Amid growing fears that the Trump administration may shrink six national monuments, supporters of Ironwood Forest gathered on Saturday to celebrate its 25th anniversary and defend it from potential federal rollbacks.

“The Ironwood Forest National Monument is the last bit of protected land between here and Phoenix and the Tohono O’Odham reservation,” said Christine Flanagan, president-elect of the Friends of the Ironwood Forest.

The volunteer-based nonprofit was established 12 years ago and tasked with working closely with the Bureau of Land Management in maintaining the monument, said the group’s secretary, Mike Cardwell.

Located in Marana, the 129,000-acre monument was designated by President Bill Clinton in 2000 under the Antiquities Act of 1906.

“This is a key part of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, and while they’re not saying they’re going to take it all, we need every acre we have,” said Flanagan.

The Trump administration is considering shrinking six national monuments, including Ironwood Forest, according to The Washington Post. The Ironwood rally at the Waterman Trailhead was one of several across the West, organized with help from the Wildlife Society.

“When an announcement like that is made, it feels like a promise broken,” Flanagan said.

Unlike most national parks, the monument has no visitor center or restrooms. But it’s home to native longhorn sheep, a variety of birds, and archaeological sites with 5,000 years of cultural history.

“It’s really meant for the study of the wildlife and cultural sites,” said Tom Hannagan, outgoing Friends of the Ironwood Forest president.

In honor of the monument’s history, Pima County, the city of Tucson and the town of Marana passed a joint proclamation declaring June 9 Ironwood Forest Day.

“There was no opposition to protecting this place,” said District 3 Supervisor Jen Allen, adding that the Pima County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution condemning the current administration. “We know that folks who live here in this warm desert, this land, it’s not just land. It’s about who we are, and how we treat our land is a reflection of how we treat ourselves.”

Flanagan and Cardwell said that during Trump’s first term, ASARCO mining sought about 11,000 acres of the monument for resource extraction. ASARCO is a copper mining company with three mines in Tucson, one located across from the monument.

“It is a continuation of what happened the first time around,” said Flanagan.

While it’s not known whether ASARCO has taken action on the monument, board member and director of the Arizona Wildlife Society Mike Quigley said this rally is a perfect opportunity to take a stand.

“We can have more of that or we can have this,” Quigley said.

Flanagan and Cardwell said the group plans to continue monitoring the situation and hold more rallies. The demonstration ended with participants singing an edited version of “This Land Is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie.

“Every acre that gets disturbed or paved over is just that much less able to support life on Earth, including our lives,” Flanagan said.

Arilynn Hyatt is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at arilynndhyatt@arizona.edu.

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