The Rimrock Report
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA,
SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
July 2015
Volume 8, Issue 3
Sonoran Desert Tortoise Study: 35 Years In The Making
Slow and Steady
Southern Arizona ranchers Walt and Francie
Meyer weren’t always interested in the numbers
of the Sonoran Desert Tortoise populations on
their ranch, located in Pinal County just
southwest of Winkelman. Walt recalls seeing the
reptiles regularly during his younger years
growing up in the area but didn’t pay them much
attention, that is, until the late 1970’s when
Jojoba seed oil (see Plant of the Week article) became valuable. The Meyer’s observed
many charred tortoise shells in campfires left from illegal “nut pickers” who were
hungry and ill prepared to survive in the desert. Walt, being of curious mind, admits he
wanted to know more about the tortoises and had no idea his curiosity would lead him
and his family on a 35 year journey studying the Sonoran Desert Tortoise.
Owning a ranch and being in the cattle business, the Meyer’s wanted to find a
way to make a living while promoting the habitat and stewardship of the Sonoran
Desert Tortoise. As many ranchers are all too familiar with, many interest groups are
adamantly opposed to cattle ranching and are firm standing in the belief that ranching
and conservation don’t mix. The Meyer’s are disproving that theory by adopting a
proactive and voluntary approach working with agencies to actively conserve the
Sonoran Desert Tortoise and its habitat; an effort that needs to be recognized.
For that reason, I will only give you the meat and taters version of the study protocol as
well as an overview of key topics found in the Best Management Practices guide, and
focus more on championing the Meyer’s passion for successful cohabitation among
domestic animals and wildlife and showing that YES, IT CAN BE DONE!
Curiosity Leads to a Study
As a result of his curiosity on the creatures, Walt began amassing data in the following
years and generated several reports and presentations with the help of Dr. Phil Ogden,
a world renowned Range Scientist who, at that time, was a professor at the University
of Arizona. A formal study was started in 1980. The Meyer’s selected a 23 square mile
sampling area in the San Pedro River Valley that included a range of elevations,
vegetative and geologic units, topographic reliefs and across three different grazing
regimes in order to further study the tortoises. The study had two goals: to find out how
Inside this issue:
Sonoran Desert
Tortoise Study: 35
Years in the Making
2-3
Chris’s Hot Topic of 4-5
Range: # Rangenerd,
a Social Media
Campaign
Plant of the “Week”
6-8
AZSRM Summer
Meeting
9
The View From the
Rim
10
Just Me Talking
10
“.. ranchers can
be and often
are, pro-active
and
collaborative
when it comes
to
conservation..”
The Rimrock Report
Page 2
Sonoran Desert Tortoise Study: 35 Years In The Making ….continued
many tortoises were in the study area and what the distribution of
tortoises were within the study area. Interestingly, no telemetry was used;
encounters with tortoises were completely random. Oh yeah, did I
mention the study was SELF FUNDED? Now that’s dedication!
Walt has a PhD in Range Management from the University of
Arizona and as such, he was adamant about using proper monitoring
techniques and recording data as accurately as possible. He enlisted the
aid of their local Game and Fish biologist as well as several University of
Arizona wildlife biology and range science professors. It turns out
tortoises are not easy specimens to study. Walt noted it took them nearly
four years to really learn how to spot tortoises and even today, after 35
years of intensive study and data collection, he feels they still do not have
answers to all of their questions, yet they know more than they did in the
beginning and that’s a pretty good start.
From 1980, the Meyer’s tortoise adventures were strictly out of
curiosity and concern and they had no idea of how that would change in
the future. In 2008, WildEarth Guardians and Western Watersheds
submitted what was viewed as a flawed petition to list the Sonoran Desert
Tortoise as an endangered species; a decision that they believe to be
unwarranted, that will jeopardize livestock grazing (their way of life) and
will harm the Sonoran Desert Tortoise in the long run. The proposed
petition data suggested low Sonoran Desert Tortoise numbers while the Meyer’s data indicated just the opposite:
thriving populations. The Meyer’s, working with Lamar Smith, George Ruyle, Doc Lane, Phil Ogden and the
Winkleman NRCD, collected and submitted their data to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in hopes of
preventing the Sonoran Desert Tortoise from being listed. Since 2008, their efforts have been a conscious, proactive effort to support this cause.
