Historic repeat photograph of Saguaro National Monument East, Rincon Mountain District, 1935

This is the original photograph in a repeat photographic series of Saguaro National Monument (now Saguaro National Park) East, Rincon Mountain District. This photo was taken in 1935 and is courtesy of the National Park Service (NPS; public domain image) of the abundant 'cactus forest' of saguaros (Carnegiea gigantea). According to NPS and USGS research in this area, in 1935 foothills paloverde (Parkinsonia microphylla) and velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina) trees were scarce since they were harvested during that time period. Later photographs at this same location, once the area had been protected by the NPS, shows the return of those tree species. Paloverde and mesquite act as 'nurse trees' to young saguaros, providing protection from cold in winters and shade in summer, thereby enabling a stronger chance of saguaro survival during early growth. This photograph is the first in the series of the SBSC's Southwest Repeat Photography Collection, stake (camera point) s0013. Later photographs were taken by Ray Turner, USGS.