Marana Reaffirms Support for Ironwood Forest National Monument

Published on August 11, 2025

MARANA, AZ – The Marana Town Council has unanimously approved Resolution No. 2025-075, affirming the Town’s support for the Ironwood Forest National Monument and opposing any reduction of its boundaries for resource extraction.

Located just a short drive from downtown Marana, the 189,713-acre monument preserves a rich and diverse Sonoran Desert habitat that includes parts or all of seven mountain ranges, unique geological features, and a high density of ancient ironwood trees, some more than 800 years old. It is home to iconic species such as the saguaro cactus and the last viable bighorn sheep herd indigenous to the Tucson basin.

The Ironwood Forest National Monument is also a valued contributor to Marana’s tourism and outdoor recreation economy, attracting an estimated 100,000 visitors annually. Its landmarks, including Ragged Top Mountain, are visible from many parts of the Town and form a distinctive part of the region’s landscape.

“[The Ironwood Forest] is such a boon for our community to have available,” said Mayor Jon Post during the August 6 Town Council meeting. “We want to do everything we can to protect that.”

“This is something we’re very interested in preserving,” added Vice Mayor Roxanne Ziegler.

Resolution No. 2025-075 calls on Arizona’s Congressional Delegation to retain the monument’s full designation and protections and directs Town staff to communicate Marana’s position to federal agencies. The Town joins Pima County and other regional stakeholders in voicing support for the monument’s preservation.

For more information about the Ironwood Forest National Monument, visit the Bureau of Land Management’s website and the Discover Marana website.

Photo credit: Deirdre Rosenberg