August 2026 Monument Updates
Updates from around the Monument.
National Call To Action: Public Lands Threats
We’re dismayed to report that America’s public lands are now under attack on two fronts. Fortunately, there is still time to make a difference for both.
As previously reported in July, President Trump reduced the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by a combined 3 million acres, which virtually eliminated them. Although these executive orders won’t fully take effect for another 35 days (until Friday, September 11th) many consequences are already apparent. One is the termination of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Commission, a collaborative, first-of-its kind model for public lands management between Tribal Nations and federal agencies. Our partners at Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF) reported last week that the seals of the five participating tribal nations have already been removed from Bears Ears National Monument signage, with more changes likely to follow.
Photo credit: Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition
At the same time, the Department of the Interior has opened a public comment period covering wilderness policies and guidance documents across the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Like many others, we are concerned that this “review” will be used to weaken protections for nearly 200 million acres of public land – including Ironwood Forest National Monument. Public comments on the review can be submitted through August 14th, 2026; we highly encourage you to weigh in.
Local Call To Action: La Osa Project Enters New Phase
Friends of Ironwood Forest has been tracking the proposed La Osa data center project for some time now. Under the current site plan, the data center would be built within 200ft of Ironwood Forest National Monument’s northern boundary. The project is now entering a decisive new phase and the time has come for public involvement. After reporting in July that La Osa’s site plan (i.e. the total number of buildings) would be reduced, we have learned that a final public hearing for rezoning will be held at the Pinal County Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, August 26th. A revised site plan with more buildings is expected to be revealed then. Representatives from our organization as well as the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection (CSDP) plan to attend. We have also learned that the developer intends to pave Sasco Road and construct a bridge over the Santa Cruz River channel as part of La Osa. This will facilitate visitation to an area of the Monument that was previously difficult to reach.
We urge anyone concerned about the La Osa project to take action at this time. Voices from Pinal County — e.g. residents of Red Rock and the surrounding communities — are especially critical for the Board of Supervisors to hear. County residents can write to their district supervisor after obtaining their contact information online, and/or consider attending the August 26th meeting to address the board directly during the “Call to Public” portion of the meeting. More details about the meeting are available on the Pinal County website. The meeting agenda will be posted online for the public on Friday, August 21st.
Photo credit: Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection
National Public Lands Day Hike
On a lighter note, Friends of Ironwood Forest is excited to celebrate National Public Lands Day (NPLD) on Saturday, September 26th. Join us for a sunrise hike in Ironwood Forest National Monument that will celebrate some of the unique features for which IFNM was named. The hike will emphasize the ecology of the Sonoran Desert upland habitat with emphasis on desert responses to monsoon rains. Hike suitable for ages 10 and up but limited to 20. Group will meet at the Marana Airport at 6:45 am, carpool to the hike site, and return by 1 pm. Bring water, snacks, hat, and hiking shoes. Online registration required on the Friends of Ironwood Forest website.
Please note that we are planning a second NPLD event, a volunteer workday, for December 2026. Watch this space for more details.
America the Beautiful Act
Lastly, we’d like to highlight a recently proposed federal bill that Friends of Ironwood Forest supports: the America the Beautiful Act.
Established under the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020, the Legacy Restoration Fund was a generational, non-taxpayer funded investment that facilitated the repair of hundreds of trails and roads, campgrounds, marinas, visitor centers, and water systems across all 50 states. By extending the Legacy Restoration Fund, the America the Beautiful Act would deliver nearly $2 billion annually to address high-priority infrastructure and maintenance needs nationwide. Enacting this legislation will provide an opportunity to fund priority repair projects within parks and public lands in Arizona, boosting travel and tourism, safeguarding historic sites and ecological resources, and benefiting local communities that rely on visitor spending.
As of August 2026, the America the Beautiful Act has not yet been passed into law. There are technically two different drafts of the bill (S. 1547 and H.R. 9250) and either may be scheduled for a floor vote in the House or the Senate, respectively, in the near future. We’re monitoring congress.gov for further updates.
Read more from Pew Charitable Trusts in their press release for the bill.
