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Three members of the Arizona legislative delegation have reintroduced a bill to redesignate Arizona’s Chiricahua National Monument as a national park.
The national monument currently protects over 12,000 acres in Cochise County. First established as a monument about 100 years ago, the destination quickly gained popularity due to the unique rock formations that emerged after a volcanic eruption 27 million years ago.
Chiricahua National Monument A popular hiking and camping destination, it features a variety of short trails. Visitors often visit the monument to try day hikes like the Echo Canyon Loop. The Echo Canyon Loop is his 3.3-mile trail that takes hikers through formations like Grotto and Wall Street. hedgehog cactus. The monument is also part of the ancestral homeland of the Chiricahua Apaches and is home to historic and prehistoric sites dating back over 1,000 years.
Arizona Senators Mark Kelly (Democrat) and Kirsten Cinema (Me) support the bill in the Senate, and Rep. Juan Ciscomani (Republican-Arizona) is the main supporter in the House. Redesignating Chiricahua as a national park would not only better protect vulnerable natural and historic resources, but also revitalize the local economy, they say. In a statement about the bill, Rep. Siskomani said: With this law, Chiricahua will finally receive the designation they deserve. I can’t wait. ”
In a statement, Cinema agreed.
“Arizona has some of the best national parks in the world. The addition of Chiricahua National Monument as Arizona’s fourth national park will boost tourism, create jobs and promote opportunities in Cochise County. “
This is not the first time Chiricahua has been designated a national monument. Last year, the Senate passed a similar bill without difficulty, with support from both sides. After experiencing support on both sides of the aisle. However, the bill never passed the House.
If successful, Chiricahua will be the state’s first new national park since 1994, when Congress redesignated Saguaro National Park as Saguaro National Park.
Unlike national monuments, which can be established by proclamation by the president, the establishment of national parks requires an act of Congress. National parks tend to have more funding opportunities and higher prestige among visitors than monuments. At a time when visitors to national parks are steadily increasing, establishing a new national park in Arizona could help alleviate some of the pressure on more popular NPS sites. .
If the new bill passes Congress, Chiricahua National Monument will become Arizona’s fourth national park after the Grand Canyon, Saguaro, and Petrified Forest National Parks.
