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Forest Guardians Grab Arizona Grazing Lease 5/29/03 Santa Fe, New Mexico-based Forest Guardians have gained control of 167 acres in Santa Cruz, County Arizona, and will not graze cattle on the allotment formerly held by Ethlyn Telles, an elderly widow. The Guardians offered $84.50 per animal unit month against Mrs. Telles' $40.66 bid. The environmental group had been trying to take over the lease since 1997 but the State Land Department refused to accept bids from anyone not planning to use the allotment for grazing. A ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court changed all that when it decided in 2001 that even those who had no intention of raising livestock were eligible to submit bids. John Horning, executive director of the Guardians, said the historic accomplishment signals the end to the domination of state school trust lands by livestock growers. Doc Lane, natural resource director for Arizona Cattle Growers Association, did not express alarm over the event because there are "8 million acres of state land." However, he added, "there's no way you can operate a ranching business in this state without use of private, state and federal lands because they're so intermingled." Forest Guardians plan to "restore to Babocomari River's cottonwood-willow
forest" that they overgrazing has allegedly damaged. RELATED STORY: Cattle To Be Removed -Enviro Group Buys South Arizona Grazing Lease By Mitch Tobin 5/29/03 Santa Cruz County, AZ - In a first, environmentalists have outbid a rancher to gain control of a grazing lease on state land. The Santa Fe, N.M.-based Forest Guardians now plan to kick cattle off the 162 acres near Elgin, in Santa Cruz County, and restore the Babocomari River's cottonwood-willow forest, which they say overgrazing has damaged. The Forest Guardians have tried to get the lease since 1997, but its applications were repeatedly rejected by the State Land Department. Then, on Nov. 21, 2001, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that people with no intention of raising livestock could bid on the 10-year leases, which cover 8.4 million acres - about 10 percent of the state. "This is a historic ruling that signals the end of the livestock industry's monopoly over state school trust lands," said John Horning, executive director of the Forest Guardians. The previous leaseholder, Ethlyn Telles, could not be reached for comment Tuesday, and her lawyer did not return several phone calls. In her application to the state, Telles said the land was recovering from overgrazing by previous leaseholders and that she has removed garbage, repaired fences, prevented off-road vehicle use and stopped illegal sand and gravel removal from the property. The application also said Telles sought "continued restoration of the subject land to the condition she remembers from childhood … so that she can sustain cattle grazing for many years to come and provide an aesthetic retreat for members of the public who enjoy nature." The Forest Guardians bid $84.40 per "animal-unit month" - the government's measure of how much forage is needed to support a cow and her calf - or about $2,000 per year. Telles bid $40.66 per animal-unit month. Doc Lane, natural resources director of the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association, said Telles is an elderly woman whose husband had recently died, something confirmed by others who know Telles. "I don't think (the decision) is going to be a significant threat because there's 8 million acres of state land," Lane said. But, he said, "there's no way you can operate a ranching business in this state without use of private, state and federal lands because they're so intermingled." Before and at statehood, the federal government gave Arizona 10.8 million acres. Arizona is supposed to sell or lease that land to "the highest and best bidder," with the revenues going to schools. About half the 1.6 million acres grazed in Pima County are state-owned. * Contact reporter Mitch Tobin at 573-4185 or mtobin@azstarnet.com. |