The Atascosa Highlands are an area of incredible biological and cultural diversity. These mountains are at the crossroads of several ecological zones and harbor a unique flora. Despite being somewhat lower in elevation than other sky island ranges, the Highlands include many different micro-climates that create habitats for species from temperate, tropical, and arid regions of North America.
The hills and valleys which make up the Tumacacori Ecosystem Management Area of the Coronado National Forest have been inhabited by humans for thousands of years, but over the last few centuries human activity has had a profound impact on the landscape. Jack will tell us the story of this fascinating borderlands region. He will highlight the climatic, biogeographical, and historical factors which have influenced the modern ecology of the Atascosa Highlands. Jack will also introduce us to the flora of this Arizona/Sonora borderland region, including species representative of the dominant biomes and unusual denizens of this botanical wonderland.
Jack Dash is a horticulturalist at Desert Survivors Native Plant Nursery in Tucson, and Vice President of the Tucson Chapter of the Arizona Native Plant Society. He is passionate about the flora and ecology of the Sky Islands of Southern Arizona, and their relationships to the broader ecologies of North America. He is working on a flora of the Atascosa Highlands area.
To request the Zoom link, send an email to nativeplantstucson@gmail.com
