Date: August 3, 1999
       
To: The Honorable Chair and Members
Pima County Board of Supervisors		 From: C.H. Huckelberry
County Administrator
   


Re: Attached Report -- Mountain Parks and the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan

I. Background

The attached discussion paper entitled Mountain Parks and the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan describes the relation of the current and proposed system of mountain parks and preserves to the ongoing multi-species conservation planning process and the larger Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. In the last two years, the listing of the pygmy-owl as an endangered species has created substantial federal compliance concerns for the region. Many people now understand that the establishment of a science-based preserve to reflect the region's commitment to effective multi-species conservation will lead to the issuance of a federal permit that will provide regulatory relief and greater economic certainty. Under this permit, business interests will be able to pursue land uses which impact habitat, so long as defined conservation standards are met. Before reserving open space became a condition of federal compliance, Pima County had a strong interest in the topic. In fact, the roots of Pima County_s mountain park and natural preserve system can be found in the creation of Tucson Mountain Park, which was established by the Pima County Board of Supervisors on April 11, 1929. Since that time, two more mountain parks and a natural preserve have been added to the County's system, and the system's functions and goals have evolved over time to include:

What we have learned from the federal listing of eighteen species in Pima County, the decline in many other wildlife populations, and the substantial loss of riparian habitat and other plant communities within the region, is that Pima County's incremental approach to conservation over the last 70 years has not been sufficient.

Regardless of the amount of open space that exists across Pima County, we have not assembled an open space system that effectively preserves and conserves local species. The Science Technical Advisory Team for the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan has identified nearly 75 plants and animals as species of concern. Our riparian environments have experienced an estimated loss of 85 to 95% of quality riparian habitat during the last century, while an estimated 85% of wildlife depends on riparian habitat for some part of its life cycle. There are reasons for the mismatch between past preservation efforts and the reality of our declining natural systems.

The difficult inheritance of past conservation decision making is that as a rule, federal and local public parks were established without a full understanding of the relationship between open space and species conservation, and, as currently configured, they simply will not support suites of species. This applies to parks on a national scale, and it is true in Pima County too. Unlike many communities, however, Pima County still has the opportunity to assemble an effective preserve. We are fortunate to have a number of open space areas, often connected by riparian linkages. The County's parks and preserve system is flexible so that a future open space and preserve system involving federal, state, and private land can include County-owned land managed at the level of conservation that is necessary. This gives the community an opportunity to meet conservation compliance requirements at a regional level, in part through the County's parks and preserve system, while at the same time creating and implementing an adaptive management strategy which can adjust over time to actually improve implementation of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan as better scientific information becomes available. The attached report begins to suggest where connections exist and it provides a preliminary look at the resources within existing and proposed parks and preserves, based on current management and planning documents. The comprehensive biological assessment conducted as part of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan is expected to result in changes to proposed preserve boundaries and preserve management. This report simply frames planning possibilities by outlining the known potential of twelve park and preserve areas in Eastern Pima County.

II. Potential to Protect, Enhance and Create Mountain Parks and Preserves

Since the establishment of Tucson Mountain Park in 1929, Pima County_s mountain parks and natural preserves have played an important and diverse role in the life of the community. This role will be expanded with the development of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan through the design and implementation of a comprehensive open space parks and preserve system that meets endangered species compliance standards for the region. Twelve potential parks and preserves are described below in order to facilitate discussion of the regional reserve network.

1. Tucson Mountain Park -- The 18,422.4-acre Tucson Mountain Park, formed from volcanic and fault block activity that began an estimated 70 million years ago, is presently Pima County's largest Natural Resource Park and is one of Tucson's most-visited natural areas. Pima County manages 2,514 acres owned by the Bureau of Reclamation adjacent to the western boundary of the park. Saguaro National Park adjoins the County park to the north, adding 24,034 acres to this area. The acquisition of approximately 3,615 acres of high resource land has been discussed to create corridors which will prevent this area from becoming a biological island surrounded by development.

