Pima County, AZ Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)
Key Facts
- Saguaro Status
- Highly Safeguarded (ARS 3-904)
- Penalty
- Class 4 felony (up to 3.75 years)
- Other Protected
- Ironwood, palo verde, barrel cactus
- Permit Required
- AZ Dept of Agriculture tags
- County Code
- Chapter 18.72 preservation plans
Summary
Saguaro cactus is Highly Safeguarded under ARS 3-904. Destroying one without an AZ Dept of Agriculture permit is a Class 4 felony punishable by up to 3.75 years in prison.
A. This chapter does not prevent the destruction of protected native plants or clearing of land or cleaning or removing protected native plants by the owner of the land or the owner's agent if:
1. The land is in private ownership.
2. The protected native plants are not transported from the land or offered for sale.
3. The owner or the owner's agent notifies the department pursuant to this section of the intended destruction at least:
(a) Twenty days before the plants are destroyed over an area of less than one acre.
(b) Thirty days before the plants are destroyed over an area of one acre or more but less than forty acres.
(c) Sixty days before the plants are destroyed over an area of forty acres or more.
4. The protected plants are destroyed within one year of the date of destruction disclosed in the notice given the department in paragraph 3 of this subsection.
B. The notice under subsection A, paragraph 3, subdivision (a) may be oral or written. The notice under subsection A, paragraph 3, subdivisions (b) and (c) must be in writing.
Full Breakdown
The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is Arizonas most aggressively protected native plant. Under ARS 3-904 and the Arizona Native Plant Law, the saguaro appears on the Highly Safeguarded list, meaning any harvest, collection, or destruction requires written permission from the landowner and notification tags from the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Other highly safeguarded Sonoran Desert species in Pima County include Arizona ironwood (Olneya tesota), desert willow, and numerous cactus species. Pima County Code Chapter 18.72 supplements state law by requiring native plant surveys and preservation plans for all development projects. The county maintains a list of salvage-priority species that must be transplanted when development cannot avoid them. Saguaro arms take decades to grow, and large specimens may be several hundred years old, making them irreplaceable. Even dead saguaro skeletons (ribs) are protected from commercial collection on state land.
Violations & Fines
Destroying a highly safeguarded plant: Class 4 felony under ARS 3-904 (up to 3.75 years imprisonment). Theft of saguaro: Class 4 felony. County development violations: project shutdown, mandatory replacement at 2:1 ratio or greater.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really a felony to cut down a saguaro cactus?
What other native plants are protected in Pima County?
Can I transplant a saguaro on my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pima County
Compare Pima County to another location·View the Arizona tree protection overview
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