As volunteer coordinator for the nonprofit Wild Arizona, Luke Koenig’s mission is to engage the public in wilderness protection. The latest project is a wilderness boundary sign installation across Arizona’s wild spaces.
“Wilderness has the highest form of protection for federally managed public lands,” Koenig said. “Sometimes, though, it’s unclear when we’re crossing into designated wilderness. By putting these signs in, we’re helping the public become aware that they’re entering into wilderness where different prohibitions may apply inside the boundary.”
A wilderness boundary area outlines natural land protected by the government with a focus to maintain it in its natural state.
On behalf of Wild Arizona, Koenig organizes wilderness stewardship opportunities like Sign Installation Saturdays, a once-a-month volunteering event to install wilderness boundary signs in a protected area. The nonprofit focused its 2023 series on the Pusch Ridge Wilderness, and on May 6, it will complete the installations for the spring.
The reason for choosing Pusch Ridge, according to Koenig, was its proximity to a major urban area. Hosting a recurring stewardship event near Tucson created a more tangible opportunity to engage the community and get the word out about Wild Arizona.
“Sometimes you have to drive hours to get to some of our events because of the nature of where we work,” Koenig noted. “The idea was if we could have an event close to an urban area, we might be able to get some folks out that aren’t usually able to make it out.”
On the first Saturday of each month, from January to May, volunteers and crew members meet at different locations in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness and start with a safety meeting. Volunteers are asked to bring long shirts and pants, along with food, a hat and glasses.
The premade signs and hardware are provided by the Forestry Service, and Wild Arizona supplies tools and other equipment. The group will install an average of three to four signs across the boundary. In the meetups before their last installation on May 6, the group installed 11 signs across Pusch Ridge.
The signs, at the very least, warn adventurers of the protected area. With that protection, there is a list of rules and prohibitions upon entering the site. For instance, motor equipment or mechanical vehicles like chainsaws or bikes are not allowed in these areas.
“It makes (visitors) aware, in the bigger picture, that something like wilderness even exists,” Koenig said. “It’s a really meaningful distinction in terms of how we manage our natural lands and how we protect some of the most vulnerable ecosystems within them.”
Wild Arizona, the event series host, is a nonprofit aiming to protect and restore the state’s wildlife for future generations. Koenig explained the increasing need for trail stewardship and trail work, especially in this region. Arizona, in his words, is “a hotbed for sustainable trails, and those that are more resistant to erosion.”
The need was so prominent the organization turned its volunteer program into an in-house field crew, comprised of paid and volunteer workers. Wilderness Stewardship, or Wild Stew, carries on Wild Arizona’s mission to secure a sustainably protected wilderness.
“Even if it’s just in a small way, we are now helping steward the most protected federal lands,” Koenig continued. “Including the 90 wilderness areas that are within the Arizona state boundary, which is the second most of any state.”
Sign Installation Saturdays
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday May 6
WHERE: Mount Lemmon Use Area, East Ski Run Road, Tucson
COST: Free
INFO: eventbrite.com
This article appears in May 4-10, 2023.
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