"The Greenest of Deserts"

In 1911, Ellworth Huntington, wrote of the Sonoran Desert as "The Greenest of Deserts," a name it truly deserves because it has two rainy seasons. It also contains remarkable diversity and an abundance of plant life. Huntington was one of the early group of Anglo scientists who came to study what is known as the Sonoran Desert Region or Biome. They came to study its climate, geomorphology, flora and fauna, and peoples. Since that time, many others have come to explore the desert because of less tangible qualities: omnipresent light, beauty, solitude, and opportunity.

A broad understanding of both the physical and cultural characteristics of the region is critical for making informed decisions about serious environmental and social issues. The purpose of this site is to contribute to this understanding. Sections include:

• overview of current physical and cultural characteristics
• major issues facing the region
• web links to selected sites
• annotated bibliography of relevant articles and books on current research and literature
• organizations or groups

"In any land what is there more glorious than sunlight! Even here in the desert, where it falls fierce and hot as a rain of meteors, it is the one supreme beauty to which all things pay allegiance. The beast and the bird are not too fond of its heat and as soon as the sun is high in the heavens they seek cover in the canyons; but for all that the chief glory of the desert is its broad blaze of omnipresent light."

-- John Van Dyke.
The Desert: Further Studies in Natural Appearances