Malpai Borderlands Group 2017 Retreat for the Board of Directors and Staff

In August, the Malpai Borderlands Group held a two day working retreat for its Board of Directors, its staff and advisers.  The retreat was the first one held since 2012, when the Malpai Group reset its ten year plan.  This retreat came as the Group prepares for a new Executive Director and Finance Coordinator.  During the retreat the Board, staff and advisers looked at five different areas/issues that the Board felt needed attention.  The retreat provided the time and the environment for lengthy brainstorming and discussion that regular meetings don't provide.

Here are the results of the retreat discussion:

I.  Board Succession

a) Potential Board Members should possess the following qualities:

1. Commitment to Malpai's mission

2. Understanding of a Board member's role

3. Bring diversity

4. Show initiative to get involved

5. Commitment to attend meetings

6. Willingness to help garner support for Malpai

b) Ways to bring on new board members

1. Replace retiring Board members.  Retiring members may elect to stay involved in an emeritus or ex-offico role.

2. Expand the number of members on the Board

II. NRCS Coordinator

a) The NRCS Coordinator position has become overburdened by having the simultaneous responsibility of being     Douglas, Arizona District Conservationist

b) The Malpai Group will explore the possibility with the New Mexico State Conservationist of creating a Coordinator position from New Mexico to share the load

III. Fire and Agency Relations

a)  Communication and cooperation on addressing wildfires has been lacking between agencies and landowners outside the Malpai working area.

b)  The Malpai Borderlands Group has a positive record of cooperation with the agencies on both wildfires and prescribed burns.

c) Action items:

1. Strengthen Malpai's agency relationships regarding fire by including fire planning as part of every annual Agency Meeting.

2. Hold a community meeting to talk about Malpai's approach to fire planning

3. If appropriate, follow up on the meeting by printing and distributing a booklet on fire planning.

IV. Science

a) The Malpai Borderlands Group science program has been and is important

b) Priority will be given to continuing to work and strengthen ties with the Jornada Research Station.

c) The Malpai Group will continue to use sdditional research entities as needed

d) Malpai will continue to maintain a Science Advisory Committee and host an annual Science Meeting.

e) A stronger focus will be directed toward the Habitat Conservation Plan

V. Capacity Building

a)  The Malpai Group will begin a focused and organized approach to building capacity:

1. Conduct a review of past supporters

2. Explore the use of Constant Contact

3. Plan an event for 2019 to celebrate the Malpai Group's 25th anniversary  

We are a grassroots, landowner-driven nonprofit organization attempting to implement ecosystem management on nearly one million acres of virtually unfragmented open-space landscape in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.

The Malpai Borderlands area includes the San Bernardino Valley, the Peloncillo Mountains, the Animas Valley and the Animas Mountains. It is roughly pyramid shaped, with the base of the pyramid beginning just east of Douglas, Arizona along the Mexican Border to just west of Antelope Wells, New Mexico. The apex is just south of Animas, New Mexico.

With elevations ranging from 3500 to 8500 feet, the Malpai is a diverse area of mountains, canyons, valleys and riparian corridors. Several rare, threatened, and endangered plant and animal species are found here. It is the only place in the U.S. where Gould's turkey and white-sided jackrabbits occur naturally. It is also home to popular big-game species such as Coues deer, mule deer, pronghorn and Desert Bighorn sheep.

Perhaps the most remarkable feature of this huge landscape is that fewer than 100 human families reside on it. Many of the families who live here have been here for generations. Except for two small wildlife preserves, this is cattle ranching country. As ranchers, we have been concerned about a key resource we depend on for our livelihoods and way of life - the diminishing quality of grasslands for grazing. Fragmentation of the landscape, beginning with the subdivision of some ranches in our area, has also been a looming threat.

We formed a nonprofit organization to bring ranchers, scientists, and key agencies together, and today the Malpai Borderlands Group now carries out a series of conservation programs and activities, including land restoration; endangered species habitat protection; cost-sharing range and ranch improvements; and land conservation projects.

We invite you to explore our website and learn more about our efforts.