A Guide For Ranchers
Wanting to put their data to good use, the Ranching and Sonoran Desert Tortoise Working Group was formed in
2011, and compiled years of tortoise observational data and experience gained by Walt and the agency folks
along with the life-long ranching experience of its rancher members to create the Best Management Practices
For Ranching In Sonoran Desert Tortoise Habitat In Arizona document (https://
aznrcd.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/sdt-bmp-draft-for-review20140205.pdf) which helps facilitate the
implementation of conservation measures to protect the Sonoran Desert Tortoise on livestock ranches in
Arizona. The manual was the idea of then NRCS Range Conservationist Steve Barker, which became a WNRCD
document written by the Meyer’s, local Ranchers Bill Dunn (chairman of the WNRCD) and Stefanie Smallhouse
(from the Redington NRCD), along with NRCS, BLM, USFWS and AZGFD. The manual includes the
taxonomy, physiology, behavior, habitat, diet and shelter requirements of the Sonoran Desert Tortoise.
Additionally, the Ranch Planning sections cover conservation methods and practices specific to NRCS
programs, potential resource effects to the Sonoran Desert Tortoise and their habitat, as well as ranch
management activities and grazing systems that help promote a safe habitat for the Sonoran Desert Tortoise.
Furthermore, the guide also serves as a template for identifying and implementing conservation measures for
other species also found on rangelands. (In my teacher lingo we’d call that “cross curricular,” that is, a lesson in
Page 3
Volume 8, Issue 3
Sonoran Desert Tortoise Study: 35 Years In The Making ….continued
one subject area that could be incorporated into another
subject area.)
The Best Management Practices guide is an
objective treatment of the subject. It discusses how
roaming livestock can effect Sonoran Desert Tortoise
habitat in several ways, including destruction of vegetation
and burrows, alteration of soil and competition for food.
Now, I’m not saying that livestock, especially cattle, are
either totally responsible or free from blame; just that
effective and responsible land management falls heavily on
the shoulders of the land managers. The systems and
practices they decide to implement can significantly benefit
or harm the environment and their ranching operation. As wild and domesticated animals are sharing the same
land and resources, overlap is inevitable; and the Meyers’ are showing that overlap can be achieved and be
successful. The guide outlines specific measures that can be taken to ensure both tortoise and livestock habitats
are managed as responsibly as possible in order to promote healthy populations of both groups.
Balance, collaboration, and proactivity: It Can W ork!
Have you heard the tale of the tortoise and the hare? Well, slow and steady wins the race and the Meyer’s
(along with the collaborative efforts of local folks and the Winkelman NRCD) have faithfully been working on
finding a balance between monitoring and promoting healthy tortoise populations while continuing to utilize
the land resources in a responsible manner while making a living as ranchers.
Often we do not like to toot our own horns, but the diligent work that the Meyer’s have done, in
conjunction with the Winkelman NRCD and the University of Arizona, needs to be shared. The Meyer’s story
may be more common than we think, yet we don’t hear of rancher’s proactive efforts in the news nearly as
much as we hear the negatives. Much like business owners will tell you “consumers are more likely to point
out negative customer service experiences then positive ones.” Ranchers are so quickly, and often falsely,
accused of being careless in their management and unconcerned with the biological diversity of their lands,
and as a result receive an unfair rap.
So this is me, shining the spotlight on the Meyer’s efforts and giving them a nudge onto center stage.
On behalf of all range folks, we thank you for your hard work and all your efforts to bridge the gap between
conservation ideals and the ranching way life.
