Present: Mette Brogden, Tom Chilton, Mac Donaldson, Carl Jones, Elsa Pesqueira, Nathan Sayre, Tom Sheridan, Linda Mayro.

1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Tom Sheridan.

2. Review of Minutes from 8/25/99 and 9/15/99 meetings: Tom asked if everyone had received the Minutes and if there were any corrections and/or additions. Minutes were approved.

3. Ranch Conservation Technical Report: Part I & II Outline. Linda Mayro stated that the report has been divided into Part I and Part II because of the deadline. Part I will be completed by the end of November. Micaela McGibbon is writing Chapter 4, "The Current Practice of Cattle Ranching in Pima County." If time permits, the chapters will be discussed with the Committee as they are being written. Linda will focus on the cattle industry generally in Part I and possibly go into more detail by watershed in Part II. Looking into statistics, Linda found that in Pima County and southeastern Arizona generally ranching is a relatively stable industry. Information was shared on different web sites such as the USDA Web site where census statistics (between 1992 & 1997) are available. Another booklet is the Arizona Statistical Review available from the Arizona Department of Agriculture.

Tom and Mette felt "Funds of Knowledge" issue should be included in Part I ‹ specifically, losing this kind of knowledge and the loss of agricultural habitat. Much discussion followed. The question was asked how ranch conservation is going to fit into the creation of the habitat conservation plan and what the County is hoping to get from the ranchers to put the plan together. Linda stated the goal is to retain open space and habitat values and allow multiple use, including sustainable ranching. This shared landscape concept will be discussed by "land based" committees for each valley or watershed. There are no predetermined goals or conservation areas designated at this time. Linda stated that a major status report is due out next July. This report will describe our issue in more detail, and should be ready to make recommendations regarding conservation of ranchlands and other conservation issues. The Steering Committee and others will begin to look at three or four options for inclusion in the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. The committee's first job will be to describe what are the best ranchlands for conservation and make priority recommendations. Linda stated that the County hopes to have Conservation Plan and permit in three years. This also requires a financing plan before the permit is issued.

Tom Sheridan added that we must be prepared for the argument that eco-tourism will bring in three times more than the cattle industry. Tourism is not necessarily the answer and it is not an entirely benign answer. There are tradeoffs in trying to get more and more people to recreate on public lands by increasing access, and people have to recognize the consequence that recreation is not ecologically benign as seen at the Empire Ranch. Linda responded that this first report will make clear in the introduction that ranchlands comprise a working landscape. Tom added that we are not going to win this battle from an economics perspective. We have to make a case that it is an important industry, locally and regionally, while addressing the environmental concerns. Tom emphasized that ranching is the cheapest, most effective, and in the long run the best way to preserve open space, unfragmented habitats, and bio-diversity in Pima County. The alternatives are prohibitively expensive, but once the transition to real estate takes place there will be no unfragmented habitats in eastern Pima County.

4. Additional GIS "Covers" and Data for Ranch Conservation ­ Much discussion about different overlays. In addition to environmental factors, the following covers emerged as important:

• market land (property) value,
  

€ deeded private land and habitat correlates with water
€ projected cost of land to serve as habitat after purchase by developers as opposed to ranch land valuations.

5. Discussion of Criteria for Evaluating Ranchlands ­ Much discussion followed about cost factors and land values appreciating. It was suggested for this evaluation that the team differentiate between ranchlands in sustainable production and ranchlands already planned for development.

Tom would like to see targeting the big areas that have not been developed like the Altar Valley, that has not been developed, and try to protect those lands that:

• are still in ranching,
  

€ have the most potential to stay in ranching

€ are vulnerable to development on the urban fringe in order to maximize open space and habitat.

Mette stated that there are models for evaluating ranchlands that Arizona Common Ground Roundtable has researched. Will try to provide some information. The team will continue to discuss these criteria and hope for input from the grasslands experts on the team.

6. Next Meeting & Agenda

The next meeting was set for Wednesday, October 27, 1999 at 3:00PM at the Arizona State Museum, Room 309.

Tom announced that several people from the University: Paul Fish as Chair of the Cultural Preservation Task Force; Bill Shaw as Chair of the of the Science Task Force; and Tom as Chair of the Ranch Conservation team met to discuss the committees' goals. None wish to operate in isolation and would like to share information and concerns. Tom felt the task forces should be meeting. Linda suggested joint meetings of the Chairs and presentations to each team so that there is an integration of goals.

7. Announcements

No additional announcements were made.

8. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 PM.