Skip to content
Ironwood Forest
  • Home
  • The FriendsExpand
    • About the FriendsExpand
      • Advocacy
      • Apply for a Grant
      • Programs and Priorities
      • Partners & Sponsors
      • Board Members
    • Community Outreach
    • Working with the BLM
    • Contact
  • The MonumentExpand
    • VisitExpand
      • Activities and Safety
      • Map and Directions
      • Places of InterestExpand
        • Silver Bell Cemetery
        • Titan Missile Site
        • Silverbell Group Camp Site
        • Waterman Restoration Site
        • The 80-armed saguaro
    • LearnExpand
      • History
      • Proclamation
      • National Conservation Lands
      • Geology
      • Plant Life
      • Desert Ironwood Tree
      • Archaeology
      • Wildlife
      • Educational Resources
      • Ironwood Forest E-book
      • Stinknet is a threat
    • Threats
  • News/EventsExpand
    • NewsExpand
      • Newsletters
      • Work and Event Days
      • Meet the Monument 2026
  • Get InvolvedExpand
    • Volunteer
    • Stay Connected
  • Gallery
  • SupportExpand
    • Donate
    • Leave a Legacy
Donate
Ironwood Forest

Gallery

FIF has stayed busy despite the summer heat! Read FIF has stayed busy despite the summer heat! Read July news from around the Monument here: https://ironwoodforest.org/july-2026-updates-la-osa-project-spring-appeal-new-staff/ We’ve been keeping tabs on a number of development projects around IFNM with our partners at the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, including the La Osa project. Watch this space for future updates. (Photo credit: Frank Staub Photography)
Grazing updates at IFNM! New livestock grazing re Grazing updates at IFNM! New livestock grazing regulations are being proposed by the U.S. Department of the Interior that would directly affect Ironwood Forest National Monument and the more than 155 million acres of western public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. This proposal would reduce public participation in grazing decisions, weaken accountability when grazing harms public lands, and prioritize livestock production over other public land values such as wildlife habitat, clean water, recreation, and ecosystem health. Additionally, BLM’s Tucson Field Office has just released an evaluation that concluded 9 of 12 grazing allotments in Ironwood Forest National Monument failed one or more of the three required standards for healthy, functioning lands. If you want to know more about what these changes could mean for public lands, read more on the FIF website: https://ironwoodforest.org/june-2026-alert-grazing.../ Additionally, Western Watersheds Project and WildEarth Guardians are hosting a free webinar: Grazing Without Guardrails: What the BLM's New Rule Means for Public Land Tuesday, June 23, 2026 5:00 PM Mountain/7:00 PM Eastern Register here: https://tinyurl.com/grazingregs (Photo credit: Western Watersheds Project)
Happy 25th Ironwood Forest National Monument!! Ov Happy 25th Ironwood Forest National Monument!! Over 100 supporters gathered at Ironwood Forest National Monument this weekend to celebrate its 25th anniversary and stand up for its protection! With the stunning Waterman Mountains as our backdrop, we heard from local leaders, scientists, and advocates about why this monument matters. Ironwood Forest is a treasure we will continue to defend. Help keep it protected by contacting your elected officials and sharing why you love this special place. Thanks to everyone that came out including our partner organizations who celebrated with us: The Wilderness Society , Sierra Club - Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter, and Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection. Thanks to our other partners including Bureau of Land Management - Arizona, Discover Marana, and Conservation Lands Foundation. All photos credit: Kathleen Dreier Photography, Friends of Ironwood Forest #IronwoodForest #MonumentsForAll #handsoff #NotForSale
