The modern Southwestern cities of Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and El Paso occupy lands that once supported rich desert ecosystems. Typical development patterns in these cities often resulted in scraping these desert lands of the ancient living landscape to be replaced with one that is man-made and dependent on a large consumption of energy and natural resources. This book explains the natural and built environment of the Southwestern US and discusses the growth and the development tools for shaping the future of the region. It aims to help communities or organizations seeking solutions that restore or promote ecological balance between nature and the built environment.