The cornerstone of any habitat conservation plan is the establishment of a set of reserves that are ultimately managed to preserve or enhance populations of a particular species or suite of species. Also, with any priority species in a particular region there are geographic areas that are much more important to the species than others. Identifying those areas is an important part of the planning process and a required activity to help assure that the best habitat areas for each species are identified and targeted for inclusion within the reserve system.

A thoughtful and many ways ground breaking study on the potential impacts that future climate variability might have on plants, animals, people and ecosystem processes. It describes the geographic setting of Pima County, the history of weather data collection; variables such as precipitation, variability of rainfall, drought, floods, groundwater, temperature, frost and potential evapotranspiration; and the potential responses of over forth species of concern to short term climate variation.

Describes the relation of the current and proposed system of mountain parks and preserves to the ongoing multi-species conservation planning process. Business interests will be able to pursue land uses which impact habitat, so long as defined conservation standards are met. This report simply frames planning possibilities by outlining the known potential of twelve park and preserve areas in eastern Pima County.

This draft report results from Board direction to develop a comprehensive environmental based response to urban growth pressures. The draft plan itself is the merger of active citizen discussion regarding growth with the Coalition for the Sonoran Desert Protection Plan and others, along with integration of a number of past and present County activities that are natural resource protection oriented.