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The Sky Island Conference:
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
1
Leonard F. DeBano and Peter F. Ffolliotf
A general discussion at the conclusion of the conference considered the
state-of-knowledge and possible future directions of research and
management in the Madrean Archipelago. The participants entered into
a dialogue on the success of the conference in meeting: 1) the goals of
the conference, and 2) people's expectations. A summary of this
dialogue and the comments prepared by the moderators of the
concurrent sessions of the conference are presented here.
INTRODUCTION
Sloane 1992). Over 100 invited, contributed, and
poster papers were presented at this Sky Island
conference on topics ranging from hydrology and
riparian systems to the biology of vertebrates and
invertebrates to forest ecology and the effects of
fire. The presenters of these papers came from
both sides of the border between the United States
and Mexico to share their knowledge.
A general discussion was held at the conclusion of the conference to consider the
state-of-knowledge and possible future directions
of research and management in the Madrean Archipelago. 3 The participants entered into a
dialogue on the success of the conference in terms
of the initial purpose of the conference and if it
met people's expectations. A summary of this dialogue and the comments prepared by the
moderators of the concurrent sessions of the conference is summarized in this paper. The authors
have arranged the contents of the dialogue among
the participants and the comments of the moderators to provide a degree of consistency in their
presentation.
The discussion points and moderators' comments presented in this paper are not meant to be
all-inclusive with respect to the total state-ofknowledge and directions that research and
management should take in the Madrean Archipelago. Rather, they reflect only the discussion at
the conclusion of the conference and the notes of
the session moderators. No attempt was made to
"prioritize" the discussion points or comments.
The Madrean Archipelago represents an area
of exceptional biodiversity and great biogeographical interest located in an incomparable
geological setting. The region is thus of considerable interest to researchers, managers, and other
stakeholders in the southwestern United States,
northern Mexico, and throughout the world.
Thousands of publications have resulted from the
research efforts and management experiences in
the region. Many studies are currently being conducted on floristic and aquatic resources,
vertebrate and invertebrate biology, environmental ecology and conservation management,
and historical perspectives of people's use of the
natural resources on both sides of the border. The
results of many of these studies are contained in
these proceedings of the conference.
BACKGROUND OF CONFERENCE
This conference was planned to bring together
researchers, managers, environmentalists, and
other stakeholders interested in sharing information and ideas on the natural resources of the
Madrean Archipelago. The conference was organized to satisfy one of the goals put forth in an
earlier conference on the status of natural science
research in the Chiricahua Mountains (Barton and
1Leonard F. DeBano is Supervisory Soil Scientist, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Tucson, AZ.
3The discussion at the concluding session of conference was moderated by: Dr. Patrick Reid, School of Renewable Natural Resources,
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.; Dr. Tony Burgess, The Desert Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.; and Dr. Luis Bojorquez,
Centro de Ecologia, UNAM, Mexico, D.F.
2Peter F. Ffolliott is Professor, School of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
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STATE-OF-KNOWLEDGE AND GAPS TO BE
FILLED
Madrean Archipelago region. Furthermore, the
dynamics of species compositions are poorly
known on both sides of the border. Information on
extinctions and colonization is also incomplete.
Maintaining biodiversity requires a "balancing
act" between the rates of local extinction and colonization. The impacts of introduced exotic species,
livestock grazing, catastrophic fires, soil erosion,
and extirpations of montane species on native
floristics are largely unknown.
Information on the biology of fish species and
the management practices necessary to maintain
biodiversity of many fish popUlations is available
for many situations. However, the state-of-knowledge on other aquatic resources is largely
insufficient. For example, the following questions
should be addressed - "What is the rate of dispersion of frogs across specified landscapes?" "How
are the aquatic habitats of macro invertebrates affected by changing water levels?" "What are the
effects of fire and its management on aquatic ecosystems and biota?" More baseline surveys of
aquatic ecosystems are also required. It likely will
become necessary to reduce the human-induced
factors influencing the fragmentation of habitats.