The dictionary defines “proactive” as (of a person, policy, or action) creating or controlling a situation
by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after it has happened.
I’m still wondering why the Meyer’s pictures aren’t there yet…
Article by Lisa Page
(with a lot of help from Francie Meyer…)
The Rimrock Report
Page 4
Chris's Hot Topic of Range……#Rangenerd, a Social Media Campaign
"Every Monday for
the past month we’ve been sharing
memes published by the Rangelands Partnership. This is
part of their #RangeNerd Monday social media campaign,
which is all about promoting awareness of Rangelands,
showing the diversity that exists within Rangelands, and
showcasing the various tasks and humor of the Rangeland
World. If the places and people look familiar to you it is
because they probably are. I am a member of the
partnership’s marketing task force and I have been actively
participating in this campaign, including making a few of
these memes, so odds are you’ll recognize the landscapes or
maybe even know the people in the meme (Or maybe
recognize yourself in the meme, in which case…
Surprise! :D ). The campaign just started, but so far it has
been extremely successful. The first meme had 14,000
views, 708 likes, and 113 shares.
So what exactly is a meme? Well, an internet meme is a themed post, video, or idea that spreads from person
to person, often with some mimicry as it is spread; Think Ice Bucket Challenge, Grumpy Cat, and the Success
Baby. We chose to go with the internet meme for several reasons. First, society likes them. These types of
posts are good for a quick laugh and a share, often spreading much farther than initially anticipated. Second,
we’ve found that the most successful posts are fun photos and jokes. We post a variety of content; science
articles, news clips, workshops, job posts, jokes, and action photos of field activities. The majority of our
posts might get several hundred views, but the jokes and photos can reach over a thousand. So we felt it
would be good to build on that popularity.
We chose to start with two memes; “You might be a #RangeNerd if”
and “We are Rangelands”. “You might be a #RangeNerd if” is an
open ended fill-in-the-blank joke that has a lot of possibilities.
These Range Nerd jokes are entertaining since we’ve all had
moments where something was Range Nerdy; perhaps interpreting
the rangeland condition along a random highway, pointing out all the
invasive plants on a family hike, or insisting on native grasses in a
wedding bouquet. These are fun conversation pieces and make for
great memes that we can all participate in. These are the main meme
being posted every week as “#RangeNerd Monday”.
“We are Rangelands” is a little different in that it is not focused on
humor. Rather, it is about showcasing the beauty and variety that
exists on our Rangelands. There is a lot more to Rangelands than the
public knows about and we’d like to exhibit that diversity here. These are simple and we collectively have
some of the best photographic examples of our Rangelands. There’s no set themed date for posting these, we
will just post them randomly as we make them. We’ll still post these under the hashtag #RangeNerd to keep
Volume 8, Issue 3
Page 5
Chris's Hot Topic of Range…...continued
the campaign tied to a consistent theme.
We Need Your Help
We need your help generating content for these memes and in
promoting the campaign. The Rangelands Partnership will post
these memes on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and possibly a few
other outlets. What we need you to do is to like and share them to
get them to as large an audience as possible. If every member shares
these posts we would have a massive audience. To assist in the
coordinated effort we’ve come up with the hashtag #RangeNerd.
Please use it when you share the posts as it ensures that the global
conversation is all tied together. The Rangelands Partnership also
has #RangePartners, and the Society for Range Management has its
own #RespectOnTheRange.
As for content, so far we have enough for the next two months but if we want
this campaign to continue we’ll need a lot more material. We are hoping to
have our friends from around the world use their unique experiences and
locations to make their own memes. Creating a meme is rather easy; they just
require the headline, the photo, and the punchline. We’ve even created a
power point template, downloadable here, where all you have to do is add the
photo and adjust the punchline or photo location as you see fit. We’ve also
left a place in the bottom right where you can add your organization’s logo if
you would like.