RALLY FOR IRONWOOD FOREST! Join us for a Day of Ac RALLY FOR IRONWOOD FOREST! Join us for a Day of Action for Public Lands Saturday, June 7 | ⏰ 8–9 AM Waterman Peak Trail Parking Area, Ironwood Forest National Monument June 7 is just two days before the 25th Anniversary of IFNM and a day before the Anniversary of the Antiquities Act — and we’re showing up to protect what matters. The Trump administration is considering shrinking 6 national monuments – including Ironwood Forest. This rally will send a clear message: We care for our public lands 🪧 Bring a sign ☕ Grab some coffee 🎤 Stand together and be heard Suggested signs: Public Lands in Public Hands Protect Our Parks We Love Ironwood Forest 🔥 Let's make a powerful statement – and show the world Arizona stands for its public lands. We will be inviting civic leaders; federal, state, and local representatives; and the media to the event. This information will also be on our website: https://ironwoodforest.org/2025-rally-for-public-lands/ Use Google Map directions to get to the Waterman Peak Trail Parking Area: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kn9uXWi24GF4B8R1A #ProtectPublicLands #IronwoodForest #DayOfAction #HandsOffMonuments #Monumentsforall
Like Ironwood Forest National Monument, the Sonora Like Ironwood Forest National Monument, the Sonoran Desert National Monument contains some amazing geologic features and protects some prime examples of Sonoran Desert habitats. If you've ever driven I-8 west towards Gila Bend, you've passed through the #sonorandesertnationalmonument. Even heading from Tucson to Phoenix, if you look west around Casa Grande, you can spot the unique and grand shape of Table Top Mountain, which is part of a wilderness area in the monument. 24 years ago today, President Bill Clinton created the monument via proclamation, which you can read here: https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/documents/SDNM_Proclaimation.pdf The 486,000 acre monument is over twice the size of #ironwoodforestnationalmonument. Have you ever visited this wonderful monument? Please tell us about it below if you have. Here's a guide to visiting from Bureau of Land Management - Arizona https://www.blm.gov/visit/sonoran-desert-national-monument Thanks to our partners at The Wilderness Society , National Trust for Historic Preservation and Sierra Club for their work to preserve the monument for future generations.
We are wrapping up our Spring 2024 fundraising cam We are wrapping up our Spring 2024 fundraising campaign. We couldn't do our work without you. If you haven't donated yet to support our all our programs from work days on the Monument to outreach at public events, our K-12 field programs and distributing maps of the Monument, please join other Friends and donate today. ironwoodforest.org/donate
Happy #EarthDay Everyone! For those of you that d Happy #EarthDay Everyone! For those of you that didn't see the announcement in the email we sent (you can sign up to get our emails here- https://ironwoodforest.org/get-involved/stay-connected/ ), the Spring 2024 edition of our biannual newsletter is now available on our website https://ironwoodforest.org/news/newsletters/
Want to volunteer in the Ironwood Forest? Our vol Want to volunteer in the Ironwood Forest? Our volunteer crew's next workday is Saturday, December 9, 2023 on the Ragged Top Trail. We will be working on trail alignment, brush removal where needed, erosion control and adding cairns to mark the route. This is also our celebration of #NationalPublicLandsDay . Our Bureau of Land Management - Arizona partner will distribute commemorative T-shirts to everyone who participates. Please see our website for more information: https://ironwoodforest.org/news/events
First Workday of the 2022/23 season! This Wednesd First Workday of the 2022/23 season! This Wednesday October 5th, board member Jim Avramis will lead volunteers to work on a couple projects in the Ironwood Forest National Monument. If you are interested in joining up and helping out, please contact Jim directly. If you don't have his contact info, you can email info@ironwoodforest.org.
Happy #EarthDay. We appreciate all of the Friends Happy #EarthDay. We appreciate all of the Friends of Ironwood Forest.
Our Spring 2022 Newsletter is now available on our Our Spring 2022 Newsletter is now available on our website. You can see the latest issue and all the back issues at https://ironwoodforest.org/news/newsletters
This is the 80 armed saguaro, also sometimes calle This is the 80 armed saguaro, also sometimes called the Shiva saguaro. It's in the Ironwood Forest National Monument. Unfortunately, its roots were likely damaged recently due to a pipeline being put in. If you want to see her in all her glory, this might be the year to do so. Check out our website for a map and instructions on how to get there!! ⠀ #saguaro #ironwoodforest #tucson #cactus #sonorandesert #conservation #giganticcactus #marana #desert #naturelovers #igers_tucson #shivasaguaro
