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.

Pima County's level of service standards tend to be low compared to other jurisdictions and compared to benchmarking information. This is not a surprising result, given the County's expenditures per capita are far below those of county governments in other parts of the United States that are experiencing growth pressures. A concurrency management system will bring service levels in line with population demands.