyed the way he wrote about absent rivers of the desert saying, “the desiccated beds of those once great rivers, spanned by unsteady bridges, mock their intended function, carrying runoff from the heavens only a few days of the year”. This led me to think back to the neighborhood in which I grew up in as there was a wash that ran right next to the small neighborhood. When there was lots of rain it would come down the wash creating a strong stream of water flowing through. Only in these spar circumstances was the bridge going across it ever useful.

In the reading, it says “without that rain and snow much of the interior west would quickly be depopulated. Cities like Phoenix, Tucson and Los Angeles – all dependent in some measure on the Gila – would quickly be swallowed up by the sand.” I remember how Professor Croxen was saying that groundwater takes twice as much time, if not longer, to “replace” itself when compared to surface water. The way I related these two is, both situation is critical. People whose primary source of water is groundwater or people who live in lower Arizona are in critical situation. It’s crazy to think that our source of water is very unreliable, considering today’s climate change. When looking at the Gila River and the amount of wrongness that we have committed towards it I would say that the amount of water that we have taken out of the river has caused it to become a decrease in the amount of plant and animal species. More so, studies have showed that there has been a decrease in the amount of water resources that we do have which could cause there to be an even more dry up than there already is. In addition, the aftermath of how the Sonoran Desert has become what it is now is from the kind of manmade constructions that have been built and caused a change not only in the weather but also the animal and plant species. All in all, what has been the consequences towards the Sonora Desert and Gila River has also happened around the world with climate change being the biggest as natural scenery’s in certain regions have started to reduce such as the glaciers in Antarctica/Izabeau.

Guiding Questions
How would you describe Sevigny's writing style? What makes it an effective style for this purpose?

The chapter opens with a description of the mouth of the Colorado River from 100 years ago. That's a location very close to where we live and a time not all that long ago. How concerned does it make us about how different things are now? Sevigny says she feels grief about it but not despair. Is it time for despair?

According to Sevigny, the best-case scenario predictions are that a city the size of Phoenix will have to disappear from the Colorado River basin in order for us to have enough water 40 years from now - and that's if we continue to use it all. What are we going to do?

Comment on this quote:  "The crisis we face is not one of water scarcity but rather a diminishing of the human spirit."

Sevigny makes a really interesting point:  We alway talk about sustainability - i.e. sustainable growth, sustainable practices, a sustainable future.... But is simply sustaining ourselves and the ecosphere really an acceptable goal?

What is the problem with the legal requirement known as "standing"? Could/should it be expanded? Or should it simply be replaced by a different legal ethic? Is it realistic to operate according to "some deeper feeling"?

What is the argument against the movement to use only water that's available locally?

Like McNamee, Sevigny proposes a long list of solutions to our overuse of water. How practical/likely are they?

Sevigny mentions "the Tohono O'odham to whom land and culture are synonymous." What are the political implications of such a philosophy? What are the ethical implications?

Water is what makes the Earth unique, and it has status in all the world's religions. What if we simply decided to worship it?

Student Discoveries 2021
The solution to the water problem that we currently have is really no solution at all, but is a “diminishing of the human spirit” as Sevigny puts it. We place values on things that do not have value, inherently devaluing our own lives because we do not know how to simply live. We pursue things we think will bring us happiness in life, but really, they are temporary distractions in a world where there is so much more available that can bring true meaning to life...Merely sustaining ourselves and the ecosphere appears to be an acceptable and admirable goal, but can only be acceptable and admirable when our intentions are honest and in pursuit of cultivating a relationship with the environment. Without these intentions, our actions are meaningless whether they are sustainable or not.

This type of writing style is helpful in creating awareness on these topics where many people may not be informed or educated on. Writing more of a narrative of the history of nature and current events makes it easier for most to understand what exactly is going on rather than pushing facts and data on people. Although being too poetic is also a deterrent for those searching to understand the environment because poetry can be too creative and wont depict a consistent message to everyone and come off as subjective rather than objective.

Sustainability refers to a balance between two elements, the way in which she questions emphasizes the idea that balance is not enough it should be given even more room for nature to expand and grow, to have the opportunity to adapt, and to give nature the fundamental rights of any human, as its integrity should be respected, it should develop, and prevail overtime not being sublimated. The current societal standards propose an ideology in which nature is our slave, not an invaluable component of the existence of any species.

I don’t believe that this concept fits well into the Western Civilization of constant expansion and innovation. While this isn’t necessarily bad, the way it is done has caused catastrophic effects on people and nature. Little by little people move away from nature to the point that they feel they are no longer part of it. This means that very few ever learn anything from nature and focus more on the “books” rather than the “woods”.

Our main worries back then were giving enough water to plants and helping them grow. Now it seems like our main concern is what filter to use or what angles should pictures be taken. I feel like this is ridiculous. There are bigger problems that concern the environment which should concern us, and we do not do anything about it now what future do we hope for future generations.

Sevigny suggests investing in the usage of local water can benefit us in the long run. However, limiting our supplies locally may not be ideal. Although, the author mentions how this isn’t an expensive goal there are still places that don’t have the funds or resources to make it possible. Sevigny proposes some solutions to the overuse of water. One of those solutions being the rise in prices to discourage people from wasting too much water. I don’t think this is very practical because people who have money continue using the water however, they want. It the people who struggle to pay the water bill every month who might have to go without this essential resource that will mainly suffer. While we can’t continue to abuse our water source it is a basic human necessity. For some tribal people like Tohono O’odham, the land is a part of his culture, and protecting it means a lot to them. If by worshiping water we mean taking care of and using the water with care then yes, I agree we could worship it. But if you mean worshipping water as is using more of then no it’s a bad idea. Maybe instead of just worshipping water, we could worship the earth as a whole because we need its resources to survive.

Student Discoveries 2020
In reality 100 years is a lot of time but for something changing in the environment it seems really fast. It's scary and also, I do believe it is time for despair because if we continue to go on the path, we are going more and more cases similar to the Colorado River or even worse can continue happening. We’ll been slowly destroying our planet

One of my favorite quotes from the reading was when Sevigny writes, "the sun began to pour liquid gold over the river's many braids." This quote makes the Colorado River seem like the most beautiful river. The imagery in these first couple of paragraphs is incredibly vivid. Sevigny makes the Colorado River resemble like it's a place that you have to visit at least once in your life. The impact that the population has had on the Colorado River is heartbreaking. The river has changed in so many different ways. Now the Colorado River has had an increased number of dry areas and the relocation of many animals. The times that I have seen the Colorado River, I have not been impressed. The water looks brown and gross. I have only been to the Colorado River once, and I don't plan on going back. I have been to a couple more places that I can see the Colorado River; for example, the Grand Canyon and it was beautiful but brown.

I would describe Sevigny’s writing style as descriptive, articulate, and powerful. Sevigny’s writing was very passionate, to say the least. Reading the article, I was able to recognize that she was very concerned and defensive when it came to protecting the rivers. I enjoyed her writing style and felt the wave of nostalgia in her writing

I think that we should restore the planet to as best as we can to its original form. This is not an easy goal but I think this is the best goal to aim for.

"The crisis we face is not one of water scarcity but rather a diminishing of the human spirit." In my opinion, this quote refers to the lack of importance humans now give to their environment. The cause of water scarcity was caused by human harm to the environment and the inability to save water. The human spirit has changed to be selfish and not to protect nature. In many cases, there is also nothing being done to preserve water.

