 March 20, 2026
 Keeping current with Pima County's climate plans and resources
The Pima CAN! initiative is focused on reducing regional greenhouse gas emissions and building long-term community resilience by helping residents, businesses, and ecosystems adapt to current and future climate impacts. Residents can find information about the initiative at www.pima.gov/PimaCAN.
The page includes Pima County’s Priority and Comprehensive Climate Action Plans, the internal Climate Action Plan for County Operations, and information and resources about greenhouse gases, extreme heat, wildfire and invasive species, water, and energy and transportation. Past issues of the Pima CAN! newsletter are also available.
Beat the Heat
Hot temperatures are already here. Be prepared and protect yourself and loved ones from the dangers of excessive heat. Learn about heat illness and prevention strategies, sign up to receive heat alerts, find the locations of Cooling Centers in Pima County, and review Ordinance 2024-010, the first regulation for an Arizona county designed to protect outdoor workers exposed to extreme temperatures.
According to the Pima County Health Department, in 2025, extreme heat caused more than 890 heat-related injuries and 117 heat-related deaths in Pima County. Extreme heat waves in Arizona pose the biggest weather-related threat, much more than all weather-related disasters combined. Health risks related to heat can be prevented with critical protective measures.
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Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan celebrates 25 years
Pima County’s award-winning Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP) is a unique, science-based, community-supported land management strategy that balances conservation and protection of cultural and natural resource heritage with economic prosperity and responsible development.
A quarter-century ago, the Board of Supervisors adopted the Conservation Lands System (CLS) into the County’s comprehensive land use plan. The CLS was later renamed the Maeveen Marie Behan Conservation Lands System in honor of Dr. Behan’s leading role in this extraordinary planning effort. Designed with contributions from more than 150 scientists, the CLS clearly delineates areas of high biological diversity versus areas outside of the CLS that are more suitable for development. The system guides the County’s acquisition of important natural areas and continues to be foundational to land use and infrastructure planning. The CLS has also been adopted by the City of Tucson and informed the Town of Oro Valley’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands Ordinance.
In 2004, Pima County voters supported the SDCP by approving $174 million in bonds for property acquisitions. As a result of this plan and voter support, popular recreation areas like Tucson Mountain Park continue to be expanded, working ranches conserved, wildlife corridors reconnected, rivers restored, and cultural and historic resources protected, all while offering streamlined permitting for the development of homes and businesses.
From an economic standpoint, the County’s Multi-Species Conservation Plan and Section 10 Permit under the Endangered Species Act ensures that future listings of species as endangered or threatened will not cause the same disruptions to development that spurred the creation of the SDCP when the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl was originally listed as endangered in 1997. Pima County’s newest department, Conservation Lands and Resources, is primarily responsible for implementation of the SDCP and manages more than 260,000 acres for conservation.
Please join us in celebrating the 25th anniversary of community-supported conservation with guided hikes, history tours, wildlife watching, volunteer stewardship, and other community events scheduled throughout the year.
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A look at free and low-cost home efficiency programs
Making your household more energy efficient may be easier than you think. Here are some free and low-cost home efficiency programs that are available to Pima County residents, from funding for rainwater harvesting to assistance with heating and cooling expenses.
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Finding local resources for shade tree and water harvesting
Trees provide numerous benefits, including absorbing and storing carbon dioxide, filtering out air pollution (particulate matter), providing shade and cooling, filtering and retaining stormwater, beautifying neighborhoods, improving human health and well-being, and providing habitat for wildlife. Click the link below for resources for learning about community tree programs and low-cost purchasing options.
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NatureWorks: Growing the workforce behind climate resilience
As Pima County advances its Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), the Pima County Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) is helping translate climate strategy into on-the-ground action, and building the workforce needed to sustain it.
NatureWorks is an RFCD-led workforce initiative, implemented in partnership with Tucson Clean & Beautiful, designed to strengthen climate resilience while expanding access to career pathways in green infrastructure and allied professions such as urban forestry, ecological restoration, and conservation.
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