activities · 9
what they do
direct service · 3
- Facilitate fire management coordination and prescribed burns Wildfire Risk Mitigation & ResponseCoordinates biannual fire management meetings, led the first Altar Valley Fire Meeting in 2012, and implemented prescribed burns on private and public lands through cross-boundary collaboration.
- Implement on-the-ground conservation and restoration projects Erosion Control and Habitat RestorationConducts field projects including erosion control, brush management, grassland enhancement (e.g., 2,000-acre mesquite treatment), riparian restoration (La Osa Wells), and watershed demonstration projects with long-term monitoring and outreach components.
- Provide geospatial data and mapping tools for the Altar Valley Wildfire Risk Mitigation & ResponseOperates an interactive web map portal with up-to-date GIS data, a real-time Fire Information Map, and tools for generating custom PDFs, developed in collaboration with Quiet Creek Corporation.
advocacy · 1
- Advocate for conservation funding and legal agreements Conservation Advocacy & Land ProtectionNegotiated a settlement with Kinder-Morgan over the Sierrita Pipeline, resulting in an endowment to support ongoing conservation work in the Altar Valley.
research · 3
- Administer research and science support programs Institutional Sustainability PlanningManages the Altar Valley Research Fellowship to fund scientific research and maintains a Science Advisory Board that meets quarterly to guide the organization’s science initiatives.
- Develop and advance the Altar Valley Fire Management Plan Wildfire Risk Mitigation & ResponseCreated a comprehensive fire management plan supported by biological assessments and environmental reviews, secured regulatory approval (Finding of No Significant Impact), and facilitated prescribed burns and fire monitoring in the valley.
- Develop and implement the Altar Valley Watershed Plan Watershed Conservation PlanningA collaboratively developed plan identifying conservation priorities and management goals for the Altar Valley, created through the Altar Valley Watershed Working Group and supported by watershed assessments and resource management studies.
capacity building · 2
- Develop and maintain the Altar Valley Collection Historic Route & Cultural Heritage InterpretationA curated digital archive of historical and research materials about the Altar Valley, created in partnership with Global Rangelands and the University of Arizona, and regularly updated with new information.
- Host workshops and community engagement events Local Habitat Protection InitiativesConducts technical workshops on arroyo restoration, road maintenance, and brush management in collaboration with experts and the University of Arizona, and hosts an annual community meeting for stakeholders.
strategies · 5
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Collaborative conservation through partnership convening and consensus-building collaborative_conservationAVCA regularly convenes diverse stakeholders—including landowners, agencies, scientists, and agricultural operators—using structured collaboration, consensus-building, and shared problem-solving to generate on-the-ground conservation outcomes in complex landscapes.
- Integrated and adaptive land management for working landscapes working_landscape_conservationConservation is advanced through large-scale planning and on-the-ground implementation that integrates ranching and agricultural production with erosion control, brush management, and habitat protection to maintain ecological connectivity and resilience.
- Interactive geospatial platform for data visualization and decision support interactive_geospatial_platformAn interactive GIS platform enables dynamic spatial analysis by allowing users to customize map views, compare temporal data, and support planning decisions with layered geospatial information.
- Science-guided research and knowledge sharing with applied outcomes science_guided_conservation_planningAVCA treats the Altar Valley as a living laboratory, using a formal Science Agenda and Research Protocol to align scientific inquiry with landowner needs and conservation goals, while sharing findings through centralized, accessible platforms.
- Watershed-based collaborative planning with science and stakeholder integration watershed_based_planningThe organization uses a watershed-based framework to guide conservation planning, integrating scientific research, technical expertise, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to set priorities and adaptively manage land and water resources across public and private boundaries.
named programs · 7
what they call their work
Altar Valley Fire Management Plan
Collaborative effort to develop and implement prescribed burns and wildfire management strategies across land boundaries
Altar Valley Research Fellowship
Program awarding fellowships to support scientific research relevant to land management in the Altar Valley
Altar Valley Science Advisory Board
Scientific body that guides research priorities and maintains the AVCA Science Agenda and Research Protocol
Arroyo Restoration and Road Maintenance Workshops
Hands-on workshops with experts Bill Zeedyk and Steve Carson to teach restoration techniques for arroyos and roads
Brush Management Workshops
Workshops conducted with the University of Arizona to share knowledge on brush management practices
Elkhorn/Las Delicias Watershed Restoration Demonstration Project
Watershed restoration project serving as an outdoor classroom with 10-year monitoring and community outreach program
Grassland Enhancement Project
2000-acre project involving mesquite treatment and monitoring, funded by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
relationships · 118
who they work with
- Altar Valley School District Partner — Partner organization
- ArcGIS Partner — Provides the interactive mapping platform used for AVCA's geospatial data dissemination.
- Arivaca Fire District Partner — Partner organization
- Arivaca Watershed Education Task Force Partner — Partner organization
- Arizona Antelope Foundation, Inc. Partner — Partner organization
- Arizona Association of Conservation Districts Partner — Partner organization
- Arizona Cattle Growers Association Partner — Partner organization
- Arizona Department of Agriculture Government — Partner organization
- Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Funder — Funded a 2000-acre grassland enhancement project involving mesquite treatment.
- Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Government — Partner organization
- Arizona Department of Forestry & Fire Management Government — Partner organization
- Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management Partner — Co-convenor of the Vegetation technical team within the Watershed Working Group.
- Arizona Farm Bureau Partner — Partner organization
- Arizona Game and Fish Department Government — Partner organization
- Arizona Game and Fish Department Partner — Co-convenor of the Wildlife technical team within the Watershed Working Group.
- Arizona Game and Fish Department Partner — Conducting a study to analyze the efficacy of brush treatments in the Altar Valley as part of the Watershed Plan.
- Arizona Game and Fish Department, Tucson Habitat Partnership Committee Government — Partner organization
- Arizona Land and Water Trust Partner — Partner organization
- Arizona Revegetation & Monitoring Co. Partner — Partner organization
- Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation Partner — Partner organization
- Arizona State Land Department Government — Partner organization
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Partner — Partner organization
- BKW Farm Partner — Partner organization
- Brad Lancaster Partner — Individual partner
- Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge Government — Partner organization
- Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge Partner — Collaborated on the first prescribed burn and signed a cooperative agreement to facilitate watershed work.
- Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge Partner — Collaborates with the Alliance on ecological restoration projects, including prescribed fire and erosion control planning.
- Bureau of Reclamation Funder — Funded a collaborative, valley-wide planning process to develop the Altar Valley Watershed Plan.
- Bureau of Reclamation Funder — Provides grant funding through the WaterSmart Program to support the Altar Valley Watershed Plan.
- Bureau of Reclamation WaterSmart: Cooperative Watershed Management Program Government — Partner organization
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