I think "The crisis we face is not one of water scarcity but rather a diminishing of the human spirit", initially means that we as humans do not want to save the water. We have lost a drive to stand up, speak and take action to save something that is helpful to us. I think this is happening because we have accepted the inevitable and have not wanted to make a change but accepted our defeat in the ways we have already established.

Sevigny's writing is similar to that of a narrative and is very descriptive. I feel that it is similar to a story because Sevigny creates this vivid picture in your mind as you read and it brings it to life. Reading this style of writing seems uncommon these days since most writers base it on facts. Sevigny allowed the words to help convey her feelings about rivers.

Sevigny's writing style is very descriptive. All throughout the reading, especially in the beginning, Sevigny does a really good job describing and creating a picture of what she is talking about. Reading the description for the mouth of the Colorado River from 100 years ago made it seem like it was one of the most beautiful places on Earth, "...the boat split green water, and it streamed away on either side in ribbons that faded seamlessly into the salt lagoon. The sun began to pour liquid gold over the river's many braids that dallied and dawdled..." I included this from the chapter because this describes the true beauty of the Colorado River back then. Looking at the river now it is still beautiful and the Sun still comes out and lights it up but its different. Now people don't see it as a beautiful place, many see it as dirty, nasty and crowded by people and trash. In Sevigny's time I think she felt grief because she was starting to lose how things used to be but now in our day and age there is so much damage that was done its time to face the fact that we are going to lose some resources that we take for granted. I feel like Sevigny had a good idea about having a city the size of Phoenix disappear from the Colorado basin but I don't think it is very realistic now. Phoenix is a very large city and if this were to happen I feel people would just use another way to get water and that would cause another problem. I honestly don't know what should be done because if people completely stop using the Colorado River what happens to the water supply and where would we get it then. Trying to sustain ourselves isn't the best option because eventually it will not work anymore and instead of trying to keep us at the same spot for years we need to come up with a solution. It might not be the easiest part but it will help in the long run. The problem with the legal requirement as "standing" and "some deeper meaning" is that just because trees, plants and rivers cant talk doesn't mean they don't deserve the same protection as any other thing. I feel like it should be replaced because there needs to be one specific legal requirement so people don't try and abuse this.

In the chapter, Sevigny exclaims that she feels grief, however I do believe now is the time for despair. Miller raised a great point the other day, our generation is too focused on social media than their surroundings. Don't get me wrong, Social Media can be a great platform to raise awareness for climate change.Social media led to the rise of climate advocate Greta Thunberg who is a great figure for action. However, a great amount of people that use social media just ignores these cries for help on the platform. Voter turnout for young people is also really low, and that is concerning. Climate Change might not effect everyone right now, but when it does it'll be too late to stop the effects. People my age have to let their voices be heard and try and change their futures. This one is a tough nut to crack, mostly because of the realistic part thrown in there. I personally feel there’s really pragmatic, logical, and morally right reasons that trees, rivers, heck entire ecosystems should have standing and rights. I notice I’m really guilty of a type of disconnect though where, out of a sense of reasonableness/virtue/moderation/whatever, I try to be a good moderate and say what I think is realistic/tenable and weighs in with the rights of people. It’s not working. You can be a moderate in Nazi Germany and still be way too far too the right and I think I get caught in that with the environment. The whole thing has shifted so far, it’s gotten so bad, that yeah maybe you have to be a radical to be reasonable at all. This dichotomy between what’s really happening and esoteric arguments in philosophy and political science rarely acknowledges how bad it is in terms of environmental devastation. So, for that sake, I’m going radical and saying we should forego sustainability, standing, and go as far as, “ as much total restoration as is humanly possible.” There, you made me feel unreasonable. I regret nothing. I kept thinking if only we could get together as students with the professors and draft some kind of rainwater collection proposal. It turns out Tucson already has one. Now we just need to generate enough noise and power to get something like that going in Yuma. It was said that the US Bureau of Reclamation reported in 2012 that 10-20 percent of the Colorado will disappear by midcentury which is very alarming. The impact it will have on the people living around it and those who are pumping water from it will be devastating. Water is very necessary for our existence and plays an important part on Earth and some of its religions. I found it very interesting that Sevigny said that “Of all the resources we consume water is the most forgiving.” This puts into perspective how water is a resource that although can be replenished, we are taking too much at once for it to keep up.

The place that Leopold described as "Wealth to the human spirit," I cannot imagine how much change he might have seen to say later on, "To return not only to spoil a trip but tarnish a memory." About the same exact place, he once used to love. For us, it's been more than a hundred, so change is inevitable. But to have seen that much change in less than 50 years is really concerning. Even animal life has migrated, "I want to tell them: No jaguars now. They may have vanished from this region before we even knew to look for them. No lagoons now to call the snow geese out of the sky." But even with all this change, I do not think that time is for despair. It should not be. The moment we lose hope is the moment everything ends. It's a good thing that we feel grief or some level of concern, that is when we can come up with some way to fix things. We need hope that things might change for the better.

The argument concerning the usage of water being only available locally is the worry of using it so much that it completely runs out which is understandable but should be considered. If we were to use the water that is only accessible locally it would create a stabilized unit that could preserve water in a way that is divided equally among everyone. With this being said Sevigny’s proposal of solutions to the overuse of water that we have is practical in which it is more on the basis of society preserving the water and using it only on areas that are needed rather than being locations are luxury based. For instance, luxury-based locations would be pools and golf parks in which they are more based on our own wants then being those that are needed for survival. Looking at the way water is looked upon other religions across the world in which the possibility for our society worshipping it has little chance of becoming possible because of the way that we use it now. I do believe that it is possible but in order for that to become a reality for us we need to look back on the locations that we do use it and separate from the ones we do need and do not need

Description 2021:
Gregory McNamee is the well-known author of several books, most notably, Gila: The Life and Death of an American Desert. He has been nominated for quite a few awards for his writing and won several others. The subject of this presentation was centered on the Gila River, specifically, its history.

The presentation by Gregory McNamee titled “Gila: History of Southwestern River” initially took me back to the idea of the pristine wilderness held by the European colonists, and how indigenous cultures like the Hohokam achieved sophisticated systems of irrigation along with many agricultural techniques that preserved to some degree the geological integrity of the land.

George McNamee came to create a sense of familiarity with the Gila River.

As many have said before, water is a sign of life as it is a necessary component especially when living in the middle of a desert. In this presentation, McNamee was able to tell us all about the rivers history, the people who originally lived here, how they were eventually pushed out, and all of it around this water source.

Reflection 2021:
The modern technologies we have allow us to remain in places we would have already vacated if we did not have these comforts. This is worrying because many of the things on which we rely are being depleted every day at all hours, in particular, water.

Water has always been an issue in this area since it is a desert, and I think the settlers who came here and took over the place had not experienced water issues before, since Europe does not deal with this to this extent. So, I think all they had to do was learn the ways the natives dealt with their water and do things the same. But as McNamee also mentioned, some tribes like in Maricopa had their own specific way of using the water in their farming, but when the settlers came, they forced them to farm the way they are used to even though the natives’ methods of farming have yielded very productive farms all while being able to take the summer months off.

We desire to take some kind of evolutive revenge on nature. It seems like an irrational idea, right? Well, because it is. It is an irrational idea for beings that most of the time are more irrational than they are rational. This desire to dominate nature because we once feared it, when it was something divine that was entitled to our allegiance and our prayers. By our actions it can be inferred that we want to say that we are not scared anymore, we are now the ones that deserve the allegiance of nature, and everything it offers, we are entitled to it. Humanity has what could be considered a “God complex.” As a species, we have lost the basic ideal of our sense of place. We are forgetting that those places we destroy, subjugate, and disappear are a large part of our identity they contain our history, the memory of millions, many socio-cultural practices, everything will be lost because we are destroying ourselves, humanity and nature are two inseparable entities. The moment when the last tree falls, we will no longer be humans. This is the reason I firmly believe we must do something to change, because it is our duty to preserve nature and when doing it preserve ourselves.

