Animas Foundation

CONSERVATION/LAND MANAGEMENT - THE FOUNDATION (THROUGH A THIRD-PARTY INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR) CONTINUED TO USE MANAGEMENT IGNITED AND NATURALLY IGNITED PRESCRIBED FIRES AS LAND RESTORATION TOOLS. SAID THIRD PARTY INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR ALSO UPDATED FIRE HISTORY MAPS AND PREPARED LOCAL AND REGIONAL PRELIMINARY PLANS FOR FUTURE MANAGEMENT IGNITED PRESCRIBED FIRES. THE FOUNDATION RESTORED PROPERTY THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED, INCLUDING USING FENCING AND THE NATURAL HABIT PATTERNS OF CATTLE. IT CONTINUED THE MULTI-YEAR PROJECT TO UPDATE AND RECORD ALL EXISTING AND NEW WATER RIGHTS ON THE RANCH AND WORKED ON ITS PERMANENT WATER SOURCES. IT CONDUCTED MAINTENANCE, RENOVATION, AND RESTORATION WORK ON VARIOUS HISTORIC BUILDINGS ON THE RANCH. IT ENGAGED IN THE ERADICATION OF EXOTIC PLANT SPECIES ON THE RANCH. THE FOUNDATION UPDATED ITS FACILITIES MAP. IT ENGAGED IN A REST/ROTATION DOMESTIC GRAZING PROTOCOL FOR PARTS OF THE RANCH. IT REMOVED AND MODIFIED FENCING THAT OBSTRUCTED WILDLIFE MOVEMENT.

SCIENCE & EDUCATION - THE FOUNDATION AND VARIOUS THIRD-PARTY EXPERTS (NEEDED DUE TO THE DIVERSITY AND SPECIFICITY OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED ON THE RANCH) CONDUCTED SPECIES INVENTORIES, MONITORING AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS ON THE RANCH (WHICH REPRESENTS A CATTLE RANCH WITH A GRAZING/FIRE MANANGEMENT REGIME IN HIGH DESERT GRASSLANDS AND SHRUBLANDS AND SHRUBLAND COMMUNITIES). IT CONTINUED TO ACQUIRE PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED REFERENCE MATERIALS (INCLUDING REPORTS FROM THE THIRD PARTIES WHO WERE ALLOWED TO CONDUCT THEIR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS ON THE RANCH). VARIOUS DATA AND CONCLUSIONS FROM SOME OF THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS CONDUCTED ON THE RANCH WERE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH NUMEROUS ACADEMIC REPORTS, AS WELL AS AT THE MALPAI BORDERLANDS GROUP SCIENCE CONFERENCE.

DOMESTIC GRAZING PROGRAM - THE FOUNDATION IS ENGAGED IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF HERBIVORE ON NATIVE FLORA AND FAUNA. THIS PROGRAM WORKS ON THE RESTORATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE CURRENT RANGE LANDS AND GRASSLAND CONDITIONS OF THE RANCH. IT USES THE NATURAL BEHAVIOR OF DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK TO IMPROVE GRAZING MANAGEMENT AND TO CONTROL ACCESS TO BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT AREAS. THIS PROGRAM UTILIZES THE TRADITIONAL AND PROVEN TECHNIQUES OF HERDING AND MANAGING CATTLE IN OPEN AND BRUSH COUNTRY THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE IN KEEPING CATTLE GENTLE AND TO EITHER DISPERSE OR CONCENTRATE THEIR GRAZING PATTERNS. IT ATTEMPTS TO DEMONSTRATE ECONOMIC GAIN AND CONSERVATION PROTECTION IN A REPLICABLE MANNER FOR LAND OWNERS OF SIMILAR HABITAT. THE FOUNDATION CURRENTLY HAS MONITORING PLOTS IN A VARIETY OF DIVERSE ECOLOGICAL ZONES. THIS PROGRAM REQUIRES GRAZING FROM DOMESTICATED LIVESTOCK AND IN 2021 USED A COW/CALF OPERATION ON THE RANCH TO ACHIEVE THE NECESSARY GRAZING.

CULTURAL/NEIGHBOR OUTREACH PROGRAM - TO HEIGHTEN THE IMPORTANCE AND AWARENESS OF TRADITIONAL RANCHING AND CONSERVATION, THE FOUNDATION CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE TRADITIONAL SKILLS OF THE COWBOYS, VAQUEROS AND HOMESTEADING INHABITANTS (INCLUDING TRADITIONAL ANIMAL GRAZING AND HERDING SKILLS) ALONG WITH PROGRAMS OF STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER LOCAL, HISTORICAL, AND CULTURAL GROUPS. THE FOUNDATION ASSISTED THE MALPAI BORDERLANDS GROUP (ANOTHER 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION) IN COORDINATING ITS 2021 ANNUAL SCIENCE CONFERENCE AND FULFILLING ITS SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS. THE FOUNDATION CONVEYED INFORMATION REGARDING ITS PROGRAMS THROUGH TOURS OF THE RANCH.