The vegetation within the Tucson Mountains is classified as a subtropical desertland located within the Arizona Upland subdivision of the Sonoran Desert. A variety of plant communities and associations are represented within this category, with the most prevalent being the palo verde-saguaro association. Several uncommon species, including night-blooming cereus and Tumamoc globeberry, are known to occur. The park is home to large and healthy populations of saguaro, prickly pear, barrel, cholla and ocotillo cactus, mesquite, palo verde and ironwood trees, and a variety of other Sonoran desert vegetation.

Animal species found in the park include coyotes, javelina, cottontail and jackrabbits, and mule deer. Other noteworthy wildlife found in the park include bobcats, gray foxes, mountain lions, desert tortoises, gila monsters and a variety of bats and bird species. More than 230 vertebrate species are common to the area, as well as literally thousands of invertebrates. Sensitive species that may be found in the park include the Lesser long-nosed bat and the California leaf-nosed bat. The possibility that the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl may use the park, and the suitability of its habitat for this listed endangered species, led to the inclusion of Tucson Mountain Park in Unit 2 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's recent critical habitat designation for the owl.

Cultural resources -- Tucson Mountain Park contains a variety of valuable cultural resources, including prehistoric archaeological sites, rock art sites, historic structures, old mines and trails, traditional O'odham saguaro fruit gathering sites and other traditional cultural places, and natural features of the land that together form a significant cultural and historic landscape.

Recreation potential -- The park includes 26 miles of trails open to hikers, equestrians and mountain bicyclists, an archery range, a rifle range, a campground and picnic areas, and is home to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Sonoran Arthropod Research Institute, and Old Tucson Studios.

2. Tortolita Mountain Park -- Tortolita Mountain Park was established in 1986, when the Pima County Board of Supervisors approved the expenditure of 1986 bond funds to acquire 3,055.75 acres of private property in the rugged backcountry of the Tortolita Mountains for park purposes. The first 2,426.75 acres was purchased in 1986, and another 629 acres was added in 1988. Several recent acquisitions have brought Pima County's current holdings in the Tortolitas to 3,445.75 acres. The Tortolita Mountains are one of the oldest geological features in the Tucson area, and include 4,651 foot tall Tortolitas Peak, the highest point in the range. On November 10, 1998, the Board approved County applications to the Arizona Preserve Initiative to expand Tortolita Mountain Park by 25,744 acres. The application includes the Tortolita alluvial fan and Ironwood Forest area, which would serve as a key area for the recovery of the pygmy-owl.

Vegetative communities located within the present boundary of the park include Sonoran Desertscrub, Paloverde-Cacti-Mixed Scrub Series, Interior Chaparral, Scrub Oak Series, Sonoran Riparian Deciduous Forest and Woodland, Mesquite Series; Sonoran Riparian Deciduous Forest and Woodland, Cottonwood-Willow Series, and Sonoran Riparian Scrubland, Mixed Scrub Series. The majority of the park is considered to be within the Sonoran Desertscrub biotic community. The alluvial fan area is home to a large and impressive ironwood forest, and some of the trees within the forest are believed to be hundreds of years old. The density and superlative quality of the ironwood forest make it prime potential habitat for the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl, and led to its inclusion in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's critical habitat designation for the owl. While Park's staff knows of no special status plant species identified within the current boundaries of the park, the lands do contain large, undisturbed, healthy stands of saguaro, barrel, ocotillo and cholla cactus, mesquite, palo verde and ironwood trees, as well as a wide variety of native grasses, bushes and other plants.

Animal species -- The Tortolita Mountains area supports a wide range of wildlife, and is capable of supporting certain special status wildlife species. The park's proposed expansion lands contain habitat considered suitable for the pygmy-owl. The Sonoran desert tortoise, a species of special concern, is commonly found within the kind of Paloverde-Cacti Mixed Scrub Series habitat found in and around the park, and may be present there. Other special status wildlife found on and around the subject lands include the American peregrine falcon, the Lesser long-nosed bat, the Mexican long-tongued bat, and the California leaf-tongued bat. A wildlife survey conducted as a part of the master planning process for the park in 1996 identified a wide range of animal and bird species, including mountain lion, peccary, mule deer, and large numbers of birds and lizards. The Tortolita Mountains are also home to a small herd of wild horses--one of the few such herds remaining in southern Arizona.

