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Pima County releases Aquatic Species Management Plan
In July 2019, as part of the continued implementation of their Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSCP), Pima County released a new Aquatic Species Management Plan. According to Pima County Environmental Planning Manager, Julia Fonseca:
“The Plan identifies opportunities for releasing target species on County-managed conservation lands where they do not currently occur.
The Plan inventoried streams, springs, stock tanks and large ponds for opportunities for releasing target species where they do not currently occur. Species with the most release opportunities are the Gila topminnow (15 sites) and Huachuca water umbel (14 sites). The most widespread target species on County conservation lands is the lowland leopard frog; there are eight additional sites available for future releases of this species. Opportunities at small, confined sites also exist, like the recent release of topminnow and umbel species at Mission Garden.
The Plan is a required element of the Multi-species Conservation Plan (MSCP). It supports implementation of Arizona Game and Fish Department’s (AZGFD’s) priorities for the Santa Cruz watershed, as well as recovery objectives established by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The Plan does not direct, authorize or fund any particular action on land owned or managed by Pima County or the Regional Flood Control District. Implementation will depend on partnerships with AZGFD and other conservation partners over the 30-year term of the MSCP.
The Plan includes guidelines prepared by USFWS for construction of wildlife-friendly water features. These guidelines may be of interest to private property owners who wish to maximize benefits and minimize risks to Arizona’s wildlife.”
We commend Pima County for their continued implementation of the MSCP since it was approved by the USFWS in 2016. And thank you for supporting the conservation of our must vulnerable Sonoran Desert wildlife species through our work advocating for the MSCP since 2000.
You can learn more about the MSCP at our Habitat Conservation Planning webpage.
Pima County releases report on 2018 MSCP achievements
Last month, Pima County’s Office of Sustainability and Conservation released their latest annual report outlining the achievements of their Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan. According to an email from Environmental Planning Manager Julia Fonseca:
“Notable achievements during calendar year 2018 included:
• The Section 10 permit covered impacts of 44 private development projects.
• Forty-seven County Capital Improvement Projects were covered by the permit during calendar year 2018.
• A total of 974 acres of mitigation land was required to offset public and private impacts to habitat. Over 4,000 acres is being allocated in the San Pedro and Cienega Creek valleys to compensate for current and future years of habitat loss.
• The Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) estimates that the Section 10 permit saved them $200,000 in direct costs and $1.5 million indirectly due to avoided delays with one project.
• The County developed a procedure allowing private developments to rely on Certificates of Coverage to streamline compliance with certain provisions of the County’s Native Plant Preservation Ordinance.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and USFWS allowed a developer to rely on Certificates of Coverage to meet mitigation obligations for the Pima Pineapple Cactus under an existing Section 404 permit. This saved the developer an estimated $280,000.
• The County RFCD reported a substantial increase in the number of riparian habitat reviews over last year. Over 95% of applicants avoided impacting regulated riparian habitat, resulting in 2,196 instances of avoidance.
• Pima County staff, contractors, and volunteers removed or treated approximately 1,300 acres of buffelgrass on County preserve lands, and 90 tons of garbage from illegal dumpsites.
During the past year, Office of Sustainability and Conservation staff made 1,193 separate observations on Covered Species. For me, one of the fun outcomes of staff’s efforts are their incidental observations, for instance this video of rattlesnake courtship at https://www.facebook.com/pimac
The full 2018 MSCP Annual Report and 2018 MSCP Progress Report can be found HERE.
Lesser long-nosed bat removed from Endangered Species List
A lesser long-nosed bat pollinates a saguaro cactus flower. Photo courtesy Merlin B. Tuttle/Bat Conservation International.
Last month, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced that the lesser long-nosed is being removed from the endangered species list. The lesser-long nosed bat is one of Pima County’s Priority Vulnerable Species and is covered by the Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan.
More than anything, we are glad the bats are doing well! We support efforts to protect the bats and their maternity roosts and are pleased that this has led to increased populations. However, with climate change and other anthropogenic threats, we are cautiously optimistic that this de-listing was not premature. We’ll keep you updated as any more news is released about this important desert wildlife species. For a recent news article about the delisting, head here.
Pima County Publishes 2017 Annual Report on the Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan
In early March, Pima County published its 2017 Annual Report on the Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan. According to Pima County, highlights of the report include:
- The permit was used to cover impacts of 14 private development projects and 33 County Capital Improvement Projects.
- Over 200 acres of land has been allocated as mitigation so far, triggering an obligation to develop a new management plan for the Bingham Cienega Natural Preserve, a key protected area located along the San Pedro River.
- The Gila topminnow has colonized the effluent-dominated stretch of the Santa Cruz River downstream of Tucson.
- Pima County Regional Flood Control District received an in-stream flow certificate to protect water for wildlife at Buehman Canyon.
- Staff provided the first set of Biennial Inspection Reports to Arizona Land and Water Trust as evidence of our responsibility to uphold the restrictions placed on thousands of acres of mitigation lands.
- Cactus ferruginous pygmy owls were detected at least once on all properties surveyed for that species in the Altar Valley. No owls were detected in the Tucson Mountain Park.
- Tucson Audubon Society and County staff found yellow-billed cuckoos in three County riparian areas.
- County staff implemented a geodatabase housing all observations of MSCP Covered Species.
- In partnership with the National Park Service and Tucson Audubon Society, the first set of long-term soil and vegetation monitoring plots were set up and completed.
- The County has convened a new panel of experts to help inform our monitoring efforts. Please welcome: Angela Dahlby, Gita Bodner, Carianne Campbell, Andy Hubbard, Shawn Lowery, Cheryl McIntyre, and Don Swann to the new Science and Technical Advisory Team.
- The County hired Karen Simms—formerly with U. S. Bureau of Land Management—to head the Natural Resources division at the Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Department.
Check out the full report here.
Pima County publishes its first “Annual Report” on the Multi-Species Conservation Plan
March 23, 2017
At the end of February, Pima County published its first required “Annual Report” on the implementation of the Multi-Species Conservation Plan (or MSCP). The MSCP was almost 18 years in the making and provides mitigation for impacts to 44 species in Pima County, seven of which are currently listed as endangered (scientists determined that the remaining species could become endangered over the 30-year life of the plan). The Coalition was an involved partner in the MSCP every step of the way and, with your support, advocated for the strongest conservation measures possible to be included in the plan. We continue to partner with Pima County as they implement the plan – in February, we facilitated an overflight of Pima County conservation lands by Pima County staff so they could do a “saguaro count” to assess habitat conditions. The flight was provided for free by LightHawk, Inc.
A few notable milestones outlined in the Annual Report include:
- In October 2016, Pima County permanently protected mitigation lands owned by the County or the Regional Flood Control District with restrictive covenants. This is something the Coalition strongly advocated for and we were very pleased when it finally happened.
- Private lands voluntary coverage officially began on January 9, 2017.
- The Bingham Cienega property was chosen as the first official mitigation property for impacts to habitat.
To read the full MSCP Annual report, head here.
And thank you again for all your support of the MSCP and the Coalition’s advocacy and involvement in this award-winning conservation plan!