George McNamee makes you really think deep into what can be done to bring about awareness to the current environmental issues we are facing. How can we fix this? How can we spread awareness? What can be done to change other’s perspective of nature?

It was extremely interesting to hear about the history of the place where we live. It is extremely interesting to hear about the history of certain areas like Yuma and Gila Bend and such, and have everything connected to create one clear story. As most of the time, this are stories full of misfortune for the Indians.

Many people would think that the drying of the Gila ridge is a problem that has recently started but in reality, it is something that has been going on for years. From my point of view, it is concerning to think that there are people that argue that this is all due to climate change, because as McNamee mentioned, it is clear that most of it is due to irrigation and diversion in Arizona.

I agree with what he said that sometimes we ignore the fact that we live in a dry place and behave as we live in a place where rivers flow water everywhere, which is not valid. I always knew a natural disaster could cause people to lose their homes, but I never thought it could be the other way around (the town/city lose its people like Hohokam City).

During the period of great drought, the people would move to the eastern reign in the highlands. In contrast, the Hohokam people who lived in the middle Gila build an elaborate network of irrigation canals that stretched out westwards all the way to the present Gila Bend. The hundreds of miles of canal allow for year-round farming which freed the people from going hungry. The Hohokam had a very good agricultural understanding which helped during extended periods of drought and helped them settle down in one place. It was interesting getting to know more about Arizona before the Europeans settled in and before pollution changed its environment. Professor McNamee showed us many pictures to help visualize how the past looked like.

Description 2020:
In the presentation it explained on how the Gila River began to dry up due to local farmers were using the water to water their crops. Some people look at the Gila River and see it as a business. Beavers are important to the ecosystem of the river if beavers aren't around then the river changes. Gregory McNamee also mentioned that the Native people arrived here around 25,000 years ago. He also said an interesting fact about Phoenix; he said that years ago it used to be called Snake Town, and it went through droughts.

The Gila River began to dry up with the arrival of newcomers. They onced believed that the water would never run out.

Gregory McNamee made a presentation about the history of the Sonoran Desert and the people that lived around it. He also mentioned how things changed after more people started to come and settle.

"Water flows to money".

"Rivers are creations that go back millions of years ago."

The Gila River is a beautiful location with it having an abundant amount of life that inhabitant it. The amount of life that there is in the Gila River is incredible in which it was a truly magnificent experience to be able to have when learning the amount of information on the Gila River

Reflection 2020:
Gregory McNamee stated "in the rest of the world, what's one river?", essentially referring to the fact that we as humans put into perspective that if we are harming one river it is not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. It makes me think about how in the past, present and future, I have, am and will affect my home with my actions.

It was important that we got to hear part of Yuma’s environmental community discuss issues that take place in our area. Gregory McNamee was the key speaker of the semester. Even though I can admit his presentation was really good. In my opinion the presentation was not directed to me or the students in the class it was more so directed to the other external guests who know about the topic and had experience in the field. Because of that this presentation was not my cup of tea, plus I missed more than half of it because of other class conflicts.

The fact that we had a high profile author give a presentation at our community college is amazing. I could tell he put years of research into the topic he presented on, and he held a lot of passion for it too. The highlight of the presentation was McNamee's urge to let our voices be heard and vote. I agree, voting is an essential step to get real change done that could save the environment. Gregory McNamee could be described as the Aldo Leopold of our time. His presentation is something I wish every person in the Southwest, at least, could get to experience. His shadow guided our project using some of the same questions he used to create his timeless work. He really bolstered me, something about his confidence and steadfastness towards environmentalism made me vow to myself to never pause trying to help the environment myself. He is an ally and champion of the Sonoran and Southwest. Not only was his work amazing he was really approachable and down to earth, willing to talk with all of us. He’s like a cool Southwestern version of Gandalf. I could say more, but I would really encourage anyone who is not familiar with him or his work to become acquainted. I can't imagine what our professors did to get him here but I am really grateful to them and our college.

Description:
Cary Meister has made it his mission to protect, preserve, and reinforce the sustainability of water through marshes, lakes, streams, rivers, etc. In this presentation, Dr. Meister addressed where water can be found all throughout the state of Arizona.

It picked up on a variety of problems and themes that arose as a result of examining the history of the rivers as well as the laws and their effect on the distribution of water.

Cary Meister explained to us much of the history behind the many bodies of water that are found in Arizona. He took a more focused approach on the current situation and issues that are being faced as well.

For me, Cary Meister’s presentation was one of the more interesting and informational presentations. Many times, I hear the term Colorado River and how much of it is blocked by dams, but I can never visualize it. Before this presentation I was not even sure how far the river actually extended over not only the US but also part of Mexico.

Reflection:
I did not realize how selfish many of us are here in the desert; even though we have gorgeous native plants in the Sonoran Desert, we choose to have green grass outside our homes, in parks, golf courses, schools, etc. Deserts have already adapted to scarce water, but we have created a need for extensive amounts of water through our non-desert friendly lifestyles. All this consumption of a limited resource will be dangerous in the future if action is not taken to sustain and protect what amounts of water we do have.

If the city occupying the river upstream somehow won rights to a bigger percentage of water and built a huge dam holding most of the water, could that technically happen? It sounds like common sense that the government should not allow that to happen, but if officials of the cities have to submit requests for water every year or so, it just sounds a little ridiculous to have to fight for water rights. I do understand that if we just let everyone do what they want with the water it could be worse, like letting factories dump into the water.

In terms described by Immanuel Kant humans are the subject of unsocial sociability. This refers to our propensity to enter a society that is threatened by our mutual desire to act only taking as a reference our needs. By accepting to enter a society it is the acceptance that other beings have the same types of needs you have, and therefore interdependence is accepted as a result. In a case like the one shown by Cary Meister on the different conflicts that have arisen as the fight for essential resources and scarcity is made larger it is shown how individuals representing their respective states are unable to give even the slightest control of water to others even if they need it the most. It is a conflict of power, not of necessity at this point. This is something that threatens us as a society. The fact that at the same time we recognize and have a need to cooperate, our desire personal interest must prevail above everyone else’s which destroys the entire purpose of living as a society.

There is much history behind the many rivers and lakes of Arizona. However, it is amazing to see just how much of that history is not told, how many stories are left unsaid. It opened my eyes as to how much we neglect environmental education. If this information would be taught to us at a younger age, our appreciation for water, along with other natural resources, would be much different than what it is now.

This guest speaker was pretty interesting in that he let me see how big the Colorado River is and how many other rivers there are in Arizona. More importantly, we were able to see how many rivers there used to be in the past, which now lay dry due to the water demands of the area. It was also nice to learn more about the Salton Sea and its history. Even though we had read an article on it and the effects that it had on people today, I never saw it necessary to look up what actually caused the Salton Sea to happen. When Meister made it clear that it wasn’t an accident when creating a damn it actually made me go out and do the research on my own to see what happened.

Dr. Cary Meister’s presentation was about the water issues in Arizona. I believe that this an important theme in our region that should be discussed more in depth. There are a lot of concerns on where all the water is, what do we do with it and what are the possible solutions to the problem.

