MEDC - Sonoran desert

2.5.1 LEDC - Thar desert

3.1 The shape of river valleys

MEDC - Sonoran desert

  1. Overview

    1. It is one of North America’s largest & hottest deserts, but also one of the wettest deserts, with over 300 mm of annual precipitation in some places
    2. It is located in the south-west of the USA, in the states of Arizona & California and stretching into Mexico
    3. It is home to a great diversity of flora & fauna, such as the saguaro cactus
    4. It also has plentiful supplies of relatively cheap energy & water

  2. Opportunities

    1. Recreation

      1. The clear, clean atmosphere and open spaces attract short-term holiday-makers and long-term migrants
      2. A recent trend has been retirement migration, whereby people retire to newly built housing complexes with swimming pools and golf courses

    2. Agriculture

      1. Marana, a town with a population of around 30 thousand people, has developed into a thriving business town and leisure resort
      2. In 1920, a new system enabled it to become an agricultural centre specialising in cotton, a crop that thrives in hot conditions if watered
      3. It expanded in the 40s to include wheat, barley and pecans
      4. Since the 90s, farming in the area has been surpassed with housing and now migration accounting for much of the growth of the town

  3. Sustainable Management

    1. In Marana, a heritage park has been established to celebrate the town’s agricultural heritage

    2. In 1998, the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan was initiated to support social & economic growth whilst conserving the culture and nature, which included:

      1. Detailed mapping & inventory of the natural & cultural heritage
      2. Development of buffer zones around areas of ecological significance
      3. Native plant protection
      4. Hillside development restrictions
      5. Home design recommendations to conserve energy & water