Fire research in general needs attention. Information on the structure of vegetative
communities and the composition of vertebrate
and invertebrate populations in response to fire
frequency is insufficient. The long-term consequences of large wildfires (as occurred
throughout the region in the summer of 1994) on
natural and cultural resources are largely unknown. The roles of prescribed burning in
achieving fuel reductions and altering habitats
need further study. The effects of fire on the natural resources of the Madrean Archipelago is the
central theme of a conference to be held at the
Universidad de Sonora in Hermosillo, Sonora, in
the Spring of 1996. Initial planning for this conference has been initiated.
Research in watershed hydrology and the
functioning of riparian systems has focused
largely on the issues of water supply and on erosion processes and control. However, there is also
a need to consider the hydrologic requirements of
many native plant species. The relationships of
watershed condition to the health of riparian and
wetland systems is an important issue on both
sides of the border. The response of vegetative
comrnunities to a deterioration of riparian health
is also unknown.
It was noted by the conference participants
that the indigenous people in the Madrean Archipelago, and particularly in Mexico, have
Many of the papers presented in the conference dealt with maintaining biodiversity,
reviewing current state-of-know ledge information, and discussing the aspects of achieving
management goals. In a large part, therefore,
these proceedings of the conference represent a
state-of-know ledge about the biodiversity and
management of the ecosystems found in the Madrean Archipelago. However, the participants also
pointed to important gaps in our knowledge that
need to be filled. There was a general feeling that
biodiversity is rapidly eroding and that actions
must be taken quickly to reverse this trend.
It was felt that the effects of land management
interventions in the ecosystems of the Madrean
Archipelago are only partially understood in
terms of biodiversity response. Questions to be
answered include - "How does the biodiversity of
the grassland ecosystems respond to grazing by
livestock?" "What effects do fuelwood harvesting
and fire have on biodiversity in the forest and
woodland ecosystems?" "How does the increasing
recreational use of the lands on both sides of the
border alter biodiversity?" There is a need for regional coordination in attempting to answer these
questions.
There is also a need to identify the biological
connections between mountain ranges ~ the Madrean Archipelago, and to maintain the genetic
flow between ranges. Corridors between the
mountain ranges need to be managed to prevent
artificial insularization. However, knowledge of
ecological processes and their relationships to ecosystem dynamics is prerequisite to the planning of
effective management. Coordinated and interdisciplinary research efforts are required to
understand these relationships.
More specific gaps in knowledge were also
mentioned by the participants, or contained in the
moderators' comments. Know ledge of vertebrate
and invertebrate community structures is incomplete. Attempts to alleviate this situation are
noteworthy in many instances, but basic research
should be intensified because of the high diversity
of populations in the Madrean Archipelago. Species listings are incomplete in the United States
and there is relatively little information from Mexico. It is difficult to effectively manage for the
maintenance of biodiversity without this information.
There is a general lack of know ledge of the
floristic resources in the Mexican portion of the
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also function as a depository and "central clearing
house" for the transfer of information generated
by these conferences and that resulting from research and management in the region.
knowledge of natural resources and their use that
should be included in the knowledge base for this
region. Much of this knowledge is exchanged
orally among people in many instances and,
therefore, should be recorded to enhance the interpretations of research findings.
The knowledge gaps to be filled in Mexico are
difficult to assess in many respects. Mexican researchers desire to publish their findings in
"prestigious" journals, as do scientists everywhere, and publication in English is generally
favored over articles in Spanish. Basic researchers
do not always communicate with applied researchers, and there is little emphasis on
extension activity or "technology transfer" of
Mexican research results. As a consequence, natural resource managers in Mexico frequently do not
have ready access to the information necessary to
"manage better," resulting in limited applications
of new technologies. Therefore, while there often
appear to be gaps in knowledge, it may be that the
information to fill these gaps is simply not available to the managerial clientele in Mexico. The
implementation of US technology, however, must
be tested in Mexico within an environment reflecting their own economic and social goals.