I found it interesting how reclaiming water was only used, as Cary stated in golf courses and such. However, now, they are trying to develop a solution to what I believe is to purify the water so that it is ultimately drinkable. What worries me now is, like Cary said, the contract was signed when the River was on its high end, and now it is coming up short, but no one wants to mention it since they are afraid that they will lose.

The cold hard truth is that our water sources is wasting away at a very high rate. If we continue to abuse these resources that formally perennial area will spread throughout our state. These rivers are not ever-lasting. Learning about the different locations of the Colorado River helped give me a sense of where my water comes from. Unfortunately, I was never taught about our beautiful Colorado River. Before Covid, I was able to travel down the river and visit its many different locations in Mexico.

Description:
D. Val Morrill showed us Buffelgrass and explained to us that it is considered an "invasive species" due to it was brought from North Africa of livestock feed and it overtakes native species.

In Tucson, there is an area that is covered with the invasive species Buffelgrass. At one point, this invasive species was set on fire, but it wasn't eradicated. There are three categories of plants, which include, weed, invasive, and obnoxious species. She mentioned that the weed species are not always considered to be bad. The invasive species make up approximately 99% of the non-native plants. In the last category, the obnoxious species has an economic impact on the environment.

The fishhook barrel cactus is also known as the "Compass Barrel" because some barrel plants lean towards the southwest. It is an urban legend to drink barrel cactus water; drinking the water can make the individual very sick.

Val Morrill took us on a tour of the Yuma Conservation Garden and showed us many plants such as the Barrel Cactus which she gave us the fruit of. Val Morrill was a short tour through the Conservation Garden showing us native and invasive species in the area. The change in climate has had an effect on certain native species, for example, the Saguaro blooms in April when it used to bloom in June. We explored many parts of the conservation garden with Val Morrill. We leaden about plants such as the Palo Verde plant and how it is a very well known plant of the garden.

Going to the conservation garden was one of the the best experiences I have had. Having a local place to go to and learn about the different plants and animals is beneficial. At the garden we were also able to try different plants in the area that are still used by locals. The garden is a very colorful place and it was nice to see something different in Yuma besides dirt.

Reflection:
The Yuma community has so many species I had no idea about and this particularly tour made me realize I want to be more aware of my surroundings as a venture into the world.

Having lived in Yuma all of my life I have never been to the Yuma Conservation Garden. When we attended it was fascinating to see the different plants we have here. Learning about the different plants I was able to go out into the community and identify some of the same plants I saw at the garden.

Val Morrill’s tour of the conservation gardens was an amazing adventure into a small oasis in our concrete midst. I hope all school districts take advantage of this resource in teaching kids about endemic flora. I hope that we raise awareness and support for this project. What they have there could be a model for sustainable landscaping which is going to be something we have to implement on a large scale in the future, especially for Yuma, if the town and the Colorado River are to survive.

I hated the fact that I was not able to see the ducks because right before we reached that location we had to leave because of another class. I enjoyed these trip to the conservation garden. we got to try a couple of exotic fruits and learn about in the process. This field trip was a great time to learn about a variety of different plants and animals as well as trying various fruit that grow in the Sonoran Desert region. One fruit we tried was that of the Barrel Cactus and it was quite tasty.


text:
Sustainability and Sense of Place in the Sonoran Desert/Human Ecology & Conservation

=Component Five – Human Ecology & Conservation= For this Component, we discussed three more articles from the textbook, A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert - readings related specifically to the impact of human activity upon the ecosystems of the region.

For the live-visitors portion of this Component in Spring of 2020, Professor Emerita of Culinary Arts Nancy Meister, a long-time naturalist, ecologist, and president of the local chapter of the Audubon Society, became the first to visit us via Zoom during the early days of the pandemic. Through her colorful slide show, she made us aware of the amazing diversity of bird life in the local area. Chase Choat, Environmental Director for the local Quechan tribe, gave us a tour of the riverside Sunset Point Park, graciously offering his passionate descriptions of the tribal resources while standing in the light spring rain. On Earth Day of 2021, we had a special guest appearance by Morgan Moore of Audubon Southwest, who talked about opportunities for volunteer work and actual careers in conservation.

Guiding Questions
"Man always kills the thing he loves," said Aldo Leopold, "and so we the pioneers have killed our wilderness."  Is it "human nature" to seek to dominate and own what we find most beautiful, even though possessing it will change its essence? Will it even be possible to suppress that impulse when, say, our survival depends on it?

Mining for precious metal is an example of the interface between the sciences of geology and biology. What impact did mining have on the plant and animal populations of the Sonoran Desert - directly and indirectly - after the arrival of the Europeans?

Has your understanding of the variety of peoples and cultures that have inhabited the Sonoran Desert changed?

Besides the devastation of the environment, what were the implications of the European incursion upon the indigenous populations of the Sonoran Desert?

What historical developments finally put an end to the frontier era and ushered in extractive practices on an industrial scale?

What kinds of specific destruction of the desert are associated with copper mining?

In what ways did the rise of agribusiness transform the ecology of the state of Mexican state of Sonora during the 20th century?

Besides the inevitable conflict between humans and the natural environment, in what ways are the various activities - e.g. mining, agriculture, urbanization - in conflict with each other? In what ways are different human groups and different geographic jurisdictions at odds with each other, esp. as concerns water use?

And, finally, in what ways are native plants threatened by Old World transplants?

Student Discoveries 2021
...it appears that even land we think of as pure and untouched by humans—specifically in the Americas pre-colonization—is not actually pure and untouched because the Native peoples had an influence on the diminishing of some species and the growth of others. It is evident that there has to be some taking from nature to survive in the most basic form: we need shelter, food, and water. Over time, the extent that humans take from nature to achieve these needs has grown immensely. /Emily

Foreign plants can be invasive by spreading quickly, and overgrowing native plants. plants transported from other countries can also carry bacteria and other infections that can harm native plants. This also refers to the importation of animals including us humans as the Europeans brought with them diseases that they were immune to but the natives were not like measles, influenza and smallpox which killed many natives, and other issues that killed off other animals and harmed local farms.

Throughout history, mankind has been known to dominate and own everything that surrounds them. Humans tend to act without taking into consideration the long term consequences that such actions may have. Instead, the focus is placed on the benefits of the moment. However, this nature has come to be changed as time progresses. Little by little, human nature becomes more aware of the land and its surrounding. It will be possible to suppress the impulse that we have as humans in order to survive.

I would restructure the phrase to "Man always kills the things humanity said to love" First, love to nature is substantially different from love to a person as it is often impossible for most people to give this deep, understanding, and complex appreciation to something that does not have sentience. Humanity is an animal species, it doesn't matter how much people dislike the term it is a fact. What makes us different from other animals? It is clearly our advanced rationale, however, this possesses a dichotomy, do we respond by instinct or by thought? I would say that when talking about nature our first response is the systematic decomposition of our environment to find what has utility, an expression of curiosity, and rationale as a species this defines what "humanity said to love".

While I do not wish to say that it is part of human nature, it is definitely prevalent in our history. Humans always find a way to capture or seek control over what they love the most. I think that not only will it be possible but we're going to be forced to suppress that impulse when our survival depends on it. Of course this will be only when the problems are apparent enough for everyone to recognize it is a problem. If it were so easy, we would have already suppressed this “Instinct” since our survival already depends on it.

It is human nature to seek dominance regardless of the effects that it will have on other living things. I do not think we will be able to suppress this impulse, mainly because it depends on our survival. Humans have always used nature’s resources according to their needs without really thinking about the consequences. They have done this for years and will continue to do it for a lot more.

