Sycamore Canyon Preserve

A Private Foundation Dedicated to the Land
Located in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains, Sycamore Canyon Preserve is 1,100 acres of natural open space surrounding the planned community of Sycamore Canyon. The conservation area will be owned by a non-profit foundation called Sycamore Canyon Conservation Foundation. Under the stewardship of this foundation, residents are assured that the land will never be modified, changed or infringed upon.

The Foundation will hire biologists, landscape architects, environmental educators, naturalists and ecologists to retain the area's native state, regenerate whatever could be harmed in the construction process, provide stewardship for the land, educate visitors and maintain the natural balance between people and the desert's plants and creatures.

Benefits to Living Here
Residents of Sycamore Canyon will enjoy the benefits and privileges of this special Sonoran Desert area including:

A trail system for both hiking and biking
A Community Center for desert ecology education programs
Demonstration gardens to teach rain water harvesting techniques
Plant species markers
Miles of quiet desert landscape

Sycamore Canyon Conservation Foundation
Sycamore Canyon Preserve was created by the Sycamore Canyon Conservation Foundation, which is affiliated with the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. The Conservation Foundation is a private not-for-profit organization, created by the developer and homebuilders of the Sycamore Canyon master planned community to supervise, manage, and maintain the integrity of the Sycamore Canyon Preserve.

The Sycamore Canyon Conservation Foundation board members are Alex Argueta and Jamie Argueta from The Remington Group; Jonathan Rothschild, Managing Shareholder with the law firm of Mesch, Clark & Rothschild P.C.; Dr. Barbara Becker, coordinator of the Graduate Planning Degree Program for the University of Arizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences; and Douglas Noll, a real estate consultant.

The Foundation is maintained through contributions from the developer, the homebuilders and a partnership with Cox Communications, the preferred provider. In addition, a small percentage of the homeowners' association dues will be dedicated to maintaining the preserve.

History
In 2002, The Remington Group, the developer of Sycamore Canyon, included the area now known as Sycamore Canyon Preserve in its rezoning request that was approved by the Pima County Board of Supervisors. A Biological Resource Management Plan was developed to document and formalize the conservation measures which are now part of the Conservation Foundation that manages the Preserve. This plan follows the principles of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan in the effort to avoid, minimize and mitigate any impact development may have on this sensitive area.

Preservation of Open Space
Nearly 70 percent of the area has been designated as natural open space or development area natural open space. This land will not be disturbed except for occasional road or utility crossings. Only 30 percent of the land will be developed. The rest will be maintained by the Conservation Foundation in a trust that has been created by the developer. No changes can be made to the conservation elements without prior written approval of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Conservation Plans
The conservation goals of the management plan include:

Preserve and protect habitats
Develop and implement habitat enhancements and monitoring programs
Augment open space preservation efforts to offset the impacts of development and integrate the natural and developed areas

As part of the development of the plan, the area was surveyed to determine if any endangered plants or animals are present. Only one sensitive species identified by the federal government and the SDCP — the Pima pineapple cactus — was found in the area. The exact locations of the plants have been documented and will be monitored.

The Conservation Foundation will

Maintain permanent boundary markers and signage for the Preserve
Conduct ongoing restoration and maintenance programs to repair any damage to trails or other recreation areas
Provide homeowners with a prohibited plant list for use within their lots
Develop a Community Outreach Program to foster an appreciation and sense of ownership of the Preserve

Details of the plan include

Transplanting saguaros and agaves that can be salvaged and adding these plants in landscaped areas
Excluding uses that could harm the land, such as motorized vehicles, pesticides, artificial lighting and fires
Prohibiting horse boarding
Creating wildlife water areas and permaculture programs to enhance water retention

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