1. The Bio(Diversity)City
People + Urban Growth + Wildlife BioDiversity- The Biocity intends to increase
habitat diversity –for both wildlife and people by
designing a biologically diverse land area where there
are several species, and human activities with an
A Nightmare on planet Earth: Right now, we are living equal distribution. This is done so that no one plant
Biodiversty Loss
in ‘The sixth Great Mass Extinction’ of Earth’s history. Globally, or animal species, nor human socio-economic activity
uncharacteristically dominates above all others.
scientists predict that by the end of this century, half of this planet’s
wild-species will be extinct. The culprit is human habitat development;
as our cities sprawl outward, the wildlands next to our homes have
Proximity- As wildlife biodiversity diminishes,
if wildlife is to be protected, its habitat must be
decreased in acreage. This project explores a solution -the idea that integrated into locations where people can see it,
human development can exist intermingled with the wildlife people can interact with it, and people can become
ecosystems and both can blend together to become a bio city. familiar with wildlife and its habitat can enrich
their lives.
Experience - There is no greater teacher then
personal experience. If natural places are to be
A BioDiversity Nightmare: preserved then it is imperative that people are able to
If we dont start now there will be a sunrise, one morning, walk among the trees, touch the earth, listen to
A Home all Alone?
where there are no songbirds to greet the dawn. There be will an the birds and find kinship with other living things.
For an individual can ever understand what loss is,
afternoon, when there are no butterflies dancing upon the winds.
until they have experienced what they are loosing.
There will come a midnight with a moon full in the sky, but
there will be no coyote songs.
Education - The only way the ‘natural look’
There will be questions too; young eyes will look towards us, the is going to be accepted by the public, who see it as
messy, is through education. The site incorporates
stewards of their land. What do we say when our children turn to us signs, banners, and plant plaques to make information
and ask, “Why are we so alone? Where did all the butterflies go?” available to the public. So that they too can realize
that nature and natural are designs too.
Will our answer be, “We forgot to build them homes too?”

2. Pinal County, Az Pinal County, Riparian Network
Phoenix North Branch of the Santa Cruze Wash
Trekell Rd
10
Pinal
Ca
sa
Gr
an Rodeo
de
Tucson M
ar
ac
op Kortsen Rd
aH
igh
wa
y
Arizona has a growing problem: 10
Arizona literally has a problem with growth, the
state has grown from 5.1 Million in 2000 and is
projected to be at 16 Million by 2050, the vast
majority of that growth has been in the Urban Study Area Pinal County Arizona -Urban Sunbelt Corridor-
SunBelt Corridor. Pinal County, the project site,
sits directly in the middle of all this growth and is Riparian Network Counties of: Cochise > Pinal > Pima > Maracopa
one of the fastest growing counties within Arizona
with an 11% growth rate. River Network San pedro > Gila > N Branch Santa Cruze Wash > Santa Rosa
For wildlife, this loss of riparian habitat will put
increasing pressure on at least 120 species of
concern within Arizona.

3. The problem: A ecological history - and the story of development, water removal, and loss of riparian habitat
Riparian Conditions Pre 1800
Dominant Water Use: homestead with small farms
80 percent of Arizona Wildlife lives in this riparian habitat Conditions of River water: perennial river
Channel condition: Semi-natural riparian condition,
90 percent loss of functional riparian habitat
perennial river condition.
Vegetation condition:
Water
Cottonwood Willow
Mesquite Bosque
Desert-Scrub
Riparian Conditions 1880- 1912 Dominant Water Use: Large agriculture farms -
Tucson industrialization (1880) removes water
Conditions of River water:1900 - perennial rivers
where the water no longer flowed.
Channel condition: Channelized to the unconfined
aquifer
Vegetation condition:
Mesquite Bosque
Desert-Scrub
Cottonwood Willow
Water
Riparian Conditions 1912 -1940
Dominant Water Use: Industrial farms, Pinal
County Growth
Conditions of River water: No surface water- water
levels at 20’-30’ below the surface in confined aquifer
Channel condition: Widening channels due to increased
stormwater flows
Vegetation condition:
Desert-Scrub
Mesquite Bosque
Cottonwood Willow
Riparian Conditions 1960 -2010 Dominant Water Use: Industrial farms, Pinal
County Growth
Conditions of River water: No surface water- water
levels at 30’- 50’ below the surface in artesian aquifer
Channel condition: Widened, eroded, 90% loss of habi-
tat space
Vegetation condition:
Desert-Scrub
Mesquite Bosque
Cottonwood Willow

