Jim Crosswhite Background Information

Background Information
For James W. Crosswhite
March 23, 2006

Contact information:

Jim Crosswhite
EC Bar Ranch
PO Box 44
Nutrioso, AZ 85932
Phone: (928) 339-4840
Email: jim@ecbarranch.com
Website: www.ecbarranch.com

Experience Summary.
Since 1996, Mr. Crosswhite has owned and operated the EC Bar Ranch, Nutrioso, Arizona, as a livestock producer with the goal to integrate conservation and sustainable agricultural practices to improve ranching economics, water quality, and wildlife habitat while meeting public policy objectives. An important strategy has been to implement recommendations contained in the following state and federal reports that affect his 400-acre ranch, including 3-miles of Nutrioso Creek:

Nutrioso Creek TMDL for Turbidity report completed in 2000 by Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) identified the water quality problem as exposed streambanks aggravated by historical overuse by livestock and elk. All recommendations in this report to improve water quality have been completed on the EC Bar Ranch.
Little Colorado River Spinedace Recovery Plan completed in 1998 by US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) recommended practices to improve habitat for the LC spinedace, listed as “threatened” under the federal Endangered Species Act. In addition, the first Safe Harbor Agreement in Arizona between the USFWS and a private landowner (Mr. Crosswhite) was created in December 2003 to improve habitat for the LC spinedace and the “endangered” Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. All recommendations to improve LC spinedace habitat in this report affecting the EC Bar Ranch have been completed.
Nutrioso Creek Fish Management Report completed in 2001 by Arizona Game & Fish Department (AGFD) identified native fish habitat problems similar to the TMDL report and LC spinedace recovery plan. All recommendations in this report that affect the EC Bar Ranch have been completed.
Upper Little Colorado River Watershed Based Plan updated in 2005 by the Upper Little Colorado River Watershed Partnership recommended a wide range of soil quality, water quality, and wildlife habitat issues. Mr. Crosswhite has implemented Watershed Based Plan recommendations that affect the EC Bar Ranch.

State and Federal Agency Collaboration.
Mr. Crosswhite has collaborated with state and federal agencies through participation in grant programs supporting conservation projects on the EC Bar Ranch. He matched over 50% of public funds to complete 28 separate projects from June 1998 through December 2005. Table A contains a list of agencies and grant programs involved in projects on the EC Bar Ranch.

Table A: Breakdown of conservation projects by agency, grant programs, and contact person on the EC Bar Ranch for the period 6-01-98 to 12-31-05
Agencies and Grant Programs	Number of Separate Projects	Percent of Total Project Value
Arizona Department of Agriculture – Landowner Crop Conservation Grant Program. Reference: Karol Brill, Program Director, phone (602) 542-4494	1	4%
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality – Water Quality Improvement Grant Program. Reference: Elizabeth Boettcher, Grant Project Manager, Phoenix, phone (602) 207-4635	8	71%
Arizona Game & Fish Department – Cooperative Agreements, Heritage Fund, Landowner Incentive Program. Reference: Wade Zarlingo, Landowner Relations Director, Pinetop Regional Office, phone (928) 367-4281	6	4%
Arizona Department of Water Resources – Arizona Water Protection Fund. Reference: Rodney Held, Executive Director, Phoenix, phone (602) 417-2400	3	5%
Arizona State Land Department – Stewardship Incentive Program	2	1%
Natural Resources Conservation Service – Environmental Quality Incentive Program. Reference: Dan Carroll, Conservationist, Springerville, phone (928) 333-4941	4	11%
US Fish & Wildlife Service – Partners in Fish & Wildlife Program. Reference: Kris Randall, Coordinator, phone (602) 242-0210	3	3%
Western Region Sustained Agricultural Research & Education Program	1	1%
Total Conservation Projects on the EC Bar Ranch	28	100%

The major types of conservation projects implemented on the EC Bar Ranch to address soil quality, water quality, and wildlife habitat recommendations in state and federal agency reports have involved writing grant applications, implementing practices, and meeting agency reporting criteria. Through these practical experiences, Mr. Crosswhite has gained a comprehensive understanding of how various grant programs benefit water quality and wildlife habitat while supporting sustainable ranching economics making him one of the few landowners in Arizona with a “legally restored” riparian area. For further information about “legally restored” riparian areas see www.ecbarranch.com website link http://ecbarranch.com/miscellaneous/property/rip_restoration.htm.

Conservation Project Improvements.
Mr. Crosswhite has implemented over 15 different major types of conservation practices to improve soil quality, water quality, and wildlife habitat to meet ranching operational goals and objectives. Table B describes the conservation practices completed on the EC Bar Ranch.