Cultural resources -- The Tortolita Mountains area is rich in cultural resources. Evidence of occupation by Hohokam Indians can be found throughout the area. On the eastern side of the park, the most significant resource is the large and well-known "Indian Town" site, which is the park's first priority acquisition area. However, this area has not yet been systematically surveyed, and additional sites are expected to exist -- particularly along Honeybee Canyon and Sausalito Creek within the adopted park expansion boundary, and along Big Wash in the proposed Tortolita East Biological Corridor.

3. Colossal Cave Mountain Park -- At 2,038 acres, Colossal Cave is Pima County's smallest existing mountain park, but it too has the potential to grow considerably to meet the region's conservation goals in the Rincon Valley area. While best known for the tourist attraction from which it draws its name, the park has outstanding scenic resources, and includes the 1870s Posta Quemada Ranch. As might be expected from a park that features a natural cave, the geology of Colossal Cave Mountain Park is extraordinary, and is undoubtedly its most significant characteristic. According to experts who have conducted studies on the site, the park's geology is uncommonly diverse, and represents a "mosaic" array of 20 different geologic units. Honoring a request received during the public comment period, the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan suggests, for planning purposes, that the park be expanded by 14,160 acres in addition to the 4,814 acres recommended by County staff.

Vegetation -- Colossal Cave Mountain Park is also notable for its wide range of vegetative communities. This exceptional diversity can be attributed to its variety of rock and soil types (21 soil types occur within the park's planning area), as well as to the fact that the park is located in a transition area between the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts, and includes some of the characteristics of both regions. Six vegetative communities have been identified within the park's planning area, including the Creosote Bush, Palo Verde-Saguaro, Chihuahuan Desertscrub, Semidesert Grassland, Deciduous Riparian Forest, and Evergreen Woodland associations.

Animal species -- Special status wildlife species that are known to occur in the park include the desert tortoise, the American peregrine falcon, the Lesser long-nosed bat, the Mexican long-tongued bat, the California leaf-nosed bat, the western red bat, and Townsend's big-eared bat. The species that inhabit the park range from predatory mammals such as ringtail cats and mountain lions to at least 11 species of bats. The park is especially diverse in bird and reptile species, at least partly owing to the lush riparian habitat in the Posta Quemada Wash and along the nearby Agua Verde Creek.

Cultural resources -- Colossal Cave and the area surrounding it, including the suggested expansion lands, have considerable archeological and historical significance. The lands, with natural springs and riparian corridors, have long attracted the interest of humans and were inhabited for an extended period. To date, 13 prehistoric sites have been identified in vicinity of the park and the adjacent Pistol Hill area.

Recreation potential -- Colossal Cave Mountain Park presently offers a wide range of passive recreation opportunities, including picnicking, birdwatching, hiking, horseback riding and camping.

4. Cienega Creek Natural Preserve --The 3,979-acre Cienega Creek Natural Preserve was Pima County's first Natural Preserve. The Preserve encompasses approximately 12 miles of the Cienega Creek, and roughly half of the protected stretch of the creek experiences perennial stream flow. Important purposes served by keeping this reach of the Cienega Creek in its existing undiminished state are the facilitation of natural aquifer recharge, and the assistance it offers in lessening the severity of flood events capable of impacting the developed area of the Tucson Basin. The utility of the Preserve's flood control capability alone makes it of exceptional value to the Tucson metro area. The lands within the preserve are in excellent natural condition, and few man-made improvements exist within its boundaries. The most significant of the existing improvements is the Vail Water Company diversion, where the perennial base flows of the river are diverted and carried off the preserve via a pipeline. For purposes of planning, the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan suggests the expansion of the preserve by 7,293 acres, and the protection of Mescal Arroyo which links to Cienega Creek, adding another 1,856 acres to the preserve.

Vegetation - The preserve, which is located within a transitional zone between the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts and thus exhibits some of the features of each region, is home to nine plant associations. These associations include:

Two special status plants are known to occur in the area, and the possibility exists that these plants may exist in the preserve and/or on the preserve_s adjacent expansion lands identified in the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan: the Needle-Spined Pineapple Cactus and the Pima Pineapple Cactus. The Pima Pineapple Cactus is a listed endangered species.