4. The problem: An urban history- the story of development, roadways and wildlife fragmentation
1930
90 percent loss of functional riparian habitat
as we break up the landscape into a thousand tiny bits
Fragmentation
1950
Edge habitat
Interior habitat
1970
Looking at land fragmentation
In the broadest way, habitat fragmentation is the physical
fracturing of once continuous habitat, often by man-made
modifications to the biological land surface (including water,
1990 vegetation, bare soil) into smaller sized habitat lands called
patches. For wildlife these patches are often so small that the
land can no longer sustain the ecological interactions between
different wildlife types, thus this land often has little value for
wildlife as habitat.
2012 In addition, fragmentation of land into patches means that as
interior space becomes smaller in size, edge conditions are able
to take over; this reduces the populations of rare interior species
Santa Cruze River 1930 Santa Cruze River 1970 and makes room for common generalist and ‘weedy species’.
Historical Growth on the Santa Cruze River As Interior habitat and species Decreases
Urban growth Agriculture growth Santa Cruze River Edge habitat and species Increases

5. Wildlife NOT present in Waterway Type
Displaces 23 of Pinal’s 27 speices listed “in need of protection ”
The problem: Removing the link - removing the wildlife
C Rivers
D Rivers
C Rivers
D Rivers
C Rivers
D Rivers
C Rivers
D Rivers
DEMOSTRATION OF THESIS: For Space and Width of the corridor
90 percent loss of functional riparian habitat
Protect from Future Development
*
*
*
*
Preserve as undeveloped Reality Space ma
Amphibian (frog)
Potential Rehabilitation Project Locations Wildlife Capacity
Amphibian (Toad) 16 of 19 Wildlife
Reptile –Lizard
Wildlife Capacity
Reptile– Snake
9 of 19 Wildlife T
Turtles
Carnivores
Reality Water los
Rodents
Riparian Wildlife Orders
Wildlife Capacity
Rabbits 10 of 19 Wildlife
Common Birds Wildlife Capacity
Owls 2 of 19 Wildlife T
Waterbirds
Reality Plant zon
Humming Birds Wildlife Capacity
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6
Ducks 7 of 19Wildlife T
P1- From 2 to( 9 of 9) Widlife Orders P4- From 4 to (19 of 19) Wildlife Orders Ground birds Wildlife Capacity
Land: Protect and Preserve Land: Protect from future development Woodpeckers 6 of 19 Wildlife T
Water: Maintain Surface Water level Water: Find 5’ Surface water
Hawk / Eagle
Plants: (Bank zone) from mesquites to Herbaceous shrubs Plants: (Bank Overbank, Toe) Cottonwoods
Hooved mammals
P2- From 0 to (9 of 9) Wildlife orders P5- From 1 to (5 of 19) Wildlife Orders Bats
Land: Protect and preserve Land: At 223’ Unable to remove housing
Water: Find 4’ Surface water Water: Find 5’ Surface water Beavers
Plants: (Bank Zone) from mesquites to Herbaceous shrubs Plants: (Bank Overbank, Toe)
Th
eo
R
R
P3- From 0 to ( 17 of 19 ) Wildlife Orders P6- From 1 to (19 of 10) Wildlife Orders
R
r
ea
ea
et
ea
ic
lit
lit
From: 0’ to 670’ -Golf course wildlife project- Land: Protect from future development
lit
a
y:
y:
y:
lB
L
L
Water: Find 5’ Surface water Water: Find 5’ Surface water
L
io
os
os
os
d
s
s
iv
s
Plants: (Bank Overbank, Toe) Cottonwoods Plants: (Bank Overbank, Toe) Cottonwoods
of
of
e
of
rs
pl
W
Sp
ity
an
at
ac
C
er
ts
e
ap
ab
ilit
y

6. Wildlife corridoors: why being in the middle matters
Legend Legend
Pinal County: City as an obstacle
Open Space Santa Cruze River
Connections
Legend Legend Rivers
Other
Pinal County: City as an obstacle Urban Development
Why this location is important to wildlife
Open Space Santa Cruze River
Connections Other Rivers
Urban Development
The site (North Branch of the Santa Cruze wash) is
currently under threat of removal from urbanization.
On a close up view, the area doesn’t appear very
important, because it doesn’t directly connect
wildlands together. However, looking at the site on
a regional scale reveals the importance of this stretch
Understanding regional pathways: space, and riparian rivers
Pinal County : Open space Pinal County :Open City as an Obstical: The city, open space and riparian rivers
of river; it’s the middle of a connection between two
How wildlands connect with riversriparian riversand where the city becomes a blocade
Pinal County : Open space Pinal County :Open space, and City as an Obstical: The city, open space and riparian rivers
larger riparian networks, both of which connect to
large wildlands.
Shown are the three groups of Pinal County Analysis
maps, used to create the below corridor analysis map.
These maps were used to examine the site and to
Pinal County:Mammal density Pinal County: Bird density Pinal County:Reptile density
determine that the removal of the site would indeed
be a hindrance to wildlife populations because the
loss of this corridor would create meta-populations on
Wildlife Network: riparian rivers and wildlife openspace wildlife corridors: Important riparian rivers wildlife corridors: Riparian river corridor site
either side of Pinal County.
Understanding riparian networks Important riparian rivers
Wildlife Network: riparian rivers and wildlife openspace
wildlife corridors: wildlife corridors: Riparian river corridor site Not to scale Not to scale Not to scale
How removal of the Site will disrupt riparian movement coridoors Pinal County: Wildlife densities
Open Space
Legend
Wildlife High level
Santa Cruze River
Other Rivers
Pinal County: Wildlife Corridors and Pathways
Wildlife Low level Urban Development
Pinal County:Mammal density Pinal County: Bird density Pinal County:Reptile density
Casa Grande
Not to scale
Pinal County: Corridoors and pathways
The three wildlife density maps, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles (three
dark maps) are compiled from the wildlife density maps, such as
the orange Pinal map above. The Green map to the right is compiled
of all wildlife densities.It contains the data of all animal types and
Not to scale Not to scale Not to scale shows (in red) the most likely connection points for wildlife on the
site. Legend
North Branch Of the Santa Cruze Wash
Understanding wildlife densities
The city of Casa Grande
Legend The purpose of the the wildlife desnity maps is to examine the site
Pinal County: Wildlife densities
Open Space Santa Cruze River
Pinal County: Wildlife Corridors and Pathways (lt blue) ‘North Branch of the Santa Cruze River’ and see where each
Wildlife connection points
How wildlife densities reveal travel pathways
Wildlife High level Other Rivers type of studied wildlife populations (Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles) is Wildlife Corridor: Birds. Mammals,
Wildlife Low level Urban Development
most likely to travel to the site and come in contact with the Riparian and Reptiles
zone in question.
Not to scale
Casa Grande

