Plants & Biodiversity

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Plants are the foundation of healthy ecosystems. They support wildlife, stabilize soils, improve air and water quality, and help regulate local climate. In Arizona, biodiversity is especially complex and regionally distinct. The state is the only place in the country where all four North American deserts exist, creating a wide range of plant communities shaped by elevation, temperature, and rainfall.

 

Plants play a critical role in environmental health by:

• supporting pollinators and wildlife habitat

• reducing urban heat through shade and evapotranspiration

• improving soil health and reducing erosion

• filtering stormwater and improving water quality

• sequestering carbon and moderating climate impacts

 

In Southern Arizona, we focus on desert native and desert-adapted plants that can withstand extreme heat, limitedwater, and a changing climate. By prioritizing resilient plant communities, we support biodiversity, reduce resourceuse, and help shape landscapes that can thrive well into the future.

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A Few Desert Native Favorites!