Animal species -- Two principal types of wildlife habitat exist within the existing boundary of the preserve and on its surrounding expansion lands -- those associated with the preserve's riparian areas, and those associated with its upland areas. The more significant of the two are the habitats associated with the preserve's riparian areas, because of the high level of biological productivity and species diversity they foster. As a result of its quality, the preserve's wildlife habitat sustains a diverse and large population of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Two special status species are know to exist in the preserve: the Lowland leopard frog and the Mexican garter snake. Other special status or species of concern may also be present in the preserve: the Mexican long-tongued bat, the Gila chub, the Gila topminnow, the Lesser long-nosed bat, and the Sonoran desert tortoise.

Recreation potential -- The Cienega Creek Natural Preserve's lush vegetation and scenic values, clean running water, outstanding mountain vistas, and sense of solitude and natural quiet make it a very attractive place to visit. However, because resource protection is the principal imperative in the preserve, recreational activities are limited to those that do not adversely impact its sensitive resources:

Access is limited to 50 people per day, and a permit is required to enter the preserve. Presently about 10 people per weekday visit the Cienega Preserve.

5. Catalina State Park Expansion -- The 5,511-acre Catalina State Park is situated in the western foothills of the Catalina Mountains adjacent to the Town of Oro Valley between the Coronado National Forest and the Oracle Highway. Catalina State Park's position and significance in the regional open space network led to its inclusion in both the 1997 Open Space Bond Program and the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan. The Bond Program identified about 1000 acres, and the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan identified approximately 2,500 acres of property north of the park for possible protection. The central purpose of the proposed expansion is to facilitate the establishment of a biological corridor that would link the Coronado National Forest, the Sutherland Basin, and Catalina State Park to the Tortolita East Biological Corridor and the Tortolita Mountains.

Vegetation -- Sections of two major wash corridors -- the Canada del Oro and the Sutherland washes--pass through the park, which protects the valuable riparian habitat within them. These washes and their tributaries support an extensive mesquite bosque. Other plant associations that occur within the park's riparian community include Arizona ash, cottonwood, sycamore, desert willow, oak, netleaf hackberry, Arizona walnut and Arizona cypress. Other major vegetation types found in the park include desert scrub, desert grassland, and foothill communities.

Animal species -- Species typically found throughout Catalina State Park and on the park's proposed northern expansion lands include javelina, coyote, jackrabbit, cottontail, bobcat, skunk, squirrels, mule deer, and bats, as well as a multiplicity of snakes, lizards and birds. The park provides habitat for migratory neotropical birds and also wintering peregrine falcon. Desert bighorn sheep have been sighted in the park and on surrounding lands in the past, although their numbers have declined to a bare few in recent years. The park's northern expansion lands contain habitat considered suitable for the endangered cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl. The Sonoran desert tortoise, a species of special concern, can be found within the habitat that exists in the area, and could conceivably be present on the expansion lands. Other special status wildlife that may exist on and around the subject expansion lands include the American peregrine falcon, the Lesser long-nosed bat, the Mexican long-tongued bat, and the California leaf-tongued bat.

Cultural resources -- The lands presently within the boundaries of Catalina State Park are home to a wide range of valuable cultural resources. Investigations conducted by the Arizona State Museum and others have found tools, flakes and projectile points that are believed to date back to 5000 B.C. These investigations also suggest that the area was occupied by Hohokam Indians from about 300 B.C. to around 1500 A.D. Some 38 archeological sites have been located and recorded in the park, the most significant of which is the Romero Ruin or "Pueblo Viejo." The Romero Ruin is a classic Hohokam habitation site and historic ranch compound that covers approximately 30 acres, and features a stone compound wall, several rooms of stone masonry construction, rock and trash mounds, rock alignments that are believed to have been irrigation troughs, and two depressions that may have been used as ball courts.

Recreation potential -- Catalina State Park offers approximately 12 miles of recreational trail opportunities for hikers, equestrians and mountain bicyclists.