The participants generally agreed that this
conference provided a valuable forum for the exchange of ideas among the diverse interest groups
in attendance. However, the participants also
stressed the point that it is critical for p~ople to
leave the conference with a commitment to continuing the dialogue initiated among researchers,
managers, and other stakeholders on both sides of
the border. In achieving this end, the continuing
development of "databases" for the use of researchers and managers in the United States and
Mexico is a high priority. The development of efficient avenues for exchanging information across
the border is also necessary. A challenge to the
stakeholders in the Madrean Archipelago is to become actively involved in the early "planning
stages" of proposed research programs and management interventions.
It was suggested that institutions such as the
Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment
Station, the School of Renewable Natural Resources at the University of Arizona, the Research
Station of the American Museum of Natural History, and their counterparts in northern Mexico
(such as the Centro Ecologia de Sonora and the
Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas) could serve
as facilitators for future conferences on topics of
interest to the stakeholders in the Madrean Archipelago. A consortium of these institutions could
MAJOR ISSUES CONFRONTING
RESEARCHERS AND MANAGERS
The major issues confronting researchers and
managers of the Madrean Archipelago are many,
as pointed out by the conference participants.
Some of these issues are unique to either the
United States or Mexico, while many issues are
common to the borderlands in general and, therefore, should be addressed jointly by researchers
and lnanagers in both countries.
The participants felt that a scientific basis for
ecosystem management in the Madrean Archipelago has not yet been adequately established.
There was a consensus that a fundamental difference exists between past and present management
of ecosystems. In the past, ecosystems were
largely managed to extract commodities, contrasted to ecosystem management today which
emphasizes system integrity, and with the understanding that management practices must fit into
the ecosystem without destroying its integrity. As
a consequence, systems management of the ecosystem, rather than functional management of
natural resources, should be encouraged.
It was concluded that biodiversity goals are
key to land and natural resource stewardship on
both sides of the border, and should be integrated
into management strategies whenever possible.
An approach to attaining this goal likely involves
an "administrative structure" that goes beyond
agencies' responsibilities. Institutional barriers
need to be eliminated and international cooperation must be encouraged. The problems of
scattered and generally uncoordinated leadership
must be resolved.
Among the major issues of concern are those
related to the maintenance of ecosystem viability.
People on both sides of the border will still require use of natural resources for various
purposes, but these uses should occur within the
framework of this viability. Importantly, people
must be recognized as being an integral part of
the ecosystems, rather than being outside of the
systems looking in, and their needs must be addressed in maintaining ecosystem viability.
In considering the multiple use of natural resources, the conference participants felt that
multiple use should equate to multiple values. It
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tutions and stakeholders involved. While it is impossi.ble to consider all of the possible goals for
specific research and management in this paper,
the participants in the conference identified many
central goals that, in their collective opinion, warrant serious consideration. For example, it is
important to think in terms of goals that "favor"
maintaining or, if possible, enhancing biodiversity. It was suggested that these goals entail
preserving a "wilderness aspect" in the mix of research and management priorities. These goals
can be realized only through scientific knowledge.
It will be necessary, therefore, to pursue the attainment of scientific know ledge on how the
biological and non-biological dimensions of ecosystems function. A balance between planned,
problem-oriented, coordinated research and the
necessary freedom, spontaneity, and creativity in
scientists' choice of research problems is prerequisite to obtaining this knowledge. The intensity
of these human pressures (e.g. urbanization of
natural ecosystems) will continue to jeopardize
these goals.
Researchers and managers should expand
upon the mechanisms for the transfer of resource
information to all stakeholders in the region. In
this regard, it is becoming increasingly important
to maintain a dialogue with all stakeholders in the
Madrean Archipelago in relation to the status of
research and management efforts, the status of inventory and monitoring, and the prevailing
policies on natural resource uses. Impediments to
attaining these goals, including a lack of funding
and the lack of interagency and intersectoral cooperation, must be minimized.
There is a need to work with responsible agencies and interested stakeholders in establishing
funding priorities in relation to ecosystem management. There is also a need to identify the more
important "actors" involved in ecosystem management who understand the framework of decision
making and priorities with respect to funding. If not
handled in a systematic manner, however, the establishment of funding opportunities can end up in
uncoordinated and largely piecemeal efforts.
