THE BIG PICTURES: SONOITA-PATAGONIA

Cottonwoods line the dry Santa Cruz River near its headwaters in the San Rafael Valley southeast of Patagonia. Most of the river, which flows into Mexico before re-entering Arizona, is dry except after significant rainfall. George Stocking

LEFT: A summer monsoon storm moves over tall grasses near Sonoita. The Sonoita area's soil, climate and rainfall are ideal for growing grapes, and more than a dozen wineries now exist there. Jeff Maltzman ABOVE: Milkweed blooms in the Canelo Hills, located south of Sonoita and east of Patagonia. Milkweed plants are critical for monarch butterflies, whose caterpillars use them as host plants. Eirini Pajak

Each blade of grass has its spot on earth whence it draws its life, its strength; and so is man rooted to the land from which he draws his faith together with his life.

The blades of a windmill blur together just north of Sonoita. In the distance, to the northeast, are the Whetstone Mountains. Derek von Briesen

PRECEDING PANEL: Bees pollinate butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and other wildflowers in the verdant Canelo Hills. The area supports several rare plant species, including Pinos Altos fameflowers. Jack Dykinga BELOW: A pronghorn takes in the view at Las Cienegas National Conservation Area near Sonoita. Although the Southern Arizona pronghorn population is increasing, a 2015 survey counted just 263 of them in the Sonoita and Patagonia area. Eirini Pajak RIGHT: Agave blooms reach skyward amid windblown grasses near Sonoita. Insects, birds and bats pollinate the agave blooms, and javelinas eat the plants' fleshy leaves. Jack Dykinga

Early morning light strikes Patagonia Lake, along with distant Mount Hopkins (left) and Mount Wrightson. The latter, at 9,360 feet, is the highest peak in the Santa Rita Mountains. Randy Prentice

Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization that works locally, with global reach, to protect the state's fresh water, forests, critical lands, wildlife and rich biodiversity. TNC's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve protects some of the largest Fremont cottonwoods in the United States, and rare plants found in the Sonoita Creek watershed include Huachuca water umbels and Santa Cruz beehive cactuses. A diverse avian population makes this a popular spot for birders in spring and summer. The preserve is open Wednesdays through Sundays, and a small fee is required.

For more information, please visit www.nature.org/ patagonia or call 520-394-2400.