6. Waterman-Roskruge Mountain Park -- Pima County's proposed Waterman-Roskruge Mountain Park occupies a large part of the western portion of the Avra Valley and is situated approximately 5 miles west of Tucson Mountain Park and the Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro National Park. At 56,031 acres in total size, Waterman-Roskruge Mountain Park, which is composed of a pair of connecting ranges -- the Waterman Mountains and the Roskruge Mountains -- will be one of the largest of Pima County's mountain parks, and more than twice the size of Tucson Mountain Park. The lands within the park boundary include 40,560 acres presently administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 12,460 acres of State Trust Lands, and 3,011 acres of private property. An attractive feature of the proposed park is the fact that it is bounded on the south and west by the Schuk Toak District of the Tohono O'odham Nation, which provides an opportunity to partner with the Nation in the interest of cultural and natural resource protection. The proposed park is anchored by two connecting low mountain ranges -- the Waterman Mountains, which are limestone-based, and the Roskrouge Mountains, an area volcanic in nature. Limestone mountains are unusual in the Sonoran Desert, and this characteristic contributes to the range's plant diversity. The highest point in the park is Waterman Peak, which rises to 3,808 feet.

Vegetation -- The park's Sonoran desertscrub vegetation, which includes both upland and riparian habitat, is dense and generally in excellent natural condition. The park supports a wide variety of plant and animal life. The area's notable vegetative diversity includes two very important cactus species -- the Nichol's Turk's head cactus, and the Pima pineapple cactus. Both are listed endangered species, and comprise two of the six types of endangered cacti that can be found within the state of Arizona. The Pima Indian mallow, a plant species of special concern, can also be found within the park.

Animal species -- Typical wildlife species that can be found inside the proposed park include desert tortoise, mule deer, bobcats, javelina, coyote, desert cottontail, and gray fox. A small herd of bighorn sheep visits the range from the nearby Silverbell Mountains from time to time. Migratory neotropical birds, Harris's hawks and burrowing owls are among the abundant bird life in the park, which may also include the endangered cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl.

Recreation potential -- The existing recreation pattern on the lands is sparse, owing to the distance of the site from metropolitan Tucson and the fact that the recreation opportunities in the area are little known. However, small numbers of hikers, equestrians, explorers and birdwatchers and mountain bicyclists presently use the area, as do off-highway vehicles, particularly ATVs.

7. Santa Rita Mountain Park -- The proposed 10,703-acre Santa Rita mountain park is situated in the picturesque foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains south of Sahuarita Road and west of Davidson Canyon. The extensive natural resources encompassed by the Santa Rita Mountain Park include Fagan Lake, a man-made pond just outside the Coronado National Forest.

Vegetation -- The dominant vegetative community within the park is Semi-desert grassland that includes a variety of grasses, including grama grasses at higher elevations. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the parklands formerly featured an oak savannah with large trees; however, the agency believes that this plant community has been diminished over time. Lehmann's lovegrass, an exotic grass species, has infiltrated the park and continues to propagate.

Animal species -- One of the most notable features of the Santa Rita Mountains is the tremendous diversity of wildlife that inhabits the range. In addition to the usual desert species that can be found in the area, such as mule deer, white-tailed deer, javelina, quail, cottontails and the like, the area is also home to the Mexican opossum, the coatimundi and mountain lions. A large variety of birds can also be found in the area, including hummingbirds, several kinds of hawks, Golden eagles, and the tropical kingbird. Reptiles are also plentiful, and include several kinds of rattlesnakes, frogs such as the lowland leopard frog, (a species of special concern) and the western barking frog, gila monsters, and the Sonoran desert tortoise. The area is noteworthy for its large population of bats, which features the Mexican long-tongued bat, the Pale Townsend's big-eared bat, the California leaf-nosed bat, the Ghost-faced bat, and the Western red bat. The Santa Ritas may also support a broad range of threatened and endangered species. Listed-endangered species known or believed to exist in the range and on surrounding lands include the American peregrine falcon, the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl, the jaguarundi, the Lesser long-nosed bat, the pima pineapple cactus, and the Gila topminnow. Listed-threatened species include the Mexican spotted owl.

Recreation potential -- The area is presently lightly used for recreational purposes, partially because of its distance from urban Tucson and partially because it is not well-known. The park does have several existing primitive roads and trails, some of which are listed on the Eastern Pima County Trail System Master Plan.