I do believe it is “human nature” to seek dominate and own what we find most beautiful, even if possessing it changes its essence. I think we have to feel in control in order to feel powerful or successful. We constantly have been told that if we fight for what we want we can have it which should not really apply to everything. Native plants are threatened by Old World Transports I think what this is trying to say is basically native plants can be replaces with new ones which I feel is wrong since plants are more beautiful when they come naturally, and we do not do anything to interfere with their growth and leave them alone.

Throughout the years, the Sonoran Desert has changed greatly as a result of human interference. Have all these changes been for the good? As Aldo Leopold once mentioned, “man, always kills the things he loves”. Our natural need to dominate has driven animals such as the great Pleistocene mammals of North America to extinction. I think in some instances we can help but put our needs above everything else. Thousands of years ago people were hunter-gathers. Now that we have domesticated animals and build stable agriculture, I think we should know better about the impact we have on this earth.The mining industry brought many workers and wealth to the Sonoran Desert. The discovery of silver in 1683 led to the building of Alamos and investments in the land. With the promise of labor and “precious” metals, many people moved to the desert. Demands for firewood, salt, timber, charcoal, etc. began to rise. In order to keep up with the rapidly growing mining, population hillsides were stripped, streams rerouted, water polluted, and agriculture communities changed.

Student Discoveries 2020
Aldo Leopold said that “Man always kills the thing he loves and so we the pioneers have killed our wilderness” and unfortunately that is the truth of humanity. I do believe that Aldo Leopold is correct in his quote because man always seeks beauty and wants to conquer it for example killing an animal for it fur or destroying an area to build a home because the scenery is beautiful./Martha

The mining of precious metals had become a very popular activity to do. The impacts of this activity had many different negative effects on the plants and the animals that lived in that area. Some of the problems that arose were contamination of water, soil, groundwater, land destruction, and soil erosion. Humans didn't care about what effects they were caused because they were making more money off of mining. During the 1880s, it all changed and it became the Era of Extraction. Both Arizona and Sonora became known as extraction colonies. In these places, people would rip natural resources from the ground, and ship it to somewhere else. They called this the "Three C's" in Arizona. The Three C's stood for cattle, copper, and cotton. The first major extraction was cattle, and by the 1890s they had about 1.5 million cattle and more than a million sheep that they could ship out. The second major extraction was copper mining. Copper depended mainly on railroads. In the book, it mentions that this became "the triumph of technological innovation," and that they would destroy parts of the earth to get this precious metal. This destroyed many different parts of the earth and landscapes. /Aileen

When the Europeans arrived, they infected the Indians with Eurasian diseases like influenzas, measles, and smallpox. Among Indians of the Sonoran Desert, there was an epidemic spread death. Thousands of Yaquis and Mayos perished again because they had no genetic resistance to withstand the microbes brought on by the Europeans./ Cindy

Cattle, copper, and cotton, the three C’s, working in conjunction with the newly formed railroad, changed the Sonoran forever./ Henry

When new plants are brought to new places, native plants can be displaced by them. /Vianna

The quote “Man always kills the thing he loves and so we the pioneers have killed our wilderness” by Aldo Leopold is truly heartbreaking. I believe it is human nature to feel the need for dominance over everything even if it changes its’ essence. In this case, our need to control nature itself, for example, changing where the river waters go towards, has in many cases almost caused catastrophes and changes in the environment of many wildlife. /Galilea

Lepold makes the state of, "Man always kills the thing he loves and so we pioneer have killed our wilderness." This quote really sparked a lot of questions in my head. If man always kills the thing he loves, then what if we took this into a situation when it comes to a relationship. If a man or woman truly loves one another does that mean eventually he will kill her? /Nicole

"Man always kills the thing he loves and so we the pioneers have killed our wilderness." This quote from Leopold it very true. I feel over time it has become "human nature" to dominate and own what people feel is beautiful. For example in history it has been shown men fight for the hand of a woman they find most beautiful. People grow up being told to fight for what you want and you can have it, so I think for most people it is human nature. Mining for precious metals was very popular because many people could make money off of what they found and sold. What many people don't realize is that with mining comes a whole new set of problems such as, soil erosion, contamination of surface water, soil, and ground water, it also brought land destruction. With the arrival of the Europeans in the Sonoran Desert came diseases that the Indians were not equipped for. For the next 200 years the Indian population dropped about 95 percent and this was due to influenza, measles, and smallpox. For about three decades Arizona was a frontier but that changed in the 1880's, which is called the "Era of Extraction." At this time the Southern Pacific Railroad reached Fort Yuma and there was still more railroads being built. The end of this era occurred when Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to general Miles. A while after that Arizona and Sonora became extractive colonies. During this time this era is known for the "three C's"- copper, cotton and cattle. Many of the natural resources were being taken from the ground and sent to other locations to be sold off or turned into something else. Copper mining was very destructive. Large parts of the Earth had to be ripped out of the ground to extract the metal. It also destroyed landscapes, caused soil erosion, and caused the pollution of waterways. /Olivia

Leopold raises a great point, however I am more optimistic in the future than what his quote implies. I think humanity can prevent the impulses that have led to the destruction of the Sonoran desert, however to reach that point will be quite difficult. Recently there have been efforts to raise awareness about global warming and modern destruction of the enviornment, however significant actions has yet to be taken. /Patrick

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise." I absolutely loved this quote. The question was later posed of “Should trees have standing; Should rivers have rights?” I feel my answer to that coincides with this quote. Trees, rivers, and all wildlife should absolutely be respected enough to not simply be tampered with and torn down. They provide so much for humanity we would literally not be around if it wasn’t for them, they should be treated as important as they are. Too many wrongs have been imposed onto the Gila River and the Sonoran Desert and continue to. /Blanca

When I think of the desert I think of desert like animals and people of desert cultures. I did not know what the Sonoran Desert encompasses therefore I did not know how many other cultures it includes besides the ones around me. /Mackenzie

For the most part I feel like that man doesn’t realize the love he has for the wilderness, there’s a certain feeling of not love but necessity. Man needs land and possibly in order to feel in control and in a sense dominating it. /Kayla

Some say we had to. Be that as it may, I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in.” I think this quote speaks a lot to how we approach the wilderness being something of a luxury. Which it’s not a luxury but a necessity that is being degraded. The last part of the quote reminds me of professor Miller when he said he will be long gone before he could see the actual result of our action on the environment. As to the question, “Will it even be possible to suppress that impulse when, say, our survival depends on it?” I am kind of conflicted because I remember sitting through a philosophy club meeting where we discussed if in the future would humans be able to see life on Mars. Henry was also in that meeting with me and, I don’t know if he remembers this, but I heard someone mention that we need to accomplish this before we humans overpopulate the world and destroy it. So if one person in a small club has that mentality I can imagine how many people are actually doing their research and planning the next planet to destroy. So, I think people are looking at Mars as a solution. On the other hand, I do believe human beings respond well to consequences. When that day comes, I think we will come together as one and hopefully protect the wilderness and consider ourselves part of the ecosystem. If not, I think there will be someone enforcing a law or something to help protect the wilderness better. /Bethelhem

One historical development that has put an end to the frontier end and had extractive practices on the industrial scale was the Arizona Sonora borderlands which meant that no tribe, empire, or nation held any challenge or power over one another. In addition, one other was the Southern Pacific Railroad which would later in the years start a pathway of transportation that went to different cities or counties. Due to this, the state of Mexican in its ecology changed it to becoming an abundant place for travel and expansion of transportation that would increase their population and prosperity. When it comes to the other activities that have caused conflict with each other such as mining, urbanization, and agriculture it has caused other environmental problems start to arise that are almost irreversible now. For example, agriculture such as produce and crops have shown to start to decrease in the amount that they produce which has also affect the rest of the economy around the world. In conclusion, human groups and geographic jurisdictions have caused them to argue in what is needed and what is not.After reading the way people and cultures have inhabited the Sonoran Desert it has affected my original understanding of it because it showed me how much we have changed the way it is and the consequences that we have now. Overall, I believe that we initially in the beginning wanted to create a structure that would benefit us in the way that we live but have become selfish to the point of not thinking entirely of the way it has affected the life of the Sonoran Desert/Izabeau.