Table B. Major types of conservation practices completed on the EC Bar Ranch as of December 2005.
Practice Description	Affected Area	Conservation Objective
# 1. Riparian Fencing	110 acres/ 15,000 feet	Control livestock from entering riparian area to reduce bank erosion and preserve wildlife habitat.
# 2. Cross Fencing	400acres/ 10,000 feet	Allow rotational grazing to reduce over-grazing in all pastures.
# 3. Elk Proof Fencing	255 acres/ 30,000 feet	Exclude elk from riparian and irrigated pastures to prevent loss of vegetation and streambank erosion.
# 4. Buffer Strip Pasture Fencing	58 acres/ 5,000 feet	Control livestock to reduce erosion from upland pastures into riparian pastures.
# 5. Willow Pole Plantings	16,000 feet on banks	Reduce streambank erosion, reduce high flow velocity, increase water storage in streambanks, and improve wildlife habitat.
# 6. Wicker Weirs	10,000 ft in channel	Reduce stream flow velocity, restore floodplains in Rosgen F and G type stream channels, stop headcuts, and focus beaver activities.
# 7. Post Vanes	1,500 ft in channel	Direct the force of high stream flows away from incised streambanks to reduce erosion.
# 8. ‘Living Wall’ structures	600 ft on banks	Shift stream channel away from incised streambanks allowing willows and grasses to stabilize banks and reduce about 200 tons of erosion annually.
# 9. Streambank Grass Seeding	15,000 feet on banks	Reduce erosion on exposed streambanks with native grasses.
# 10. Brush Management	300 acres	Control and eradicate Rabbitbrush to reduce erosion from upland pastures into the stream channel; improve variety of native plants.
# 11. Pasture and Hayland Planting	300 acres	Reduce erosion into the stream channel from riparian and upland pastures using native grasses.
#12. Livestock Bridge	200 acres	Eliminate livestock creek crossings and water gaps to reduce erosion of streambanks, loss of vegetation, and wildlife habitat.
# 13. Off-Channel Wells and Drinkers	400 acres	Provide source of daily waterings for large ungulates so water gaps in riparian fencing can be permanently closed to reduce erosion of streambanks, loss of vegetation, and wildlife habitat.
# 14. Sprinkler Irrigation System	86 acres riparian; 116 acres upland	Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of surface and groundwater used for irrigation purposes, maintain riparian vegetation during severe drought periods, and help ensure the functionality of other conservation practices in the riparian corridor, riparian pastures, and upland pastures.
#15. Treat Invasive Species/noxious Weeds	400 acres	Control and eradicate invasive species and noxious weeds in all pastures to protect aquatic graminoids and native plants.

For information about conservation practice outcomes on the EC Bar Ranch see www.ecbarranch.com website link http://ecbarranch.com/articles/nrcs_cp_results.htm.

Monitoring, Management Plans and Outreach.
Since 1997, Mr. Crosswhite has voluntarily performed annual photo monitoring of conservation practices incorporating site visit observations by riparian and vegetative experts. Additional data has been collected by ADEQ on water quality and AGFD and USFWS on wildlife habitat. He has adopted management plans developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service to improve livestock production, irrigation water use, nutrient application, and invasive species/noxious weed control. Since 1999, his outreach to other farmers, ranchers, and persons interested in conservation projects has been accomplished by the following methods:

Worldwide Web. Information about conservation projects on the EC Bar Ranch has been provided to over 22,000 visitors on the http://ecbarranch.com website.
Ranch Tours. Over 500 people on 50 guided tours and workshops have observed conservation projects on the EC Bar Ranch. See website link http://ecbarranch.com/form/workshop.htm.
Publicity. Newspaper and magazine articles have described conservation projects on the EC Bar Ranch. See website link http://ecbarranch.com/articles/articles.htm.
Conservation Project Film. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has used a film developed by Mr. Crosswhite on DVD to describe best management practices on the EC Bar Ranch at Water Quality Improvement Grant Workshop presentations throughout Arizona. See website link http://ecbarranch.com/Pictures/hero.htm.
Personal Presentations. Mr. Crosswhite has provided information about his experiences with grant programs, conservation project implementation, and opportunities for other farmers and ranchers to a wide range of watershed, industry, academic, and environmental groups. See website link http://ecbarranch.com/articles/speeches.htm.

Other Public Service.

Appointed by Governor Napolitano in 2005, Mr. Crosswhite is a member of the Arizona Climate Change Advisory Group (ACCAG) and serves on the Forestry and Agriculture subcommittee where he provides a ranching perspective. See website link http://www.azclimatechange.us/.