8. Davidson Canyon Natural Preserve -- Davidson Canyon is a broad, deep and impressive natural wash corridor approximately 12 miles long that contains high-quality riparian habitat and is extraordinarily picturesque. The canyon, situated a short distance east of the Sonoita Highway and south of Cienega Creek, connects the Cienega Creek Natural Preserve with the Nogales Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest. The proposed Davidson Canyon Natural Preserve, a 6,191-acre unit, and would encompass the roughly 11 miles or so of the canyon not presently protected by Pima County or any other land management agency. The preserve's significance as a corridor between protected natural areas is difficult to overstate; no other linkage proposed in the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan would connect as many existing or proposed units. The canyon's hydrologic characteristics are also important. Davidson Canyon collects drainage from the northeastern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains and the northern and western faces of the Empire Mountains, and this runoff ultimately flows into Cienega Creek and through the Tucson Basin. Protecting the canyon in its natural form will maintain its important flood control capacity, as well as its natural recharge capabilities.

Vegetation -- The Davidson Canyon Natural Preserve encompasses both riparian and Sonoran Desert upland habitat, and its plant associations include the Velvet Mesquite-Mixed Scrub Association, Velvet Mesquite Association, Burroweed-Mesquite Association and the Creosote Association. The canyon's riparian habitat and spring-fed stream flows are its most significant and valuable features. Like the Cienega Creek corridor, the canyon's interior hosts an exceptional variety of plant and animal species, including velvet mesquite, whitethorn and catclaw acacia, cottonwood trees, seepwillow, saltbush, desert hackberry, graythorn, prickly pear, sacaton and deergrass. Upland plant species include the mesquite, palo verde, creosote, barrel cactus, ocotillo, yucca, and potentially the Pima Pineapple cactus, a listed endangered species.

Animal species -- Wildlife species likely to be found within Davidson Canyon include endangered leopard frogs, fish such as the long-finned dace and potentially the endangered Gila topminnow, waterbirds, Mexican garter snakes, coyote, gray fox, skunk, collared peccary, bobcat, mule deer, and several varieties of bats, including the Mexican long-tongued bat. The Canyon's scenic values are another of its outstanding natural resources.

Recreation potential -- Davidson Canyon presently experiences only a small amount of recreational use. The area provides scenic hiking and horseback riding opportunities, but is not easily accessible south of I-10 and is not well known.

9. Cerro Colorado Mountain Park -- Compared to the sprawling mountain ranges that house other county mountain parks, the Cerro Colorado Mountains, which cover an area of about 13 square miles, are relatively small. Despite its less-than-imposing stature, this compact range, named for its rocky red volcanic form, is among the most scenic and biologically diverse in southern Arizona. The craggy peaks of the Cerro Colorados, located less than 6 miles due south of the Sierrita Mountains and immediately north of the Arivaca Road, rise above the surrounding countryside to a height of 5,319 feet.

Vegetation -- Plant communities in the mountains and its surrounding area include grasslands at lower elevations, as well as additional grassland and the Madrean evergreen-oak community at higher elevations. The Pima pineapple cactus, a listed endangered plant species, exists in the area and may also occur within the boundaries of the park.

Animal Species -- The Cerro Colorados boast an impressive roster of wildlife species, including, as previously noted, mule deer, white-trail deer, javelinas, and coatimundis, as well as cliff- dwelling raptors such as the rarely-seen golden eagle. Special status wildlife species in the area include the spotted jaguar and the masked bob-white quail--both of which are listed endangered species--and the Northern gray hawk, Pale Townsend's big-eared bat and Sonoran desert tortoise, all species of special concern. The proposed park will also protect a key portion of the area's watershed. The Cerro Colorado's watershed features are of critical importance because they help sustain several nearby riparian areas, including riparian habitat in the nearby Buenos Aires Preserve. Wildlife authorities have noted that this habitat is especially important for migrating neotropical birds.

Recreation potential -- The Cerro Colorado Mountain Range and its surrounding area offers excellent recreation potential. Its remote location and unspoiled surroundings, located a considerable distance from any significant urbanization, are an ideal setting for a county mountain park, and will offer outstanding opportunities for solitude and natural quiet.

10. Buehman-Bingham Natural Preserve -- The proposed 7,489-acre Buehman-Bingham Natural Preserve would assure a permanent, viable link between the Catalina Mountains and the San Pedro River corridor and the protection of the sensitive plant and wildlife resources that presently exist in this area.

