What comes next in the SDCP?
What comes next in the SDCP?
Pima County is now entering the last eight to twelve months of the public process for adopting the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. We believe that the end result will be a landmark agreement between Pima County, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, state and federal agencies, and various municipal governments; and that when this visionary model plan is completed, it will serve as a model for other communities embarking on systematic habitat conservation plans for protecting biologically important and sensitive areas throughout the west and across the Nation.
The third draft of the Multipli-Species Conservation Plan (MSCP) , which is the section of the SDCP that will spell out the conservation goals of the SDCP, has been released and been publicly commented on. The county is currently working on the final draft of the MSHCP and will open the comment period after its release. The final draft will go the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for review and approval.
The final comment period will be the best chance we have to weigh in and force the county to make any necessary changes to ensure that the highest level of conservation is achieved!
When the comment period opens we will be urging our supporters, supporters of our member groups, and the general public to support the "Community Vision" of the SDCP by contacting the Pima County Board of Supervisors and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. This Vision will ensure that all necessary technical aspects are included in the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.
The Community Vision includes points on:
- Acquisition of the most biologically important lands
- Outline specific conservation goals for each of the 55 species covered
- Voluntary incentive & regulations for landowners to protect important lands
- Formation of mitigation banks
- Proper management and monitoring of protected lands
- Provide assured funding to the SDCP
- Improve and simplify current land use codes
- Allow for periodic independent review of the plan's progress
Click here to see the entire Community Vision
Because many of the details of the plan will be finalized this year, Pima County will need to hear as much support as possible for the SDCP- otherwise, they may succumb to pressure from opponents into short-changing the goals of the plan and our community's quality of life.
If you are not on our contact list, please contact Sean or sign up for our e-Newsletter and we will let you know when and how to make your voice heard.
Show that you care about your future, your children's future, and the community we all share - before it's too late.
Page last modified: April 19, 2006 at 04:27 PM