Sonoran Preserve Master Plan - City of Phoenix

part of their patrol and maintenance activities (Figure 5.6).
Trail access, facilities, and circulation components of the
master plan should be designed to protect resources through
control of access and visitor use. The plan recommends areas
which will have access limited to designated trails. These
restricted areas will enhance wildlife and revegetation efforts
by limiting human impact.
Figure 5.6 Management of cultural resources
Revegetation/Restoration
A revegetation/restoration plan will be developed and
implemented as time and resources permit. Indigenous
Sonoran Desert plant species, as well as plants that may have
been historically present, would be used in all revegetation/
restoration projects.
Wildlife
A study of wildlife species using the area will complement
the revegetation efforts as well as provide baseline information
for ongoing monitoring of wildlife presence and diversity.
Wildlife management will emphasize the protection and
maintenance of vegetation communities and the diversity
of animal habitats. Restricted access areas may be established
to further promote the health of wildlife.
Cultural Resources
Prehistoric and historic elements in the area should be identified
and categorized for restoration, preservation, or documentation
and removal. Impact to prehistoric and historic
features can be managed through control of access points
and visitor activity. Designated trails, signs, and interpretive
efforts are examples of ways to protect and enhance the
heritage of a site.
Fire Prevention
Fire is a natural, although infrequent, component of the
desert ecosystem. The frequency of fires in the Sonoran
Desert has increased. This is due to several factors that include
the proximity to urban and developed areas and increased
fuel loads due to the presence of exotic plant species.
All of this creates the need to extinguish human-caused
fires quickly (Bureau of Indian Affairs et al. no date).
Any fires associated with picnic use are to be restricted to
cooking grates in the activity areas only. All fuels must be
brought in from outside the preserve to prevent the destruction
of native vegetation for firewood. Smoking will be limited
to parking lots and activity areas. As in the Phoenix
Mountain Preserve, the PRLD director can prohibit fires or
smoking during periods of high fire danger.
E. Visitor Experience and Safety
The mission of the PRLD is to provide and maintain a diversity
of safe, available, and accessible recreational opportunities
(Figure 5.7).
Figure 5.7 Recreation opportunities for all residents
Visitor Experience
Through facility design and the use of signs, the first point
of contact will provide visitors with information on the use
and interpretation of the desert and the preserve system.
Active recreational uses will be oriented toward major and
secondary activity areas. They are located in areas with the
greatest human disturbance, pre-existing facilities, and acceptable
access to streets or other transportation corridors.
In support of the Sonoran Preserve concept, the development
at these activity areas will include family and group
picnic facilities, trailheads, restrooms, ranger stations, and
interpretive facilities. Active recreation facilities are limited
to playgrounds, horseshoes, and/or sand volleyball. The
identified forms of active recreation will only occur if similar
facilities are not available at neighborhood or community
parks within an acceptable radius of the activity hub.
Each activity may not be located in each activity area.
Sonoran Preserve Master Plan
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