When communities continue to press for laws that allow humans to over-graze the desert and use the land for housing communities, the Saguaro will certainly face a fate of extinction.

Among the may obstacles facing the saguaro are (1) freezing and (2) lightning fires-which are the two largest threat to the species. In 1994 over 1000 cacti were destroyed in the Saguaro National Monument. Theft and vandalism also exist--early in the 1980, a hunter on an outing near Lake Pleasant fixed his shotgun point blank on one.  The giant Saguaro collapsed killing both man and cactus instantly.

Relocating Saguaros into urban areas is one viable option for saving the Saguaro. The greatest threat within urban neighborhoods is over-watering. Remember, these specimens survive for hundreds of years without the aid of man's watering.

When relocating a Saguaro, take into mind that the cactus has a small root-ball and stabilizes its roots into hard caliche which consists of sedimentary rock, a hardened deposit of calcium lime carbonate. This calcium carbonate cements together other materials, including gravel, sand, clay, and silt. It is found in aridisol and mollisol soil orders. Caliche occurs worldwide, generally in arid or semiarid regions, including in central and western Australia and in the high plains of the Western United States in the Sonoran Desert. Caliche is also known as hardpan. So recreating a bed for relocating the Saguaro is paramount to its survival.

Developing a planting well for planting the Saguaro should be about Length 3'-0" by width 3'-0" by depth 3'-0" maximum. The bed in the pan should start with two inches of vitamin fortified sand with a layer approximately 12 inches of caliche above, then add two inches more fortified sand mixed with gravel, then 12 inches of caliche and stones mixture, then the top layer should be a baseball to football sized rock mixed with caliche. When completely planted and the Saguaro is stabilized, moisten the entire planting well with water and tamp to create a solid base and let dry completely.

The root ball should touch the top of the lowest layer of caliche approximately 14-16 inches from the bottom of the planting well. Four 3/4 inch pvc tubes should be added into the corners of the planting well for watering during the first three years. Make sure the tubes reach the bottom layer of fortified sand. Fill (only) the tubes with vitamin fortified water once per week in summer months only. This will encourage the roots to reach down and out. Let natural rainfall do the remainder of the yearly watering.

Stabilize the Saguaro with four 2x4s attached about 5 to 6 feet above ground at 15 to 30 degree angles. Make sure you protect the cactus with thick carpet at the contact points to protect the spines from damage caused by the 2x4 bracing.