Group donating land for preserve in west-central Arizona

WICKENBURG, Ariz. – A conservation organization is donating land along the Hassayampa River south of Wickenburg in west-central Arizona for use as a natural preserve.

The Maricopa Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to accept the Nature Conservancy’s donation of two parcels of land totalling approximately 710 acres (287 hectares) with a riparian corridor with trails, large trees and hundreds of nesting and migrating bird species.

Officials say the preserve will serve as a gateway to a much larger recreation area to the west and south of the preserve.

That larger area is owned by the federal Bureau of Land Management and officials say it’ll be co-operatively managed by the county and the bureau in the future.

Wickenburg is located approximately 50 miles (80 kilometres) northwest of Phoenix.