Provides a review of eight monitoring efforts in southern Arizona to highlight their accomplishments and to critique their efficacy and overview of important attributes of a monitoring program. This review of projects and successful attributes will provide an assessment framework to better guide the development of the Pima County Ecological Monitoring Program.

The SDCP recognizes the important links between groundwater, streamflow, and vegetation that still exist along some streams and springs in Pima County. Unfortunately, depletion of aquifers has altered streamflow and associated groundwater-dependent vegetation along the Santa Cruz River and other streams. The main purpose of this report is to establish priorities for potential expansion of Pima County's existing aquifer monitoring for groundwater-dependent ecosystems.

During the planning process for the SDCP, concerns were raised regarding loss of property tax revenue as well as adverse tax base impacts of Pima County purchasing parcels for open space. This report assesses impacts in two ways. First, the net assessed values of the open space parcels before purchase are compared to the sum of the net assessed values of all parcels in Pima County and in each applicable school district. Second, the property taxes assessed by Pima County and applicable school districts on each open space parcel before purchase is compared to the sum of the property taxes assessed on all parcels within Pima County and applicable school districts.

One of the most pressing growth related problems is the proliferation of wildcat subdividing, or lot splitting. It is generally defined as the proliferation of new residential parcels without the benefit of subdivision regulation. Often these areas are devoid of any basic infrastructure, standard environmental regulation, subdivision standards, or infrastructure requirements. This report addresses seven areas of concern.

Conservation easements are becoming an important mechanism in Pima County for dealing with matters such as the establishment of mitigation banks and the negotiation of conservation commitments with federal environmental regulatory agencies. This tool will also assist in the implementation of the Ranch Conservation Element of the SDCP. Includes the verbatim proceedings of a workshop on conservation held on August 18, 2001.