There is certainly no shortage of complaints one can levy against the state of Arizona. For me, being an opinion columnist sometimes means writing on whatever most infuriated me in the past week while listening to the radio and driving.
If I’ve written about it here, it most likely gave me minor road rage elsewhere.
But currently trumping my frustration toward Arizona lawmakers and feeding a resilience to last me through the summer months is one simple fact — it is springtime.
And this is the most beautiful time of the year for the Grand Canyon State.
Take a walk through any neighborhood and the overpowering scent of citrus blossoms fills the air, accompanied by the buzzing of bees and the flapping of a hummingbird’s wings.
You might even catch the matinee showing of a mating ritual from Tempe’s most abundant wildlife — stray cats.
This time of year is great for challenging commonly held views of ourselves as Arizonians, especially if you live in the southern half of the state. Most of us, myself included, are guilty of portraying Phoenix as a desolate city in the middle of the desert, built by deranged cowboys motivated by the American dream rather than reason.
That may be true in part, but it’s certainly not as desolate as it seems. The Sonoran Desert, where Phoenix is forged, is believed to be one of the wettest and most biologically diverse deserts in the world. If you can wrap your head around the irony, that means that as far as hostile, formidable deserts go — Phoenix is pretty favorable.
That’s not all that is unique to our natural landscape. The incredible range of our geography and biomes, from grasslands to coniferous forests, is unparalleled not just in the U.S., but also in most of the world.
Next time you take a drive from Phoenix to one of it’s northern counterparts such as Flagstaff or Prescott, pay attention to the changing scenery outside your window. In a few hours drive, you’ll cover as many biomes as you would traveling from Southern Texas to the Canadian border.
Now that it is spring, and we still have time before the pavement is hot enough to burn your feet, much of the wildlife and plants, like the iconic saguaro cactus, can only be found here.
All of these are reasons why Arizona should be preserved and protected. We have some of the most state parks in the nation, including South Mountain Preserve, the largest municipal park in the country. But each one of us can contribute to the preservation of the natural landscape simply by paying attention to our backyard.
Rip up your Bermuda grass and replace it with native species. Grow flowering plants for desert pollinators. Resist the mindset that a yard covered by rocks is “neat” and “manageable.” Let wild weeds grow and take over your yard. Build a garden in your front yard to promote self-sufficiency.
And most importantly, if you’re not sure how doing these things helps protect our natural landscape, research it.
But meanwhile, go outside and enjoy the springtime.
Reach the columnist at damills3@asu.edu
Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook. Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press email newsletter.
