The continued growth of the human-built environment in Pima County, Arizona will result in the “incidental take” of species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act. To avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts to both listed and unlisted species and their habitats, Pima County is submitting this Multi-species Conservation Plan for 44 species that may be impacted as a result of the otherwise lawful activities of Pima County and its development community. The Incidental Take Permit, also called a Section 10 permit, will be for 30 years. This MSCP is part of the required documentation needed to receive an Incidental Take Permit under Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA.

The Multiple Species Conservation Plan will complete the land use planning process in a conflict between competing interests on the question of growth. A path of balance was chosen by advancing the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. This second draft will be posted on the website and distributed to interested community and committee members. A public process will be conducted so that during 200t the document can be finalized and submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the application for a federal endangered species permit.

Status reports containing more detailed information about the priority conservation areas of each species. The first summary provides a view from the technical perspective of how the biological reserve has been assembled. The second summary provides a view from the historical and process perspective of how the biological reserve has been assembled.

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.

Survey results for wetland plant communities of the Agua Caliente Park and nearby La Cebadilla property. The study also documented the presence or absence of Huachuca water umbel, a plant listed as endangered in Pima County. By studying the wetland plants of the La Cebadilla property, and through historic herbarium collections, the biologist found that several plants still present at La Cebadilla were known to be present at the Agua Caliente Ranch at the turn of the century.

To facilitate development of the Environmental Impact Statement which must accompany the Section 10 multi-species conservation proposal, a series of issue papers have been written. This study presents a brief look at outdoor recreation issues and describes the impacts of five alternative permit strategies might have on the County's ability to maintain recreation opportunities.

Four adjacent ranges define the western edge of the Avra and Altar valleys. Even though desert ironwood has dark green, lush foliage much of the year, this tree is almost exclusively a Sonoran Desert species. The same is true of the distribution of saguaros, foothill palo verdes, fishhook barrel cacti, and most of the hundreds of other plants growing here. These rugged ranges also provide natural refuges for a variety of wildlife, including desert bighorn and migratory pollinators. In addition to the biological resources, the area has abundant rock art sites and other archaeological sites.