Webinar: From a Single Species Problem to a Landscape Conservation Plan: [...]
Channel: Conservation and Adaptation Resources Toolbox
Date: 01/07/2015

DLCC Webinar: From a Single Species "Problem" to a Landscape Conservation Plan: Pima County's Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan

Tue Jun 2, 2015 11am – 12pm Central Time

Abstract:
Pima County, Arizona is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States and is located in one of the most ecologically diverse areas of the country. In 1997, development activities were slowed as a result of the listing of the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl (Glaucidium brasilianum cactorum) as a federally endangered species. This tiny owl became a catalyst for a landscape-level plan known as the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP). The development of the SDCP has been an iterative process whereby planning tools were developed using science-based principles, shaped by public input and review, and subsequently refined into proposals that reflect community values. Many SDCP initiatives have been implemented including a major update of the County’s Comprehensive Plan, land protection priorities, purchase and lease of over 200,000 acres of open space, and ranch and cultural conservation. Brian’s talk will highlight key features of and lessons learned about the development, implementation, and future direction of the SDCP and how this experience could help promote conservation efforts across a larger landscape.

About the Presenter:
Brian Powell is a Program Coordinator with the Pima County Office of Sustainability and Conservation. Before coming to Pima County in 2007, Brian led a multi-year vertebrate and plant inventory project for the National Park Service. Brian received his MS from the University of Arizona (School of Natural Resources and the Environment) and his Bachelor’s degree at the Evergreen State College.