I had my faith in humanity renewed last night at the open Stakeholder Meeting for the Collaborative Governance team in the Agua Fria National Monument, or more specifically the Horseshoe Ranch grazing allottment. The representatives from the BLM, the National Forest Service and Arizona Game and Fish were knowledgeable, professional, and good in their public engagement. The public turnout – with representatives from archaeological societies, environmental NGOs, ranchers, hunting groups, and others – was fairly large, well informed, and interested. The quick takeaway – people care and want to make a difference.
Big steps coming up – the resolution of conflicting interests, putting in place an adaptive management strategy, and starting to monitor and react to environmental changes. It’s an exciting time.
michaelschoon 