Altar Valley, AZ.
Attendees: Altar Valley Conservation Alliance & the Malpai Borderlands Group
Topics: climate change, fire management, diverse partnerships, prescribed burning

“Sharing ideas, information, and experiences about fire management and coordination can only strengthen the fire management programs of both groups.”

In 1995, ranchers in the Altar Valley invited founders of the recently created Malpai Borderlands Group to a meeting that led to the formation of the Altar Valley Conservation Alliance. Since then, both groups have pioneered collaborative conservation on more than 1.5 million acres of desert grasslands and Sky Island mountain ranges of the Southwest. Over 20 years later, these groups are reconvening to tackle some of the pending challenges posed by changing climate as they work to preserve ecologically functional landscapes in the southwest.

Malpai ranchers and staff will join AVCA ranchers and staff; Pima County Natural Resources, Parks, & Recreation staff; Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge staff; and fire ecologists during the field visit. Pima County is a particularly important partner in the Altar Valley and has acquired deeded land and accompanying leases of approximately 100,000 acres in Altar Valley. Gathering these key stakeholders and agencies will underscore how AVCA and its partners are coordinating fire management in the 600,000-acre Altar Valley watershed. It will also allow participants to talk about the challenges of restoring fire at a time when temperatures are rising and precipitation patterns changing.

More logistical information to come… stay tuned!