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Who Is SALT?

The Superstition Area Land Trust (SALT) is dedicated to preserving the pristine Sonoran Desert foothills, rich in native habitats, wildlife, and watersheds. This land is a small but significant portion of the over 9 million acres managed by the Arizona State Land Department. The Department’s mandate is to use state trust land ‘for the sole purpose of generating revenues’ for beneficiaries, including Arizona K-12 education. However, as urban sprawl extends eastward from the Phoenix suburbs, developers are increasingly eyeing state trust land for purchase. Recognizing the vulnerability of these boundary state trust lands, SALT began collaborating with local, county, state, and federal entities to conserve the land as natural open space.

SALT was formed to work for conservation of the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) lands south of the Superstition Wilderness Area (SWA) (the Superstition Foothills [SF]) - which are threatened by development. This would create a buffer zone between the SWA and development, thus lessening the impacts of development, protecting ecosystems, and providing recreation opportunities and economic benefits. SALT must raise substantial funds to buy the most sensitive open spaces of this treasure trove of our vanishing Sonoran Desert for this and future generations.

How SALT Came to Be

The Superstition Area Land Trust (SALT) was established in 1993 by concerned residents Anne Coe, Rosemary Shearer, Phyllis Summers, George Johnston, Tom Kollenborn, and others. They formed a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational corporation aimed at protecting and preserving Arizona State Trust Lands bordering the southern slope of the Superstition Wilderness Area. These founders were motivated by a desire to educate the public about the vulnerability of State Trust Land to development and to advocate for its protection and conservation

Our Misson

Our mission is to conserve the natural Sonoran Desert and open spaces surrounding the Superstition Wilderness Area for this and future generations.

Meet Our Officers

Meet a few of the faces that help our organization continue to conserve, protect, and support our beautiful local wilderness.

Charles Goff

Charles Goff

President

Scott Anderson

Scott Anderson

Vice President

Maxine Brown

Maxine Brown

Secretary

Melissa Johnson

Melissa Johnson

Treasurer

Our Immediate Goals

Our immediate goals focus on expanding our efforts to protect the land and engage the community:

Foster a greater understanding of the importance of
preserving state-trust lands and the unique natural habitats they support.

Continue building strong partnerships with local, county, state, and federal entities to ensure a unified approach to land conservation.

Improve and expand public outreach and education programs to encourage more people to explore and appreciate the Sonoran Desert, inspiring them to support conservation efforts.

Project Plans

01

Superstition Area Land Plan

SALT proposes Pinal County and the Arizona State Land Department to use this Conceptual Area Plan as a framework for conserving State Trust and private lands. Click here for information about the Superstition Area Land Plan.

02

Superstition Area Land Trust profiled by the Sonoran Institute

In 2012, the Sonoran Institute published an article summarizing the value of conserving the state trust lands in the Superstition Mountain area. Click here to read the entire article.

03

Economic Benefits of Open Space

In 2008, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) selected Pinal County, Arizona, for an economic analysis of the benefits of open lands. The comprehensive report highlights the economic advantages of preserving parks, open space, and trails in the region. Click here to read this important and informative report.

04

Support Our Efforts

We understand that not everyone can donate their time to conservation efforts. However, your financial contributions are equally crucial to the Superstition Area Land Trust (SALT). By donating, you directly support our mission to preserve and protect the beautiful and ecologically significant lands of the Sonoran Desert.

Interested in Making a Difference?

SALT is looking to hire a part-time executive director to help the operations of our organization. For more information click on the link below.