Anita Hagy Ferguson

The Sonoran Desert is one of the most biodiverse deserts in the world, contributing to its uniqueness and attractiveness to developers, residents and businesses. Geographic connectivity weaves the vital elements of the desert together, making the ecosystem sustainable. But habitat fragmentation from urban development puts this connectivity at risk, making it the number one threat to the fabric of our unique and attractive surroundings.

Arizonans can rightly be proud that we’ve set aside and continue to conserve large open spaces for the benefit of both humans and the natural world. Our state boasts national parks, monuments, recreation areas, and state and regional parks. Pinal County is in the process of creating two open space county parks, with plans for several more

Anita Hagy Ferguson will discuss the importance of biological corridors, urban open spaces and collaborative regional planning as part of the SALT Speakers Series. Ms. Ferguson is a consultant and facilitator for the White Tank Mountains Conservancy, and leads the Central Arizona Conservation Alliance Connectivity@ White Tank Mountains Conservancy Learning Lab. Her critical focus is on how humans share space with non-human animals in changing urban and rural landscapes. She has a background in environmental philosophy, mediation, collaboration facilitation, and environmental conflict management. She is a former project manager and research associate for the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes,Arizona State University.

The series is co-sponsored by the Superstition Area Land Trust (SALT) and the Apache Junction Parks & Recreation Department.