Because the West Branch area has been left alone, it has a chance to recover and become a part of the larger Paseo de las Iglesias project, and a cornerstone of a more extensive effort at ecological restoration involving the mesic coorridors of Pima County, the Santa Cruz, Rillito, and Pantano.

In order to communicate effectively about land use in Pima County, we must understand that different individuals and groups of people have assigned meaning to places and landscapes in Pima County in accordance with their experiences and their mode of communication. Ten different cultures and their landscapes are described, providing a fascinating summary of the history of each group in the area.

Pima County is endowed with many mineral resources, not only copper mines, but also the important products such as sand, gravel, and limestone used everyday in supporting the infrastructure of our cities. It is essential that these mineral resources, and the lands where they occur, remain available for exploration and development. This report presents an assessment of the mineral resources of Pima County based on hard data derived from many experienced geologists working in the private sector and from publications of state and federal government agencies.