Guiding Questions
How much of the discussion of invasive plant species rings a bell from Val Morrill's tour of the Yuma Conservation Garden?

How do you feel about the fact that the landscape you're looking at as you travel across the Sonoran Desert is actually greatly altered from its natural state, in terms of the plant life that covers it? Specifically, how do you feel about the fact that not long ago wildflowers were much more abundant and spectacular?

What are some of the ways in which you perhaps didn't realize species can go extinct?

Is it true that the new habitats that result from human impacts are different but basically "just as good," or are they inherently inferior? What will be the overall impact of having altered habitats everywhere in the world?

How difficult will it be to reverse the situation.

What are the problems with "alternative energy farms"?

Are you still as comfortable as you used to be with eating seafood?

How do you feel about this comment: "...natural habitat should be the matrix in which islands of human habitat exist, not the other way around"?

What do you plan to adjust your lifestyle to help secure a sustainable future for the region?

What is the fundamental purpose of conservation efforts?

Student Discoveries 2021
The most important thing we need to learn in regard to conservation is not restoration or preservation because there is nothing untouched to be preserved or restored. Rather, it is imperative that our solutions to this global problem “assure a healthy landscape that maintains biological diversity and functioning ecosystems.” Our current efforts to restore and preserve are often counterproductive and there are healthier, more efficient ways to help our planet. /Emily

Native invasive animals also are a problem, but they are more so a problem because, human influences have increased their populations. When we build on land, we think all the animals that lived there kind of disappear, but animals adapt and some of those animals especially thrive on our trash more than others which increases their presence here. Maybe that's why we have rodent issues more than we have other animal species issues. and this population increase also affects populations of other animals when predator species populations soar.

I think it is mind-blowing it is often a matter of common sense to know that things change and the Sonoran Desert would be no exception, however, the changes that the landscape has experienced are in essence the representation of the human spirit, an insatiable desire for curiosity and power depicted by the growing scarcity of what was once abundant such as Turk head cactus, Huachuca water umbels, and Pima pineapple cactus so many diverse and beautiful species that tainted the landscape with a variety of colors.

The fundamental purpose of conservation efforts is to save humanity. The damages that have been done on the planet can heal within the course of a million years. Planet Earth would still continue on without us. It is us who will no longer be able to survive.

It will definitely be extremely difficult for people to reverse the situation, I would even go as far as to say that it is impossible at this point. We will never be able to reverse the world to the state that it was years ago, but we can at least prevent it from getting worse and lessen the impact of our decisions. This will involve persuading people who do not care about this sort of stuff to actually pay attention to what is going on.

I was amazed by most of the ways species could go extinct, such as, aerial sprays with herbicide. I was not really amazed with the whole parasites method to help control species since it is kind of the whole circle of life if you really think about (one species keeps the other in line).

It's crazy to think just how different the Sonoran Desert used to be. Before changing in the 20th century, the desert used to be filled with plants and wildflowers. This greatly changed after humans started disrupting the natural balance of the ecosystem. Humans have done this by introducing invasive species, climate change, and direct human impact. I think the most shocking way something could go extinct is by introducing invasive species. For example, the Sahara mustard first contaminated crop seeds in 1927. By the 1970s this plant quickly spread to the lower Arizona desert where its dense strands restricted sandy soil. Soon it would invade rock soils and wildflower fields.

Student Discoveries 2020
I believe that habitats that change due to human impacts are not “just as good” I believe they are inferior to regular changes done by nature. In the sense that when humanity changes something it is a quick process in which the species in the habitat doesn’t adapt to it because it happens so quickly. They soon will adapt to it but it's not something that was intended to happen./Martha

In her tour, she informed us that Bufflegrass was concurring invasive species in Arizona and that they contribute to fires. These fires destroy many native plants and animals. Another major topic that Val Morrill mentioned that the book does too is the Sahara Mustard. In her tour, she said that this species was the "worst invasive plant right now." Morril mentioned that these have almost 10,000 seeds and that these are terrible plants. In the book, it specifies that the Sahara Mustard is the most recent invasive species, and it's a "greater threat than the buffelgrass." Since the Sahara Mustard can multiply fast and can tolerate droughts and winters. Thinking about how beautiful the landscape could have been, it is heartbreaking. In the NHSD, it mentions that wildflowers used to be abundant, but that they are slowly disappearing due to invasive plants. These invasive plants are making drastic changes to our landscapes. I was surprised to read about the ways that species could go extinct. Some that the book mentions are by using aerial sprays with herbicide. This example is a new experiment in which they are trying to control buffelgrass. Another way is that parasites help control and reduce the amount of a species. This method is "effective and safe," according to the NHSH. /Aileen

After reading about invasive plants, I discovered that invasive plants have caused a drastic aesthetic effect on the desert landscape, displacing many flower species like the wildflowers. I also discovered that wildflowers were much more abundant and spectacular, but they are now overrun by the Sahara mustard plant and are in grave danger of disappearing./ Cindy

To think that there were so many plant species that thrived in this climate without the need of human interference is amazing. But like we have done with many other things around the world and over time we changed nature to conform to us./Vianna

The new habitats that result from human impacts are not "just as good" as the natural habitat. These human-made habitats are inherently inferior, they are the product of humans using the land for resources and harming the environment. Having altered habitats everywhere in the world would result in the extinction of many animals and plants that depend on certain habitats. /Galilea

It is obvious that the world we are living in now is completely different in comparison to the past. The landscape across the Sonoran Desert, even though I personally do not know, has changed throughout the year. The landscape of the Sonoran Desert has been altered from its natural state. This statement is really sad because I am the kind of person who is easily by a natural view. I just glare at nature whenever we have a road trip and I can’t imagine that the view being different and more spectacular. /Bethlehem New habitats that humans had an impact on, won't turn out the same as if we didn't and it naturally occurred on it's own. Anytime a human has impact on nature, it automatically changes the way things would've been. These habitats may turn out to be very similar to how they would've turned out if we didn't have an impact on them, but some may turn out completely different. /Nicole

During this chapter, and some of Morrill’s tour, I learned invasive species grow bigger and faster than native species. I find this particularly very interesting because it would seem that the species natural to the Sonoran Desert would thrive better and bigger than ones that are intrusive but that is not the case with invasive species. /Mackenzie

Invasive species of annual grasses typically grow faster and are more commonly found than native species. Invasive and exotic species can be dangerous because they tend to populate at a rapid rate, competing with native species and overpopulating the land. The most dangerous grass in the Sonoran Desert is buffelgrass which accounts for 2.5 million acres. Part of the reason for buffelgrass being dangerous is that it spreads quickly, turning the desert into more of a grassland, that is highly flammable. /Kayla

The discussion of invasive plant species reminded me a lot of what was talked about during our visit to the Yuma Conservation Garden. I do not quite remember the name of the invasive species, but I remember Val Morrill mentioning a plant created by humans to feed animals but ended up damaging the land they grow on. She also mentioned that their reproduction rate being really fast, and the plant would cover a huge amount of land and it is really hard to manage or correct. “An example where humans tried to play God but did not turn out as planned.” /Bethlehem

Guiding Questions
If restoring biodiversity is so much healthier in every way, why don't we simply do it?