When you create your meme please email them to me at
cbernau@cals.arizona.edu and I’ll schedule it to be posted on a
future Monday. Or you can post them yourself on your own
social media outlets. If you do post it yourself please tag the
Rangelands Partnership in the post so They’ll be alerted and
can share it and please remember to use the Hashtag for the
campaign (#RangeNerd) and consider including the tags for the
Rangelands Partnership (#RangePartners) and the Society for
Range Management (#RespectOnTheRange). Thank you for
your help!
The Rimrock Report
Page 6
Plant of the “Week” by Guest Writer Matthew Kilford
Plant: Simmondsia chinensis
Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) is an evergreen shrub native to Arizona and occupies the majority of the
Sonoran desert with an elevation range of ~2000 to 4000 feet. In North America jojoba occurs in California,
Arizona, Utah, Baja California, Sonora, and small isolated pockets of New Mexico (SEINet.org). I picked
Jojoba because of its unique characteristics and importance to rangeland management and desert livestock
production. There are many uses for jojoba including year-round browse in deserted units, especially
essential for deer, javelina, bighorn sheep, and livestock (Matthews 1994). Jojoba is also the Sonoran Desert’s
second most economically valuable plant and has produced a large industry since the mid 1970’s in producing
oil from the fruit which was similar to that of sperm whale oil (desertmuseum.org).
Importance and management:
Jojoba is a drought tolerant plant and while it is not a main vegetative indicator of desert ecosystems the
Page 7
Volume 8, Issue 3
Plant of the “Week”...continued
foliage is an important forage
selection for livestock and
wildlife. The plants new-growth
stems may provide the best
forage quality available within its
range due to the lack of
herbaceous plant availability and
moisture (Matthews 1994).
Jojoba is also highly palatable
and highly nutritious for
livestock and may be the sole
source of forage on a range. It is
also known that when the shrub
is actively growing, the new
growth tends to be higher in
nutritional quality than that of
mature growth (except from
December to March) (Matthews 1994).
For management purposes the critical period of survival for jojoba is seedling to juvenile stages. It has been
determined that the majority of seedling mortality is caused by physical factors like extended drought, dry soil
or harsh freezing winters and not by predation of grazing (which accounts only for a small percentage), if
managed properly (Matthews 1994).
Identification:
Jojoba is a shrub that is tightly branched and can be anywhere from 1-3 m tall with a life span of 100 to 200
years (Matthews 1994). The new-growth stems are a greenish tan pubescent and age to a reddish brown to
gray. The branches and leaves have a unique characteristic of arching upward in erect stance to help aid in
exposure to the sun. The bark is smooth and internodes are anywhere from 1.5-4 cm long. The leaves
(glabrous) are opposite, simple, and slightly lancelet (0.8 to 1.6 in long) and consist of a dull green color to
dark brown depending on precipitation. Jojoba is dioecious which means containing male or female parts on
separate plants and considered to be a wind dispersed pollinator. The fruits are dehiscent green to brown acorn
-like capsules containing 1-3 seeds and will flower on current summer’s new growth (Matthews 1994).
The Rimrock Report
Page 8
Plant of the “Week”...continued
Simmondsia chinensis is a wonderful shrub and an important browse species for certain pastured areas.
Livestock and land managers know of its significance and use it to achieve similar management goals,
direction, and decisions.
-Matthews, Robin F. 1994. Simmondsia chinensis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory
(Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2015, June 25].