7. y
located on the site. Affluent water will be available and will flow the length of the
10 ‘North branch of the Santa Cruze wash’.
Corridor Research (site) looking at available water
map Legend
Santa Cruze North Branch Corridor
Roadways Infrastructure Systems
No water Availalbe
Water Available
Water Fragmentation: Finding water
Stormwater: North Branch of the Santa Cruze Wash
Pinal County: proposed effluent pipe
Pinal
NO CAP Canal Water
NO Aquifer pumping
Map content shows the 100 year flood zone for the
Ca
sa
city of Casa GrandeEffluent Water where the current
YES (blue) and
Gr
an water treatment facility for the area exists. The map
YES Urban Stormwater
de
M
ar show where the proposed effluent pipe, for
ac Pinal County: Proposed Effluent pipe
Map content shows the 100 year flood zone for the city of in Casa and where the
expansion flow, will be located Casa Grande Grande
op
aH
igh current water treatment facility for the area exists. The purpose of the map isEffluent
wa and this will effect water flow on the site. to show
where the proposed affluent pipe, for expansion flow, will be
y
located on the site. Affluent water will be availablewill flow the length of
water will be available and and will flow the length of the
10 ‘North branch of the Santa Cruze wash’.
the North branch of the Santa Cruze wash.
map Legend
Effluent Water YES House Greywater
NO CAP Canal Water YES Santa Cruze North Branch Corridor
Available water YES
Roadways Infrastructure Systems
No water Availalbe
YES Rainwater Catchment
NO Aquifer Pumping Urban Stormwater
Water Available

8. Corridor research (site) looking at planting zones
Pinal County: loss of planting zones
Map content shows the condition of the riparian
planting zone for the North branch of the Santa
Cruze wash (Color) and where the current head
streams and waters for the area exist. The map
shows that the conditions of the waterway range
from medium to worst condition possible.
The worst condition possible on the North branch
of the Santa Cruze wash was chosen for the project
site in order to maintain corridor stability for
wildlife. Why the planting condition is this way
can be seen on land use mapping.
Best Planting Conditions Worst Planting Conditions
Planting Zones: Grayed out Zones are the ones that were found to be missing from
this riparian corridor. Information based upon ground truthing of site.
Planting Zones: These are the unique planting zones which make up the Riparian
Ecosystem on the site and should be availalbe.

9. Corridor Research (site) understanding land use and space availability
Corridor research: space conflicts map Legend
Development and wildland
conflict -places where developed
comes into conflict with important
Space conflicts identified and then measured riparian wildlands.
in Google Earth to find distance from urban
Development
edge to urban edge.
Corridor research: land use development
map Legend
Santa Cruze North Branch Corridor Industrial Development
Roadways Infrastructure Systems
Current housing Development
Agriculture Development
Future housing Development
Corridor research: habitat fragmentation development over
Corridor research: development and wildlife conflict wildlands map Legend Urban Housing Density
Santa Cruze North Branch Corridor
Roadways Infrastructure Systems Developers (6)
Places of Ecological Importance
- Maxhimer (105 units) -1unit per ac
- Rancho Doro Estates (110 units)- 1unit per ac
Ca Casa Grande: Current Development
- Condon Park Estates (108 Units) -4 units per ac
sa
Gr - Lillian Master plan community (108 units) -4 units per ac
an Casa Grande: To be developed
- Rodea Ranch Estates (68 units) -4 units per ac
de
M - Rodea Estates (64 units) -4 units per ac
ar
ac
op Total: 558 Homes
aH
igh 1,500 -2,000’ feet per unit
wa Other development (2)
y
-Office condominiums
10
-Industurial park
Corridor research: development and wildlife conflict