WSP00922

• File Number: 8042.A
• Description: Section D General Studies - Other States
• State: AZ
• Date: 3/1/1999
• Author: AWPF
• Title: Arizona Water Protection Fund - Meetings/Newletters - Arizona Water Protection Fund - Newsletter
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Agenda

IJ 1/ 0'/2 G
Arizona Water Protection Fund Naetter

Big Sandy Riparian Project

From Page 4

New fencing (of the riparian area) would
facilitate better management of the area
under recovery. Water traps' would help
to capture the cattle that had made their
way into an area that was specified for
rest". The maintenance of all range
improvements is the responsibility of the
livestock permittee.

The stated benefits of the project would
result from deferment" of the riparian
pasture. The proposal stated that
deferred grazing" during the growing
season had worked to restore the health
of riparian habitats on other grazing
allotments in the Kingman Resource
Area.

The BLM was awarded a $92,000 grant
in the 1996 fund cycle for the Big Sandy
Riparian Project. By the end of 1999, the
project should be completed. BLM will
conduct monitoring and utilization
studies. The range staff anticipates the
same success as has been observed on
other allotments. AWPF Commission and
staff will also be watching to see if the
condition of the riparian area on the
Artillery Range Allotment improves. .

. RANGE MANAGEMENT TERMS

Deferment - Delay of livestock grazing on an
area for an adequate period of time to provide
for plant reproduction, establishment of new
plants, or restoration of vigor of existing plants.

Deferred Grazing - The use of deferment in
grazing management of a management unit.

Rest- Leaving an area ungrazed, thereby
foregoing grazing of one forage crop. Normally
rest implies absence of grazing for a ful!
growing season or during a critical portion of
plant development (e.g., seed production).

Trap - A relatively small enclosure used as a
temporary holding or catching area in the
handling and management of livestock.

From A GI05SilfY of Terms used in Ranee

.

Eagle Creek Watershed

and Riparian Stabilization

JIM HOLDER & HORSESPRINGS MANAGEMENT TEAM

This is a grazing management/watershed
improvement project on private land and
the Horsesprings and Baseline Allotments
in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.
Eagle Creek is a tributary to the Gila River
in Greenlee County. The project is
managed by the Horsesprings
Management Team (HMT), a team of
family members and experts, formed in
1989, that are employing Holistic
Resource Management (HRM) to
achieve stated goals.

This project continues the HMT's effort
to improve the overall condition of the
Eagle Creek watershed n targeting
upland range areas, feeder canyons, and
riparian areas. Improvement of upland
and riparian biodiversity will enhance the
function of the watershed as well as
improve wildlife habitat. Claimed benefits
are reduced erosive runoff (and resultant
stream silting and flooding), enhanced
habitat for increasing wildlife numbers,
restored riparian habitat, and stabilization
of Eagle Creek.

Pre-project conditions allowed use of
only 13 of 32 pastures. Just over half of
the upland range could be used by
wildiife and livestock due to lack of
dependable water. Animals congregating
in riparian zones place considerable stress
on the ecosystem. New fencing,
constructed to Forest Service standards,
would facilitate rest and isolation of
special areas of interest and attention.

Expansion of the existing water system
(11 new upland watering points and two
new ponds) would offer better distribu-
tion and maintenance of wildlife and
livestock. A dependable supply to new
watering points would be accomplished
by replacing the power source for the
pump (from diesel to solar voltaic) on
Continued on Page 6

Spring 1999

HOLISTIC RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

"HRM is a process of goal.
setting, decision-making,
and monitoring that is
helping people throughout
the world restore the
vitality of their communities
and natural resources upon
which they depend.

Individuals, communities,
and governmental bodies
are turning to holistic
management as an
effective and efficient way
to manage land. human,
and financial resources.

HRM has proven successful
because it places the
responsibility for making
decisions about resource
use on the people who will
be affected by those
decisions. These people,
together with the land
(animals, water, soil, and
vegetation) and the wealth
that can be generated from
the land are the "whole" to
be managed. Planning and
decisions, then, are based
on how this whole will be
affected by changes to any
of its parts.

. A holistic approach departs
meaningfully from most
current decision-making in
resource management,
which is based on
mechanical thinking and
models -- fixing parts in
isolation from the whole.
Holistic management
teaches people to pinpoint
and address the
interdependent causes of
social, biological, and
financial deterioration
rather than applying
"quick fix" band-aids to
seemingly isolated
symptoms.

(Continued on Page 6)

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