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- All Subjects: Endangered species
- All Subjects: Range management
- Creators: Pima County (Ariz.). County Administrator's Office
Through the conservation of ranchland in eastern Pima County, the metropolitan urban boundary is better defined, vast landscapes of open space retain their integrity and the heritage and culture of the West is preserved.
To prevent unwanted urban sprawl and unregulated development, it is most important that Pima County encourage and retain viable ranches. Ranching is a significant land use that has served to protect our natural open space, and it continues to be an important traditional industry that has shaped the rural landscape.
The pygmy-owl was listed as endangered in 1997, but notice of the potential listing dates back to 1989. This paper provides a report on pygmy-owl research and rulings, evaluates whether the efforts of the community are leading to the recovery, downlisting and delisting of the pygmy-owl, and concludes that with the exception of valuable in-kind services of the Arizona Game and Fish Department pygmy-owl biologist, meaningful financial support for research and conservation planning efforts has been limited to federal and County contributions.
Recommends which of the over 100 vulnerable species of concern in Pima County should be considered for coverage under the County's future permit and further analyze approximately 50 animals and plants as potentially covered species under the multi-species conservation plan.
Identifies key potential threats and stressors to vulnerable species in Pima County, and to the biological and hydrological resources that support these species. Emphasis has been placed on identifying the specific components of past, existing, and proposed land and water uses that pose the greatest potential threats over the next 30 years to focal species and special habitats, plant associations, and communities.
The most complete version assembled of the story of the 56 plants and animals in Pima County that are in need of protection under the SDCP. Three years ago when discussions began about creating a multi-species protection plan, there was no comprehensive inventory of the resource base.
Species re-establishment is the attempt to establish a species in an area which was once part of its historical range, but from which it has been extirpated or become extinct in the wild. Pima County and other agencies have proposed to re-establish species at a number of sites. Relevant laws and regulations governing re-establishment efforts are discussed. Case studies illustrate how previous efforts have been conducted and how the populations have fared.
Demonstrates that an effort to protect only listed species would lead to a reserve that was closer to the urbanizing areas of Tucson, and therefore more expensive. The Listed Species Reserve is also one that makes a call on more non-federal land. By limiting the focus of the reserve to listed species, the broader and long term benefits are lost, and trade-offs of high potential habitat are not based on such comprehensive biological principles.
By including ranch lands as a landscape form worthy of protection and preservation, Pima County formalized its commitment to keep ranchers ranching as a way of achieving multiple community goals, including conserving natural and cultural resources, preserving open spaces, and defining urban form.
A companion to the Preliminary Ranch Conservation Element, this report brings together leaders in the area of ranch conservation and compiles their expert writings on ecological and economic sustainability in ranching.