Regional open space strategy successes

CAZCA is proud to work with our partners on collaborative conservation projects that relate to the four goals outlined in our  Regional Open Space Strategy (ROSS). Learn more about our projects and successes below!

Current Progress

 

13

Total Partners

18

Total Initiatives

5

Active Working Groups

Regional open space strategy

Over the past year, we have been working with our partners and steering committee to update our Regional Open Space Strategy (ROSS) as we aim for more effective collaborative conservation work. This guide outlines four goals that help us create a long-lasting future for Central Arizona’s natural areas, which will serve families of today and tomorrow. Take a look at our current version of the ROSS and check back soon for our updated version!

ROSS Goals

Learn more about our projects that contribute to our four goals: Protect & Connect, Sustain & Restore, Love & Support, and Coordinate & Elevate

Goal 1: Protect & Connect
  • Greenprint
    • Updated and added layers to include more data and offer more analyses options, such as the Trust for Public Land 10-minute walk report
    • Currently in the process of updating training materials
Goal 2: Sustain & Restore
  • Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
    • Utilizing trail cameras to monitor wildlife
  • Maricopa County
    • Parks & Recreation conducted visitor use surveys and monitoring strategies to establish baselines for the parks, created a Natural Resource Plan with a wide coverage of topics, and is working on updating the Park Master Plans for Cave Creek Regional Park, McDowell Mountain regional Park, and Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area. They alsoo received a $40K grant to help conduct a floristic quality assessment
    • Flood Control District is conducting water monitoring to check quality and quantity in gila River, Hassayampa, and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
  • Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research (CAP LTER)
    • Currently involved in various biodiversity resarch projects
  • Desert Defenders
    • Collaboratively working to find new management strategies for stinknet (Oncosiphon piluliferum). The group has also participated in stinknet pulls and seed ball making events and is in the process of creating informational materials for the public about how to identify and manage invasive species
  • Sonoran Seed Collaborative
    • Working to create a list of key native species for growth and propgation as well as best practices for seed collection and storing
  • Arizona Game and Fish
    • The Arizona Game and Fish Statewide Wildlife Action Plan has been updated and their website now includes conservation oppotunity ideas
  • White Tank Mountains Conservancy
    • Collaborating with major developers in the west valley to identify a wildlife corridor concept that connects the White Tanks to public lands. They are also collaborating with the City of Buckeye to create a connectivity report that will inform and shape development in the west valley, and will be released later this year
  • Arizona State Parks and Trails
    • Released their new Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan which will guide the distribution of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the Arizona State Parks and Trails Heritage Fund and the State Lake Improvement Fund (SLIF) in Arizona from 2023 through 2027
  • City of Phoenix
    • Updating the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve master plan and focusing on connectivity
  • City of Phoenix and City of Scottsdale
    • Have been tracking user numbers and economic impacts in their open spaces
  • City of Chandler
  • McDowell Sonoran Conservancy
    • Tracking visitor trail impacts and have a variety of ongoing projects including research on mule deer, tortoises, and night use of fauna on the preserve
    • Currently doing long-term monitoring, including “If/Then” strategies and invasive species monitoring
  • Southwest Vegetation Management Association
    • Working collaboratively to hold trainings and workshops as well as create more resources for land managers about stinknet
  • Desert Botanical Garden
    • In summer of 2018, Steve Blackwell along with Raul Puente, Natalie Melkonoff, and Kristen Kindl conducted a salvage of endangered Arizona hedgehog cactus near Superior, Arizona. The 64 salvaged plants were removed to make way for the demolition of the old Pinto Creek bridge constructed in 1949 to make way for a new bridge capable to handling today’s automobile traffic. The goal of the project was to allow the plants to rehabilitate until the completion of the new bridge in which they would then be returned and planted into adjacent areas surrounding the construction site. In 2022, the plants were returned to the site where they planted and watered and currently being monitored to determine long-term success. In addition, the Garden maintains several of the original mother plants as well as clones of other mother plants that were returned to the wild that can be used to supplement any plants that died after transplanting as well as collect seeds from for future seed banking and future potential grow-outs and reintroduction.
Goal 3: Love & Support
  • More to come!
Goal 4: Coordinate & Elevate
  • CAZCA is stable and serves as a potential model for other collaboratives
  • CAZCA’s decentralized working grops engage more partners
  • CAZCA All Partner meeting attendance is up, creating more opportunity for collaboration
  • CAZCA has established two new working groups, Urban Desertscape Enhancement and a group focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility

Protect & Connect

Promote protection of outdoor spaces and natural habitats to support communities with both recreation and climate-saving resources.

Sustain & Restore

Ensure both protected and non-protected lands are managed in a way that promotes biodiversity and sustainable growth.

Love & Support

Ensure both protected and non-protected lands are managed in a way that promotes biodiversity and sustainable growth.

Coordinate & Elevate

Build upon the CAZCA foundation to ensure and amplify regional open space collaboration, coordination, management and conservation success.

CAZCA

CAZCA is an initiative of Desert Botanical Garden. Any donations made to CAZCA must be made through Desert Botanical Garden. You will now be taken to their website to complete this transaction. Thank you!
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