Sabino Canyon

The Life of a Southwestern Oasis

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Nestled in the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, Arizona, Sabino Canyon demonstrates the beauty and resiliency of life in what many would assume to be a most inhospitable place. For thousands of visitors each year, this oasis in the Sonoran Desert offers the opportunity to experience biodiversity in action.

David Lazaroff has called on years of studying, photographing, and educating people about Sabino Canyon to produce this clearly written and beautifully illustrated book. Focusing on the importance of Sabino Creek both to plants and animals and to human recreation, he tracks the ebb and flow of canyon life through the year and tells how people have sought to utilize the canyon through history. First-time visitors to Sabino Canyon will find their experience enriched through Lazaroff's insights into plants, animals, and geology, while those who regularly frequent Sabino's trails or pools can become better informed about its fragile desert and riparian habitats.

For anyone curious about life in a genuine Southwestern oasis, this book captures the beauty and uniqueness of a natural treasure-house located in a bustling city's back yard.
"One of the best natural history books published in a long time. . . . It is a rare combination of good material from a writer/photographer and excellent editing and design."—Desert Skies

"A sparkling introduction to the scenic beauty and natural history of this popular recreation area in the Catalina foothills north of Tucson. . . . Attractive and informative."—Journal of Arizona History

"In the southwestern United States are canyons rich in biodiversity and beauty. . . . This book provides a historical, ecological, and natural history introduction to the canyon and visual feast via the author's magnificent color photographs. . . . Highly Recommended."—Wildlife Activist

"This delightful, small book describes the history and natural setting of one of the most beautiful recreation areas near Tucson. . . . What this book offers is a beautiful description of seasons in the desert, and how birds and other desert organisms respond to seasonality. Southwestern banders can read this book to remind themselves of the changes of nature in their region. The rest of us can just enjoy the pictures."—North American Bird Bander

"More than any other photographer with whom I am familiar, Lazaroff comes close to Leopold's sense of an ecological aesthetic. Lazaroff's book is also a masterful example of natural-history interpretation."—Forest and Conservation History

"No matter how many times you've walked the canyon, you'll learn something new from this book."—Sierra Club Rincon Newsletter
Sabino Canyon
136 Pages 7.75 x 9.5 x 0.4
Published: March 1993Paperback ISBN: 9780816513444
Published: December 2016Ebook ISBN: 9780816536702

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