How ironic is it that this chapter - the concluding section of the main section of your textbook ("Part One: The Big Picture") - uses Quitobaquito Spring as its shining symbol of biodiversity, when that location is being intentionally destroyed as we speak?

In what ways is the word "desert" perhaps not even appropriate to use for this bioregion?

Student Discoveries 2021
Although restoring biodiversity is much healthier in almost every way, it is difficult to get large segments of the population to agree to protect it. If the majority of the population chooses to ignore it, it becomes impossible to simply do it. /Emily

This desert seems to be full of life and sustains many different plants and animals, and That in my eyes doesn't describe a desert. Again, like we've said in previous discussions, I think people perception of desert is bare land and little life. but this bioregion is not lacking life.

I think it represents that there is a story left to be written and that in the near future there will be a new chapter in which there will be one of the following titles either "The destruction of Quitobaquito Spring" or "The new hope of the Sonoran Desert" it is left to us to choose by our actions which title do we want, history is in our hands.

Restoring biodiversity comes to a big expense for people. It becomes very difficult to restore biodiversity if we don’t have the resources to properly do it. Instead, the focus should be on all the human population to preserve biodiversity and not have to be placed in the situation of having to restore it.

I feel like this is something that people should agree with more. We should not see animals as something that we should contain for our protection and our benefit but we should contain ourselves from wildlife for their protection. As stated in the passage, the fundamental purpose of the conservation efforts is to conserve humanity. To save it from the destiny in which it is leading itself.

I believe a problem with “alternative energy farms” would be having sufficient resources to keep them running. As for how comfortable I am with eating seafood well I am a vegetarian, so I do not eat any type of meat. “…natural habitat should be the matrix in which islands of human habitat exist, not the other way around”, if understand this correctly (basically natural habitat being the base of the human habitat) I would say I agree with this statement.

Student Discoveries 2020
We simple do not do it because it is something many people will be willing to do. I do believe that many people would change their ways to restore biodiversity, but many others won't. I believe./Martha

While reading this chapter, I learned that restoring biodiversity is healthier in every way, but humans would struggle. I feel that we don't do it because not everyone cares. A lot of people want to help the environment, but there are those people that don't want to contribute. I know people that say they don't care and that there is only one person; they say, "how much of an effect can I have?" This type of attitude is what makes it difficult for us. I believe that they use Quitobaquito Spring ironically to show that even places like this are being affected. This example can be eye-opening. It can show the audience or readers that we need to help restore places like this so that they don't get destroyed. That we need to help maintain beautiful places like this. It's sad to see that places like these are in danger and are threatening the diversity of all the plants and animals. /Aileen

It’s pretty ironic how this chapter describes Quitobaquito Springs as the prime example of biodiversity when it is actually being destroyed at this very moment. The Quitobaquito Springs is in danger as steel walls will be placed in that location and prevent migration and threaten the biodiversity of animals and plants./ Cindy

The word desert is probably not appropriate to use for this bioregion because we are changing it so much. A desert is made up of the species that are supposed to live here, not species that are now gone./Vianna

Selfishness is the reason why restoring biodiversity is not made a priority. Since it doesn't have a direct impact on humans, it is put at the bottom of the list. /Galilea

It is very hard for people to change and give up the things they want and desire. Biodiversity is easy in the eyes of someone who is willing to sacrifice their wants and needs for the good of the planet. /Nicole

The discussion of restoring biodiversity as it is so much healthier in every way is truly easier said than done. I think everything will make its way and circle back to the discussion of the human race’s act of selfishness when it comes to the environment. “If restoring biodiversity is so much healthier in every way, why don't we simply do” this is because essentially, we do not want to do it. I think in reality when we have to make the changes, we do to restore biodiversity its harder than anticipated. /Mackenzie

The chapter discusses Quitobaquito, found in Organ Pipe National Monument. It says that this location is the perfect example of what the word diversity encompasses. It has ecosystem diversity, biotic community diversity, interaction diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity, all of which help form environmental stability. The passage points out the fact that we are the ones making the Sonoran Desert and other deserts into the stereotypical barren wasteland and if we don’t make a change then it will continue to deteriorate into something it was not. /Kayla

Restoring biodiversity is hard to restore because our lives are consumed with other things. Nature, our environment, is one of the many things we take for granted. Unlike the coronavirus who has given us a very good perspective of everything we have taken for granted, the environment, hopefully, things will be a little different. /Bethlehem

Description:
Morgan Moore is currently twenty-seven years old, having been out of college for only five years. Moore gave us a glimpse into her job with the National Audubon Society of the Southwest and also provided plenty of advice on figuring out our own paths after we graduate from college.

Campaign organizer for the National Audubon Society, Morgan Moore gave us a presentation about the nonprofit organization she works for as well as her experience as a student and the pursuit of her dream job.

Through her presentation and experience, we not only were able to hear about the many actions we could take to help the environment, but we got to see it as well through her own life experiences. Being able to see what she is currently doing post college/university gives a light of hope to one, as a college student, and what we can do to help the environment.

As stated in the passage, the fundamental purpose of the conservation efforts is to conserve humanity. To save it from the destiny in which it is leading itself.

Reflection:
The greatest lesson I learned from Moore was to make intelligent choices about what I do, while also recognizing that I will not likely get my dream job right out of college. /Emily

I like that Morgan took some time to talk about the transition after graduation to getting the job you worked hard to get your degree in. I am not a first-generation student, but its nice to hear stories how people transition. I feel that people in the science fields have so many options they could do after getting a science degree, a general biology degree has many job opportunities.

Something else that this presentation reiterated to me is how connected everything is. Since I have always tried to create conscience in the people around me and even those I don’t completely know about the struggles and treatment for psychological disorders. I have been diagnosed with clinical anxiety, and to some extent, I know how hard it is to recover, to become functional once again after everything you suffer, and something that helped me was reconnecting with nature. People should know about how creating a stronger bond with the environment is something almost magical that can allow you to relax, to slowly breathe as you find something in which to redirect your energy and thoughts.

She came to show us that we can make a difference, regardless of our age. The importance here is wanting to make a difference.

Apart from what Moore was able to teach us, it was nice to learn about how she found herself where she is. As someone who is having trouble thinking of what to do next, it was interesting to learn about her goals and the actions she took that got her where she is. Instead of looking for a job career immediately she decided to do internships and part time jobs in fields that she found interesting and opened new doors for her.

I believe that the national Audubon society does a great job bringing awareness and protecting the different species of birds in our region. Before this presentation, I did not about the existing of the Audubon society, but I am glad that there are people out there that care about the diversity and ecology.

Audubon Society is a conservation nonprofit organization that protects birds and the places they need today and tomorrow throughout the “Americas.” They also try to find solutions for people as well. They are local everywhere, which is impressive. They work on bird counts, different education programs, surveys, habitat monitoring, conservation, community engagement, and advocacy.

The Audubon organization is a conservation non-profit organization that protects birds and their environment using science, advocacy, education, and on the ground conservation. They find solution for both people and birds because the environment isn’t just impacted by animals. The organization is local everywhere this includes state and regional offices, nature center, and sanctuaries. They have 8 chapters in Arizona which as not legally affiliated with them. However, they often share the same political values. Nancy Meister in the president of Yuma Audubon Society. One thing Moore wanted us to know is even when someone shares different political parties that don’t necessarily believe in certain environmental views (republicans) we can still advocate for the issue we believe in.

