So there will always be a West: Collaborative Stewardship & Long-Term Ranching Viability

Diablo Trust invests in the social, economic, and ecological resilience of working ranches and open landscapes by connecting ranchers, partners, and communities to critical resources and collaboratively implementing projects on the land that sustain open space, support wildlife habitat, and build the land's resilience for generations to come. Through this collaborative approach, we have developed a Rural Planning Area, Range Management Plan, and Recreation Management Plan, along with numerous shared projects that support sustainable management and stewardship. The results speak for themselves: to date, the Diablo Trust and its partners have restored more than 100,000 acres of grasslands and wildlife habitat. 

Collaborative Model: Collaborative Resource Operational Plan

Maintaining productive working relationships is essential to collaboration, especially in an environment as diverse, contentious, and important to so many stakeholders as our own. At the core of the Diablo Trust's work is the Collaborative Resource Operation Plan (CROP) Model, a structure that brings ranchers and agency partners together to share information, co-develop projects, and problem-solve across the landscape. These convenings foster the trust and coordination needed for long-term stewardship.

Projects on the Land

The Diablo Trust believes strongly in land stewardship, the practice of carefully managing land usage to ensure natural systems are maintained or enhanced for future generations.

Our on-the-ground land projects are ongoing and encompass a wide variety of management objectives, including:

  • Grassland restoration / juniper removal

  • Restoration of historic springs

  • Improving pronghorn habitat

  • Creation of wildlife habitat

  • Developing and maintaining wildlife corridors

  • Water provision for wildlife and cattle during drought

  • Improving water tanks

Wildlife Habitat Projects

Wildlife is integral to the Diablo Trust lands and to Northern Arizona. The ranches and surrounding public lands are home to many wildlife species, including deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, reptiles, mountain lion, and many types of birds.

With the help of local agencies, volunteers and partner organizations, the Diablo Trust has removed old fences and worked to maintain existing ones on wetlands and lakes on Anderson Mesa.

Due to extreme drought conditions in 1996 and 2002, the Diablo Trust undertook a number of measures to aid wildlife, including:

  • hauling over 1,000,000 gallons of water in 2002;

  • improving roads to access and maintain water sources;

  • purchasing, installing, and maintaining many water tanks;

  • fencing off many drying lakes and tanks that were deadly mud bogs that can trap thirsty animals.

The Diablo Trust also participated with the United States Forest Service in the Citizen’s Working Group for the Anderson Mesa Landscape Scale Assessment. The result was a document illustrating existing conditions, desired conditions, and possible management practices.

In partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, other agencies, and organizations and volunteers, Diablo Trust participated in conversations concerning declining pronghorn populations. This resulted in the development of the Anderson Mesa Pronghorn Antelope Management Plan. The Trust only supports gunning coyotes on Anderson Mesa to promote greater survival of pronghorn fawns when it is part of an overall management plan.