The Office of Sustainability and Conservation works to promote a sustainable and livable community and the conservation of Pima County’s natural and cultural resources through the implementation of Board adopted policies that promote the environmental, social, and economic well-being of our region.
Program Areas
Conservation Science Division - The award-winning Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, adopted by the Board in 2002, is Pima County’s plan for balancing the conservation of our cultural and natural resources while maintaining an economically vigorous and fiscally responsible community. Conservation Science supports the biological goal of the SDCP, which is to ensure the long-term survival of the full spectrum of indigenous plants and animals, and administration of the County's Multi-species Conservation Plan (MSCP).
Cultural Resources & Historic Preservation Division - Pima County is rich in history, cultural diversity, living traditions, and regional character, all of which define our collective cultural heritage and community identity. Since the 1970s, the Board has actively sought to protect this heritage by working to preserve ancestral Native American sites, historic Spanish Colonial, Mexican, and American sites, historic neighborhoods and buildings, and traditional cultural places, and working landscapes.
Sustainability Programs Division - A sustainable and livable community requires investment in the environment, the economy, and the social fabric without jeopardizing the ability for future generations to do the same. In 2007, the Board adopted Sustainability Initiatives and approved the preparation and implementation of the Pima County Sustainable Action Plan for County Operations, resulting in considerable reduction in energy consumption and cost savings.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
2022 Conservation Innovation Grants
Supports the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production. Projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) to agricultural producers, into government technical manuals and guides, or to the private sector. The program funds pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. On-farm conservation research is defined as an investigation conducted to answer a specific applied conservation question using a statistically valid design while employing farm-scale equipment on farms, ranches, or private forest lands.
Awards:
Multiple awards of up to $75,000 each
Eligibility:
Unrestricted domestically
Deadline:
06/08/2022
Rural Cooperative Development Grants
Supports individuals or entities in the startup, expansion, or operational improvement of rural cooperatives and other business entities to improve the economic condition of rural areas. Grants are awarded competitively to Rural Cooperative Development Centers who in turn provide technical assistance to individuals and entities. Technical assistance and other services the Centers provide include:
Conducting feasibility studies;
Developing business plans;
Providing leadership and operational improvement training; and
Facilitating strategic planning.
Awards:
Multiple awards of up to $200,000 each
Eligibility:
Restricted to domestic institutions of higher education and nonprofits
Deadline:
06/06/2022