-http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/simchi/all.html
-http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=3313
Page 9
Volume 8, Issue 3
AZ Section SRM
Summer Meeting
August 5 - 7, 2015
Lynx Lake
The Arizona Section SRM summer meeting will be held from Wednesday, Aug. 5 th
through Friday, Aug. 7th in beautiful Prescott, AZ. We will set up camp and have a
membership meeting on Wednesday evening, have a full program Thursday and an
evening meal catered, and then a half day program on Friday. The Eagle Ridge and
Peregrine group campsites at Lynx Lake have been reserved for those that would
like to camp out. These facilities can accommodate up to 100 campers and there is
a ramada, picnic tables, bathrooms, and running water. There is a great hiking trail
that circles the lake. There are also numerous hotel options in Prescott. The meeting agenda is still being prepared, but we plan to have a session on grazing systems, and the membership has requested a session on archeology and how surveys
are conducted for projects. A session on pronghorn antelope and some of the habitat improvement treatments that are being done is also under consideration. There
is still lots of room on the agenda, so drop Chris Thiel (catthiel@fs.fed.us) an
email if you have any suggestions.
The view from the Rim
The English word “Rodeo” is derived from the Spanish verb “rodear” meaning “to surround”,
or in common use among cattlemen, “to round up”. Despite arguments from our friends in
Pecos TX and Payson AZ (among others), Prescott AZ claims to have the World’s Oldest
Rodeo. The Tolleson family has attended the Prescott Rodeo on July 4th since 2008. Looking
forward to it again this year. July 4th is the unofficial start to monsoon here in central AZ. It
usually rains on us before, during, or after the rodeo.
The University of Arizona
School of Natural Resources and the Environment
V Bar V Ranch
2830 N. Commonwealth Drive Suite 103
Camp Verde, AZ 86322
Just me talking...
Phone: 928-554-8991
Fax: 928-554-8996
Cell: 928-821-3222
E-mail: dougt@cals.arizona.edu
Web: http://cals.arizona.edu/aes/vbarv/
Note: Please email me if you would like to be added to the
“mailing” list for this newsletter.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the lead article from Lisa Page and Francie Meyer about the Meyer’s efforts to study and
conserve the Sonoran Desert Tortoise. I had met Walt and Francie and their family pretty early on when I came to
Arizona. I had heard them talk about the tortoises in conversations at SRM meetings and such, but not until they gave a
presentation about them last year at the state NRCD meeting in Prescott was I aware of the extent to which they had
gone to get good sound scientific data about these critters. Data to inform and support realistic management decisions. I
thought this was a story the world needed to know; so I asked the Meyer’s if we could feature them in the Rimrock
Report. If you know them, you know that they were excited to get the information out about the tortoise’s and all the
people who worked on the project, but a little reluctant to take credit for it. What a great story and a great example of
collaboration to come up with a practical solution to solve a natural resource issue. And it started with a ranching family
and their concern for what was happening on the ranch. This is the kind of thing that makes extension work rewarding.
My hat is off to all who contributed and are still contributing to this project. Just got back from the Western Section,
American Society of Animal Science meetings in Ruidoso New Mexico. The grad student paper competition was again
the highlight of these meetings. Jim Sprinkle and his committee put on a good extension symposium, Colt Knight did a
good job presenting his GPS collar/animal movement data from the V Bar V. We had a couple posters; one on using
fecal NIRS to detect external parasites in Sonora Texas and one on using NIRS to scan cattle brands and detect
increasing time since application. Talking to Temple Grandin about this project was a lot of fun. She always has some
insight that you did not think of. We have been collecting range and cow data for the continuation of Colts research at
the ranch this summer. Making plans for several workshops and field days in July-August. I will be heading up to Chinle
and Shiprock soon to do drought planning presentations for the Navajo Natural Resource Fairs. Chris is out monitoring
with just about everybody and Lisa is doing follow up evaluations on the
drought workshops we did this past winter and spring. Cows were AI’d at the
ranch last week. We have had a very unusual May and June, mostly wet and
cool till just recently. Looking forward now to getting wet at the Prescott
Rodeo and the “real” monsoon. Got the chance to support the horse industry in
Ruidoso last week with some animal science friends. Ask Glenn Duff about a
horse called “Beer Belly Buddy”. Not exactly the second coming of Seattle
Slew…
Till next time,
Doug