Pima County Native Plant Preservation

Code promotes native plant preservation to promote water conservation and assists in climate modification to reduce energy costs. Code mandates that no person shall destroy, mutilate, remove from a site, or relocate on a site any native plant, except in conformance with this chapter of the code. Code lists protected native plants and Arizona safeguarded species. Before development plans can be approved and permits issued, a native plant preservation plan is required to be submitted and approved. Code lists different methods to preserve native plants and plant communities, such as preservation in-place or set-aside; the transplanting of native plants for their protection; and the mitigation of plants destroyed or removed from site. However, there are particular requirements that must be met for each method. Specific preservation requirements and credits are provided in the code and there are particular requirements for off-site mitigation. Saguaros and ironwood receive special protections.