The Benefits of the SDCP
The Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP) will conserve the natural resources in Pima County by addressing conservation on the regional level. By taking into account the ecosystem we will ensure that environment remains viable and will continue to benefit the animal & plant species, as well as the people who call Pima County their home.
Living in the desert we all must consider the availability of water and the best uses for it. This complex issue will not be wholly addressed by the SDCP, but it does play apart in why the SDCP is necessary. The recently published book, Nature-Friendly Communities, by Christopher Duerksen and Cara Snyder, touches on this aspect in the chapter about Pima County, it states:
…county staff point out that water is currently the most restrictive factor here. About 200,000 developable acres are in the Conservation Land System (CLS), a system that designated habitat to be protected in the county. About 285,000 acres are outside the CLS, which means that 485,000 acres are available to develop. Current water supplies can serve only about 265,000 acres of development at current rates of density. The issue of how to balance the right to develop property with the right of citizens to direct growth thus becomes complicated by water scarcity. In this region they do not just need environmental protection for its "feel-good" aspects, they need it for health and water…
The SDCP also identifies riparian areas, or washes, as a protection priority. By protecting these areas we protect natural water recharge. Conservation allows for the environment to naturally filter water and control the flow of storm water, which can be devastating during periods of heavy rain.
The SDCP will move towards the creation of a connected preserve throughout the county. This will be accomplished through open space acquisitions, development set aside guidelines, conservation easements, and other tools. The creation and preservation of open space benefits all communities in Pima County. Studies by the Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy state that the protection of open spaces is necessary to safeguard a high quality of life. They state that this is highly important for attracting employers and employees to communities in California.
The SDCP will ensure that future growth, for the next fifty years, will be planned, where previously growth has gone unchecked. We will ensure that the natural areas are able to continue to benefit us. By steering development to less sensitive areas where development already occurs, the tax payers save money by utilizing current infrastructure instead of building new infrastructure.
Tourists from around the country and world visit this region every year to visit natural areas. For example, we find ourselves in one of the most popular birding areas in the country. This brings in individuals and the largest birding association in the country often holds their annuals conference here. These folks contribute to our local economy during their visits. Putting money into local business and adding to the sales tax base.
Land Conservation is necessary to ensure that the plants and animals remain viable in an intact ecosystem, but we also benefit from conservation in multiple ways. Click here to support the Coalition and the SDCP.
The SDCP makes sense for the health of the desert and for our health as well.
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