17-296

17-296. Definitions

In this article:

1. "Public access" means providing entry to publicly held lands for recreational
use where such entry is consistent with the provisions establishing those lands.

2. "Sensitive habitat" means the specific areas within the geographical area
historically or currently occupied by a species or community of species in which are
found those physical or biological features essential to the establishment or continued
existence of the species and which may require special management, conservation or
protection considerations.

3. "Endangered species" means a species or subspecies of native Arizona wildlife
whose population has been reduced due to any cause whatsoever to such levels that it is
in imminent danger of elimination from its range in Arizona, or has been eliminated from
its range in Arizona.

4. "Threatened species" means a species or subspecies of native Arizona wildlife
that, although not presently in imminent danger of being eliminated from its range in
Arizona, is likely to become an endangered species in the foreseeable future.

5. "Candidate species" means a species or subspecies of native Arizona wildlife for
which habitat or population threats are known or suspected but for which substantial
population declines from historic levels have not been documented.

6. "Urban wildlife" means the wildlife that occurs within the limits of an
incorporated area or in close proximity to an urban area that receives significant impact
from human use.

7. "Environmental education" means educational programs dealing with basic
ecological principles and the effects of natural and man related processes on natural and
urban systems and programs to enhance public awareness of the importance of safeguarding
natural resources.

8. "Habitat evaluation" means the assessment of the status, condition and
ecological value of habitat and subsequent recommendations of management, conservation or
other protection measures, or mitigation measures, including but not limited to,
recommendation of reasonable alternatives for the proposed projects that might otherwise
affect the habitat under assessment.

9. "Habitat protection" means the process of protecting the quality, diversity,
abundance, and serviceability of habitats for the purposes of maintaining or recovering
populations of Arizona wildlife.