Flying Partner: Sonoita Crossroads Community Forum

Location: Sonoita, Arizona

Mission Type: Conservation and Land use Planning

Summary: Land use planners viewed their community and surrounding ranchland from the air for the first time and gained valuable insight as to how to address the ex-urban sprawl issue. Shel Clark, one of the planners remarked: "…maps don't give you anywhere near the perspective as a flight. An essential land use-planning tool!" The proposed 240,000-acre La Cienega National Conservation Area is one outgrowth of the local area planning.