There are only four populations left, two in southern Arizona and two in Mexico. Efforts are being made, however, to restore the facility elsewhere, including at the historic Canoa Ranch south of Green Valley.
The proposal by the fish and wildlife service envisages a total of 13 acres in three locations as critical habitat for the plant. Two of the locations are on the east side of Tucson: 3.1 acres along Tanque Verde Wash in La Cebadilla Estates on Redington Road and approximately one-third of an acre in Agua Caliente Park on Soldier Trail and Roger Road.
The remaining critical habitat is located on 9.6 acres in Lewis Springs in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area east of Sierra Vista.
“Critical habitat helps focus conservation efforts where they are most needed,” said Amy Lueders, regional director for the service, in a written statement. “When this rule is finalized, we can preserve the Arizona eryngo and the ecosystem it depends on for future generations.”
Greenwald said his organization is hoping for “something more ambitious than 13 acres,” which is likely not enough habitat for the plant to survive. But he said such limited action is typical of a federal agency that has been “put down by politics,” especially during the Trump administration.
Arizona Eryngo isn’t just a pretty plant, Greenwald said. It is another potential victim of an ongoing global extinction crisis fueled by human activity.
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