It was generally agreed that sustainability and
viability are the heart of ecosystem management.
One key ingredient to responsive ecosystem management is maintaining biodiversity, including
genetic diversity, of native plants. Policies on the
use of plants for revegetation and rehabilitation
purposes are also needed to ensure ecosystem integrity. The strengthening of genetic partnerships
among federal and state agencies, universities,
and private organizations is encouraged.
will be necessary, therefore, to express the goals of
multiple use in terms of both market and nonmarket values. Options for multiple use
management in the future must consider nonmarket values in addition to commodity values to
be all-inclusive.
From the Mexican perspective, there is a lack
of financial support for ecological research. Baseline data sets are needed for most of the Madrean
Archipelago region in Mexico. There appears to
be a general lack of coordination among internal
institutions and stakeholders, and this is further
complicated with interventions of international
donors. The people of Mexico need to review the
roles of outside interest-groups on internal decision making.
It is generally recognized that the cultural history of Mexico is different from that in the United
States with respect to value systems and, to some
extent, the perceptions that people place on the
values of natural resources. It is not surprising,
therefore, that a program of research and management must work in Mexico within the framework
of a different value system than a program in the
United States. Issues are not only biological; cultural values also need to be considered in
formulating research and management efforts. Environmental education at all levels should be
stressed.
To many of the participants, there currently is
too much emphasis on transferring technology
from the United States to Mexico without working
out the technologies for applications in Mexico,
resulting in technology being "transferred" without an appreciation of the biophysical and
socioeconomic environment in Mexico. It is important that this situation be rectified whenever
possible.
It is also necessary that the flow of knowledge
from Mexico to the United States be enhanced. In
many situations, it is likely that the collective experiences of the scientific communities in Mexico
can contribute to filling perceived knowledge
gaps in the United States. However, the researchers and managers in the United States must
become aware of the Mexican experiences for this
to happen.
GOALS FOR RESEARCH AND
MANAGEMENT
It is imperative that the goals for research and
management in the Madrean Archipelago be tied
to goals that are supported generally by the insti4
specific, often limited subjects. The conference
participants highlighted many of the recent, continuing, and planned efforts of the research and
management communities in the region. In
achieving this purpose, however, it will be necessary to increase the level of communication
among people of diverse interests and concerns.
We also believe that a potential has been established for the researchers, managers, and other
stakeholders in the Madrean Archipelago to cooperate in a setting of mutual interests, principles,
and knowledge. For this to happen requires a recognition of the ecological characteristics of the
natural resource base, the level of ecological
knowledge held by all stakeholders, the social and
economic objectives involved, the heterogeneity
of the stakeholders and organizational structures
in the region, and the cultures of the people involved .. These topics were considered in the
papers presented in the conference and by the
participants in the closing session; hopefully, they
will be the focus of research and management in
the future.
There is a need for research and management
that recognizes the biological integrity of the borderlands but is still able to accommodate the
differences between Mexico and the United States.
Part of this effort could be the establishment of a
regional information center, which would serve as
a central depository for relevant information from
both countries. This information center might
translate the literature into both languages and
use a common terminology to facilitate the use of
this literature.
Finally, the commonly encountered fragmentation of agendas among institutions and between
institutions and stakeholders should be eliminated whenever possible in establishing goals for
research and management. Building a consensus
on the central goals and priorities of research and
management will be necessary to meet the challenges confronted by researchers and managers in
the Madrean Archipelago.
A CONCLUDING COMMENT
A frequent debate that we have all heard is
whether a big conference such as this is useful and
effective in comparison to a smaller symposium
that addresses specific topics. We believe that this
conference, while ''hig'' to some people, can play
an important role in planning for the future of the
Madrean Archipelago that could not .. be adequately filled by smaller symposia on more
LITERATURE CITED
Barton, A. M.; Sloane, S. A., eds. 1992. Chiricahua Mountains research symposium: Proceedings. Southwest
Parks and Monuments Association, Tucson, Arizona,
126p.
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