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The Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership
Karen M. Simms1
INTRODUCTION
The Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership (SVPP) is a voluntary association of agencies (federal,
state, and local), organized groups and individuals who share a common interest in the future of
public land resources in the Sonoita Valley. Participating individuals have come from a variety of
communities including Sonoita, Elgin, Patagonia, Huachuca City, Sierra Vista, Nogales, Tucson, and
Phoenix among others. Participation has also come from representatives of organized groups
including hiking clubs, conservation organizations, off-highway vehicle clubs, mountain bike clubs,
bird-dog clubs, and grazing and mining interests. Agency representation has come from BLM,
Nogales and Sierra Vista Ranger Districts of the Forest Service, Natural Resource Conservation
Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona State Land
Department, Arizona Department of Water Resources, Pima County Parks and Recreation and
Planning'Fiood Control, and Santa Cruz County. Participation in the SVPP is completely open.
Anyone can participate and they can join at any time. Those who are unable to attend the monthly
meetings are invited to participate by reviewing meeting minutes and providing written or phone
comments.
The (SVPP) was conceived as a way for the community (private, public, government, local, nonlocal, etc.) to come together to achieve community oriented resolutions to local and national issues
affecting public lands within the Sonoita Valley. This in turn has increased awareness,
communication, understanding, trust and support for each other. It has also helped us look at the
valley as a whole and what we want and need in the future.
BACKGROUND
In 1988, The BLM acquired the public lands on the Empire-Cienega Resource Conservation
Area (RCA) through a land exchange. These lands located in north-eastern Santa Cruz County and
southeastern Pima County, Arizona, hold extremely high social, cultural, and resource values for
the local and national public. These values include a critical watershed which is important to
Tucson for flood control and aquifer recharge, a site on the National Register of Histpric Places,
endangered species, extensive riparian areas, broad expanses of native grasslands,;outstanding
wildlife habitat, scenic open space and high potential for dispersed recreation. The BLM is
mandated to complete long-term land use planning to guide management of the 45,000 acres of
public land within the Empire-Cienega RCA.
After several false starts on developing a plan for the RCA, the BLM decided to take a new
approach which would involve greater public participation in all aspects of planning and which would
also improve communication and coordination with surrounding public and private landowners. This
desire for a new approach led to creation of the SVPP.
In January of 1995, the BLM brought together representatives from federal, state, and local
agencies with interest in the Sonoita Area to discuss the idea of forming a partnership to work with
the community on public land issues. There was strong interest from all participants. This meeting
was followed by a community potluck in April 1995. Agencies and groups were invited to put up
displays of their activities in the Sonoita Area, and tours were given to various sites in the Valley.
1
Bureau of Land Management, Tucson AZ Reid Office
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Participants filled out a questionnaire on their concerns for the future of the Sonoita Valley. In July
1995, the SVPP put on a community workshop to review the results of the questionnaire and to
generate other issues related to the Sonoita Valley. The participants decided to deal only with
issues related to public lands. Three working groups were created at the workshop to address
issues relating to wildlife-vegetation, water-minerals, and people. The groups met monthly. In
December 1995, the groups gave a joint presentation on their accomplishments on issues, visions
and goals. They also decided to merge the water-minerals and wildlife-vegetation groups into the
natural resources working group and to continue to meet monthly. In September 1996, the groups
gave another joint presentation on accomplishments and decided to have all working groups meet
together for the time being to finalize objectives and work on management recommendations.
Although working with the BLM on planning for the Empire-Cienega has been a driving force behind
the direction of SVPP. The working groups have also provided input into several BLM and USFS
projects.
SVPP ACCOMPLISHMENTS
To date the SVPP has accomplished the following:
•
Created vision statements relating to open space, water, healthy diverse grasslands and
traditional uses for the Sonoita Valley that broadly define what future conditions the community
would like to maintain or reach in this valley.
•
Raised a variety of issues concerning public lands within the Sonoita Valley.
•
Formed three working groups to address issues relating to:
People (cultural/historical resources, recreation, land uses, economics etc.),
Water/Minerals (water quality and supply, mineral use and impacts, etc.),
WildlifeNegetation (wildlife populations and habitat, endangered species,
grasslands, grazing, etc.).
•
Developed goals for vegetation, wildlife, water, watershed, cultural resources, recreation, open
space, traditional uses, and stewardship of resources.
•
Drafted specific, measurable objectives for upland and riparian vegetation, watershed, wildlife,
cultural resources, and recreation.
•
Made preliminary recommendations on use of prescribed fire, off-highway vehicle designations,
management of antelope habitat, and management of special recreation permit areas.
SVPP FUTURE
The SVPP has already accomplished a great deal. The direction that that group takes in the
future is up to all of the participants. The working groups have decided to meet jointly for the time
being while finalizing objectives and working on management recommendations. By meeting
together, the groups can more effectively address the different views of the participants in relation
to specific issues. Some of the tasks that the group will be working on include:
•
•
Finalizing objectives
Developing management recommendations to achieve objectives and solve issues
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•
•
•
•
Preparing a final report of accomplishments
Working with BLM to finish Land Use Plan for Empire-Cienega
Continuing to provide input on implementation of plans
Continuing to provide input on specific issueS/topics relating to public lands in Sonoita Valley as
they arise
Components of Success
There are several indicators of the success of the SVPP approach so far: a high level of
participation has been maintained in the working groups, new participants have continued to join,
communication has increased between the participants on a variety of levels, there has been
increased interest and involvement in management activities by the agencies, and the local
community has started up the Sonoita Crossroads Community Forum which is dealing with many
issues which complement those being dealt with by SVPP.
BLM has achieved a better understanding of the importance of the valley to everyone; of
community values, of present and future needs and concerns; how public lands are important to
sustaining the desired community and character of the valley, and how the solutions to our
problems today lie in the strength of our community in the future.
Some of the components of success include:
• Have an open process, don't keep anyone out, invite detractors in
• Use an outside 'neutral' facilitator at least until trust is there
• Initially, get everyone acquainted in a non-confrontational, recreational (fun) atmosphere
• Keep communication going throughout the process (minutes)
• Keep commitment going (funding, level of involvement)-don't back burner it
• Have an education component with technical specialists
• Respect diverse views
• Seek common ground
• Nurture partnerships
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