Vegetation -- The Buehman Canyon corridor is rich in vegetation, and is home to large stands of a variety of trees, including cottonwood, ash, walnut, willow, mesquite, hackberry, oak, sycamore, and juniper.

Animal species -- Riparian species are particularly abundant, and include such high-value inhabitants as leopard frogs (a species of special concern) and a variety of fish, including the longfin dace, desert pupfish, and Gila topminnow. The pupfish and topminnow are both listed endangered species. Over 300 species of birds can be found in the area, two-thirds of which are neotropical migrants. Seldom-seen bird species identified in the area include the western yellow-billed cuckoo, the northern gray hawk, the zone-tailed hawk, and others, including the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher, which was seen in the Bingham Cienega in 1991. Other wildlife known to frequent the area include coatimundi, black bear, whitetail and mule deer, javelina, bobcat, and ring-tailed cats. Part of the San Pedro corridor was within the critical habitat designation for the pygmy-owl.

Recreation potential --Information regarding the existing recreation pattern in the vicinity of the proposed preserve is little known, but it is assumed that hikers and a handful of other recreationists presently use the area.

11. Silverbell Mountain Park -- In response to public comment the Silverbell Mountain Park was proposed as part of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan. It covers 117,610 acres. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management administers a large quantity of land in the Silverbell Mountains region of Pima County northwest of the Tucson Basin -- in fact, more than 100 sections. These BLM and State Trust lands, located to the immediate north and west of the proposed Waterman-Roskruge Mountain Park, contain significant natural and cultural resources worthy of protection, including habitat for the desert big horn sheep and the desert tortoise, and numerous prehistoric rock sites. The range also possesses considerable recreation potential. Like the Watermans and Roskruges, these lands share a substantial boundary with the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation which provides an opportunity to partner with the Nation in the interest of resource protection.

12. Empire Mountain Park -- A Pima County Mountain Park encompassing the Empire Mountain range was first proposed more than 15 years ago. This park was identified for inclusion as a part of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Concept Plan during the public comment period and includes 11,720 acres. The Tucson Field Office of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is already active in the Empire Mountains area and is committed to acquiring additional land in the range to complement its existing holdings for the purpose of natural resource conservation. The area is being analyzed and planned for as a part of the BLM's Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership (SVPP), which is producing a Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Empire-Cienega Resource Conservation Area.

III. Conclusion

As we propose to define a parks and open space system which will take decades to implement, and should preserve in perpetuity both the beauty and long term sustainability of our resource base, it is interesting to travel back in time to see how the first proposals for open space were described. In 1937, the Governor of Arizona wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt to object to the withdrawal of land in Western Pima County, saying that it "would be disastrous to Arizona's present and future growth." The State Chairman of the Democratic Party, one day later, drafted a similar objection: "I am asking that Arizona's congressional delegation fight to the utmost this proposed withdrawal. Over 50% of our lands are already under Federal control. Therefore our remaining lands ... should be kept open for entry for Arizona's growth. Any compromise such as suggested to merely exclude only Gila Project irrigable lands would be fatal, unsatisfactory and detrimental to Arizona's present future and her principal gravity and pumping projects and vested property rights." Of course, more than one half century later, we can see that these dire predictions did not materialize.

In great contrast, Mr. C.B. Brown, the resident who persuaded the Board of Supervisors to create Tucson Mountain Park in 1929, had this to say about the value of open space. "Here are limitless views of desert vegetation, strange giant cacti forms, rock formations uprising sharply into forms and craggy peaks almost unreal to strangers, and ever fascinating in the changing flood of desert light. The scenic qualities, luxuriance and variety of desert flora, abundance of wild life and historical romance of the land are accepted material facts. More fascinating is the intangible charm and spell of this desert region where the haze of the distant mountain ranges meet the blue of the sky, and the desert impressive in its cloak of utter silence awaits the nature lover. Here the breeze from the canyon carries the voice of an unseen power to purify the soul and tune in on the Creator." There are many who agree with these sentiments expressed by the father of Tucson Mountain Park. And, it is perhaps safe to say that if the park had not been created 70 years ago, and a development project took its place, not many would be as inspired by the view that such a land use would offer us as an alternative today.