Description:
while restoring the park there was a controversy because the Willow Flycatchers had their nests in salt cedars, when they would naturally nest on willows. This was a controversy because cutting the salt cedars down would hurt the birds, but the birds should be nesting in the willows. I think that they ended up cutting most of the salt cedars and planted a lot of willows to let the birds adjust to this change./Vianna

He stated that this is an invasive species that was very difficult to get rid of. You can cut the salt cedar out and it will still find a way to grow back. The ways he said that are the only way to remove it is with either ripping it out all the way from the roots which is a lot of work or with chemicals such as herbicide./Martha

To restore this area they had to replant every tree by a certain technique: tap into the water table by constructing a hole and insterting the plant bark of the desired tree. /Galilea

This area has been taken over by so many invasive species and in order to prevent them from spreading, they must get rid of them while leaving the other species alone. /Nicole

The field trip to Sunset Point was a lot of fun despite all the rain. Being able to walk around some of the area it was really interesting to see all the open space and places where people can go visit. The area in the beginning when they first started they only had an eighth of the land they have now. Interestingly both the Indian Tribe and the City of Yuma have different water rights in the area. This way they are both working together to keep this land together. Cottonwoods have been around in the area since the early 1900's. The mesquite tree back then was very popular and could be found anywhere but then they got chopped down to build houses and use the wood for fire. Now they are trying to plant some more in the area but there aren't that many left. This park was really interesting to see and one of my favorites. I think it is nice to see that there are still areas in Yuma that still preserve the area and not build playground sets or have BBQ cookers for people. Being there you are able to sit down and walk around. I think this is important because I feel like at other parks around Yuma are always dirty and trash everywhere but being at Sunset point it was a different environment. I wish it wasn't raining when we went so we could have been able to walk around the entire area but once everything calms down I plan on going back and seeing some things we missed. /Olivia

Having a background in biology has made him realize it allows him to reconnect with mother earth and find this sense of place. /Mackenzie

I enjoyed how he explained the various uses of the mesquite tree and its fruit. Its uses were mesquite meal, wood for tribal shelters, using the thorns for tattoos, and the use of the tar of the mesquite for insect repellent. /Kayla

Reflection:
In this park, there are some areas that are covered with invasive species. This park turned out to be quite an interesting and beautiful project. It's quite fascinating that the Mesquite is an important species to the Quechan Tribe. From this field trip, I was able to connect a lot of information with previous field trips. When he began talking about the different types of methods that are used to eliminate invasive species; I knew what he was talking about. One of the most interesting things that I heard was that the park Anyanitza means "the place where the sun rises." /Aileen

I was sad to discover that volunteers and workers have tried numerous times to pull out and get rid of the invasive species growing in the Quechan Sunset Point Park, only for them to reappear and pose a threat to the native plants in the region./ Cindy

What I loved most about it was the fact that it was created through community help. Even the fact that they have planters in there to kind of grow vegetables and fruits they are traditionally found in stores is amazing and I really do hope that a lot of more people use them. /Blanca

The river restoration area was more than just a beautiful area filled with endemic flora and fauna. What I saw was a blueprint. Chase Choat and his organization had shown people that restoration was possible in real time. Moving into a future where we, the people, know we must reconcile with nature and live more sustainably what would the world look like if each city, town, county and even federal government had a department solely responsible for restoring our environment the way they did there? I was really proud to see that place and already consider it a key experience in hoping to synthesize a rough idea for a sustainable future./ Henry

Although the tour guide did not grow up in Yuma, the cultural significance of the park was what attached him to the area, which is different from what I understood sense of place to be. I originally thought sense of place could only come from an area in which you were born into, however I learned that one can be find their own place in an area in which they feel a connection to. /Patrick

Our trip to the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation was an interesting one. For me instead of focusing on what was around us many of us were trying to find a shade or a jacket because it was raining that day. We did try to go around but soon realized it was not going to work out, we found a shade somewhere in the entry point of the reservation and had a little “lecture” like session. I remember there was a lot of information being shared in that session under the shade but there is not a lot I remember. /Bethlehem

Description:
One of the most important things she mentioned to identify a bird is by its behavior, for example what time of the year did they come, which places do they like. Also, one of the main ways to identify when you look birds by the size, color patterns, and size and shape of the bell./Martha

The male birds are prettier than the females because they are ornamented and more colorful./ Cindy

There were a lot of birds that were mentioned, such as the Ferruginous Hawk, Anna's Hummingbird, the Bufflehead, the Ruby Crowned Kinglet and the Blue Grosbeak just to name a few. /Vianna

Nancy specializes in different kinds of birds found in the area. She explained the difference between each bird and how to tell what they are depending on their appearances. I found very interesting how there are four hummingbirds in Yuma. I had never actually noticed their difference due to how small they are and how quickly they move, it makes it almost impossible to actually inspect them. /Galilea

Nancy gave us a well-developed presentation on birds. She really went into depth on how certain birds act around each other and their size, shape, and color. /Nicole

She showed us a numerous amount of birds and explained some of the behavior, looks, and migration patterns of the birds. One of the interesting things that she talked about was how 3 million birds have been lost since 1970 which if we put into perspective is only 50 years to lose so many birds. One of the biggest detriments to these birds are crashing into windows and windmills. /Mackenzie

Ms. Meister stated different ways we could help conserve the bird-life: We can help by hanging string or gluing something on our windows so birds don't fly into them and by replanting native plants back such as: whoop berry and the riddle bush. /Blanca

Reflection:
Nancy Meister is part of an organization that is aiming to protect rivers fro drying up. In the Natural History of the Sonoran Desert, the author mentions that man-made objects are destroying the environment. The NHSD also talked about how the river has changed its course over the years. It's drying up in many different areas parts in the U.S. It's a good thing that there are people that are trying to protect these rivers. After this guest speaker, it made me realize that I never knew that there were that many different birds in our area. /Aileen

I am really grateful the Audubon Society exists. Sustainability and conservation seem like such large tasks. If we could reinforce these existing groups and start new ones, working together, maybe we could move towards a better future. The study she mentioned, published in Science, states 1 in 4 North American birds have been lost in the last 50 years. There’s no words for that. If we think like Leopold, like we’re part of the ecological community, that kind of loss of our neighbors and friends life can’t be summed up in words./ Henry

It made me really happy to see that there are people who truly care so much about the environment and take all these measures to conserve it. I hope one day to be able to accomplish at least a fraction of all the amazing things Ms.Meister has done for our amazing planet. /Blanca

I do not really pay attention to these creatures as I go about my day in the Yuma area, and usually when I see birds, they tend to just be your average pigeon. However, now that Nancy has brought to my attention these unique birds that live in my area, I will be sure to go bird-seeing one day. I would like to see these beautiful birds Nancy has described in detail, and hopefully be able to distinguish each one after the information she has provided to us. /Patrick

One of the main takeaways I got from her presentation was when she encouraged us that we should plant more native plants. Native plants attract more birds and insects so planting them in the yard of your home will draw more wildlife. /Kayla

Nancy Meister is a bird watcher, a political activist, and president of the Audubon Society where she advocated for water use around the area. Since this presentation is all about birds, she mentioned the best way to identify a bird is by first looking at there size, shape, and color pattern. She also mentioned the migration pattern of birds around Yuma and why we don’t usually see a lot of birds here. She also mentioned E-Bird, an app that you can download on your phone where you can search for birds biased on their physical appearance. /Bethlehem

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