Are you headed out for a weekend hike? Ironwood Fo Are you headed out for a weekend hike? Ironwood Forest National Monument is waiting to be explored! #hikeaz #hikeaztrails #hikersofinstagram #weekendhike #raggedtop #ironwoodforest #ironwoodforestnationalmonument
🅗🅐🅟🅟🅨 🅝🅔🅦 🅨🅔🅐🅡!! ⠀ The Friends of Ironwood Forest 🅗🅐🅟🅟🅨 🅝🅔🅦 🅨🅔🅐🅡!! ⠀ The Friends of Ironwood Forest wish you the happiest New Year! We hope you enjoy some fresh air & sunshine in 2021! ⠀ Thank you to @ltrenchviews for this beautiful shot of Wolcott Peak (left) and Ragged Top Peak (right). ⠀ #nature #landscape #naturephotography #naturelovers #naturephotographer #ironwood #ironwoodforest #ironwoodforestnationalmonument #IFNM #hikeaz #hikeaztrails #visitsouthernaz #bureauoflandmanagement
The IFNM is a rare beauty at all times of the day. The IFNM is a rare beauty at all times of the day. Thanks to Board of Directors member Jim Avramis for the photo. ⠀ #ironwoodforest #hike #hikearizona #arizonahikersguide #desert #sonorandesert #naturelovers #landscapephotography #allnatureshots #hikingadventures #naturephoto #wilderness #saguaro #saguaroribs #ironwoodforestnationalmonument
Sunset at the Ironwood Forest! Get out and enjoy y Sunset at the Ironwood Forest! Get out and enjoy your public lands! ⠀ #naturephotography #sunset #sonorandesert #ironwoodforest #saguaro #naturelovers #mountains #hiking #sunsethike #publiclands
Happy Birthday IFNM! On June 9, 2000, President Cl Happy Birthday IFNM! On June 9, 2000, President Clinton proclaimed that our favorite patch of 129,000 acres were “hereby set apart and reserved as the Ironwood Forest National Monument, for the purpose of protecting...” Thanks to your involvement and support the IFNM has survived and in many ways is better than ever. Let's all celebrate its first two decades! #ironwoodforestnationalmonument
If you've been watching the fire in the Catalinas If you've been watching the fire in the Catalinas over the past few days you may have wondered, and worried, about the bighorn sheep. We have been told that the fire is not a threat. They are fine! More information about the bighorn fire and the bighorn sheep is on our site. https://ironwoodforest.org/news #bighornfire
Nichols Turk’s Head cactus (Echinocactus horizonth Nichols Turk’s Head cactus (Echinocactus horizonthalonius var nicholii) was listed on the Federal Endangered Species list in 1976 and is also protected by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and the Arizona Native Plant Law. It can be found on the Ironwood Forest National Monument. Threats to this cactus come from illegal collecting, off road vehicles, mining, erosion due to heavy foot traffic from drug- and people- smuggling, and invasive bufflehead grass. — #ironwoodforestnationalmonument #endangeredspecies #cactus #echinocactus
Monsoon photo taken at #ironwoodforestnationalmonu Monsoon photo taken at #ironwoodforestnationalmonument by Lauren Ashley Trench. #monsoon

Friends of Ironwood Forest
738 N 5th Ave, Suite 114
Tucson, AZ 85705

info@ironwoodforest.org

520-314-1383

© 2026 Ironwood Forest

Facebook FacebookInstagram Instagram
  • Home
  • The Friends
    • About the Friends
      • Advocacy
      • Apply for a Grant
      • Programs and Priorities
      • Partners & Sponsors
      • Board Members
    • Community Outreach
    • Working with the BLM
    • Contact
  • The Monument
    • Visit
      • Activities and Safety
      • Map and Directions
      • Places of Interest
        • Silver Bell Cemetery
        • Titan Missile Site
        • Silverbell Group Camp Site
        • Waterman Restoration Site
        • The 80-armed saguaro
    • Learn
      • History
      • Proclamation
      • National Conservation Lands
      • Geology
      • Plant Life
      • Desert Ironwood Tree
      • Archaeology
      • Wildlife
      • Educational Resources
      • Ironwood Forest E-book
      • Stinknet is a threat
    • Threats
  • News/Events
    • News
      • Newsletters
      • Work and Event Days
      • Meet the Monument 2026
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Stay Connected
  • Gallery
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Leave a Legacy
Search