Cedar Springs Project - First of its Kind in Arizona

Some of the best forest lands in Arizona, including the Cedar Springs area pictured, would be protected by a federal-state partnership. Photo: Steve Gatewood

by Justin Gerdes

America's purple mountain majesties and fruited plains may have met their match: 300 million residents, many of whom dream of a little piece of the country to call their own.

The threat of development propelled by population pressure is starkly apparent. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) estimates that 6,000 acres of open space are lost each day—nearly 4 acres per minute. Private forest lands are particularly vulnerable;

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