Project Information

Year Awarded: Fiscal Year 2024

USDA Funding: $5,054,000.00

Partner-Contributed Funding: $5,925,150.00

Project Timeline: 2025-2030

RCPP Conservation Activities: Land Management and Entity Held Easement

Arizona Counties: Cochise County

Lead Partner: Arizona Association of Conservation Districts

Collaborating Partners: University of Arizona, Malpai Borderlands Group, Arizona Land and Water Trust, New Mexico Land Conservancy

Summary

The goal of this project is to deliver funding for two agricultural conservation easements and address land management resource concerns related to drought, wildfire, and climate uncertainty through land management producer contracts. Agricultural easements' public benefits include environmental quality, wildlife habitat, and open space protection. In this region, they also protect national security interests. Furthermore, they enhance the long-term viability of the nation’s food supply by preventing the conversion of productive working lands to non-agricultural uses. The loss of agricultural land exceeds 2,000 acres per year. Contributing to that challenge are the rising age of local producers, inflated land prices, and production costs, making succession planning and opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers difficult. Drought conditions further exasperate production costs and increase the risk of fire spreading.

Resource Concerns

Livestock production limitation, concentrated erosion, degraded plant condition, fire management, long term protection of land

Conservation Practices Offered

• 382 – Fence
• 383 – Fuel Break
• 516 – Livestock pipeline
• 575 – Trails and Walkway
• 614 – Watering Facility
• 314 – Brush Management

*Other conservation activities that link to project resource concerns.

Project Map

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