Sonora tugs at one's desires for freedom and wildness. Sometimes it makes sense and can be described, but more often it is difficult to explain. For me the logical desires include words like vast, rugged, lawless, wild, untamed, secretive, beautiful, diverse, friendly, honest, adventurous. The more difficult to explain feelings for me have more to do with the desire to feel a more primal connection to the land... and what glorious land it is... and the desire to experience the unknown, unexplored, and unplanned. Much of Sonora is simply not under the human thumb, and many of the people are likewise independent.

There are many people that have these same feeling for the Sonoran countryside. When you meet these people it's easy to become enthralled in long conversations filled with beautiful places, wild adventure,s and seemingly endless ridiculous, but true stories.

Overview of Wild Sonora:

Sonora is an amazingly biologically diverse state! The southeast has genuine tropical forest -- some of the northernmost tropical forest in the world. By contrast far northwest Sonora has vast sand dunes and seemingly endless plains of creosote in the western Sonoran Desert, often receiving only a few inches of rain annually, if that. There are bits of Chihuahuan Desert and even full-fledged plains grassland in the northeast.

The eastern flank of the state is mountainous, transitioning from Sky Islands in the north to the Sierra Madre Occidental as you move southward. Some of the southernmost Rocky Mountain influences mix in northeastern mountains with Madrean species that dominate the Sierra Madre. Much of the foothills of the Sierra Madre and other central and southern areas of Sonora are dominated by Sinaloan Thorn-scrub.

Sonora also has a vast and beautiful coastline of which many parts are amazingly wild for this modern age, although this could be changing in some areas (see here). There are mangrove swamps and coastal river plains that are incredibly productive biologically and important migratory resources for birds. Most productive coastal river plains have been turned into very productive farmland and are no longer able to support the assemblages of wildlife that historically inhabited them. Sonora has productive mangrove estuaries almost as far north as Puerto Libertad. Shockingly there is evidence that crocidiles inhabited the gulf all the way to the Colorado river delta into the 1900's.

The coastline and sea life of the Gulf of California are also amazing and diverse. Cousteau described the Gulf as "the world’s aquarium". The area is experiencing over fishing, destructive shrimping and other problems. Possibly the biggest problem for the Gulf's ecosystem is the lack of fresh water, sediment, and nutrients flowing into the northern delta area from the Colorado River, seriously impacting the whole food chain and web of life in the Gulf. A great group out of Puerto Piñasco (CEDO) works to protect the Gulf of California and its wildlife.

Last, but certainly not least (as it covers about half of the state) is the Sonoran Desert, which has several subdivisions in Sonora -- Central Gulf Coast, Lower Colorado River Valley, Arizona Uplands, and Plains of Sonora. The Sonoran Desert is a lush, diverse, and beautiful desert and has a knack for capturing the hearts of most who spend time with it.

Sonora, although changing fast, still has a wild west feel in many areas. A decent amount of the state is still accessible only by dirt road, or less. It is lightly inhabited compared to most of Mexico. The people of Sonora are, for the most part, very friendly and hospitable.

Sonora's population is generally not as poor as much of Mexico. In recent years many people with less resources have migrated north, many of whom get stuck in border towns such as Nogales working in maquiladores or in the economic corridors of Route 15 and Route 2. The population and economy of Sonora has been growing quickly in recent years. Transportation of goods to the U.S., drug growing, and migrant smuggling seem to have become some of the more important parts of the economy, especially in the north. Drug growing and transportation are prevalent and influential on many aspects of life in many parts of Sonora and are becoming more of a problem for some people of Sonora. It is also a source of revenue for many Sonorensis that have few other opportunities to make cash.

More at Wild Sonora: Threats to Wild Sonora - Photos - Various Maps - Interactive Map - Places by Name - Wiki - Forum - Sonoran Humor - Sonoran Pygmy-owls - Links/Other Resources - More

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