With alpine peaks that tower 10,727 feet above the surrounding desert, the Pinaleños are a rare “sky island” refuge. Towering thousands of feet above the surrounding desert, it is home to 18 endemic plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Many of these species are threatened with extinction.
Located 70 miles northeast of Tucson, the Pinaleños are a popular outdoor recreation destination and are considered sacred by twelve regional tribes. Members of the nearby San Carlos Apache pilgrimage to the springs annually for healing water. Due to drought, catastrophic fire, and erosion, the springs are eroding and rapidly drying up.
The Sky Islands connect the ecosystems of the Colorado Plateau with the subtropical drylands of northern Mexico. They can reach over 10,000 feet in elevation above the surrounding deserts and thus provide a variety of ecosystems for a huge number of unique plants and animals, including jaguars. They are areas of extremely high biodiversity. https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/Sky_Islands/index.shtml
High altitude springs in the Sky Islands, such as the springs on Mt. Graham, provide habitat for endangered animals such as the Mt. Graham Red Squirrel, and form the headwaters of streams that flow down into the surrounding desert. Saving these watersheds is critical for life both in the Sky Islands and in the desert below.