It
is not a coincidence that for 10 years Jim Crosswhite ran
circles around the Himalaya Mountains – literally. To
say he enjoys a challenge is like saying a fish enjoys water,
or a cow enjoys grass.
And after successful careers on the Chicago Board of Trade,
in international finance, and as a competitor and organizer
of high-altitude endurance trials, it is little wonder that
upon "retiring" to a mountain meadow near Springerville,
Ariz., Jim would try to cut the Gordian knot of ranch economics
in the American West.
He may have succeeded.
When Jim purchased the 300-acre EC Bar Ranch in 1996, he knew
it was in trouble. Rabbitbrush and sumac infested the uplands;
blue gramma, the predominate native grass, yielded only 300
pounds of production per acre; raw, exposed streambanks meant
the riparian area was unhealthy; and the ranch's infrastructure
was in disrepair.
Moreover, Jim soon learned that Nutrioso Creek is native habitat
for a federally listed endangered fish species – the
Lower Colorado River spinedace.
Things became even more challenging in 2000 when a report
by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality identified
seven miles of Nutrioso Creek, including Jim's three-mile
stretch, as exceeding Total Maximum Daily Load standards for
clean water, including excessive levels of water-borne sediment,
or turbidity, which can impair habitat for fish and other
species. Jim's ranch was high on the list for action.
In other words, there was no shortage of challenges confronting
the EC Bar. "In fact," Crosswhite said, "without
a change in ranch management to improve water quality and
aquatic habitat, I ran the risk of losing my water and property
rights."
Making It Work
This is where the story, however, takes an unusual turn. Rather
than get mad, get even or give up, Jim decided to cooperate
with the agencies.
"When the Game and Fish guy came to our valley,"
said Jim, "my 85-year old downstream neighbor pulled
out his gun and ran him off. But after realizing the benefits
of partnering with agencies to improve my property, I invited
him to talk."
To his surprise, Jim liked what he heard. So, rather than
struggle against the regulations, Jim took a long look at
the list of recommendations in the endangered species recovery
plan and the state department's report. Some were already
being implemented, so he decided to give the rest of them
a try.
"I didn't feel like I was giving in," said Jim.
"They had good workable ideas. And they wanted to help.
In fact, I haven't met a government employee that I couldn't
work with."
Jim swung into action with the energy and determination of
a long-distance runner. Here a summary of the Best Management
Practices that Jim has implemented so far:
- Pasture improvements: Jim built elk-proof
fence, riparian and buffer strip fencing to create 15 separate
pastures for rotational grazing. He limits grazing in riparian
and buffer pastures to the dormant season only, with careful
monitoring.
Rabbitbrush has been controlled and eradicated by mowing,
fire, and root plowing, followed by overseeding with native
cool-season grasses. Erosion has been reduced, habitat improved
and annual livestock forage production has increased from
300 lbs per acre in 1996 to 4,000 lbs per acre in riparian
pastures and 2,000 lbs per acre in irrigated upland pastures.
- Riparian restoration: After hearing
Bill Zeedyk speak at a Quivira Coalition meeting about the
benefits of induced meandering and stream stabilization
structures, Jim hired Bill to develop a riparian restoration
plan.
More than 20 riffle weirs, 10 post vanes, and 80,000 willows
have been used to address water-quality and habitat concerns.
The objective is to slow water down so sediment will naturally
filter out, protect streambanks from erosion, increase aquatic
and wildlife habitat, and raise the water table.
- Improved irrigation: Jim installed
off-channel water wells for daily waterings by livestock
and wildlife. The wells are also used to supplement surface
water used for irrigation. A 250,000 gallon water storage
tank, 2,000 gpm diesel-powered water pump, 20,000 feet of
above-ground pipe, and 100 "big gun" sprinklers
have replaced an earth ditch system that wasted 100 million
gallons of water annually due to seepage and evaporation.
About half the sprinklers are located along two miles of
riparian corridor to help establish and maintain riparian
vegetation as surface flows dry up during drought conditions.
Judging from the numerous tours, lectures
and articles he has posted on his Web site (www.ecbarranch.com),
Jim has enjoyed significant success with his restoration work.
In June 2002, he hosted Arizona Gov. Jane Hull and other dignitaries
in a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the passage of the
Clean Water Act. The Director of Arizona Department of Environmental
Quality was quoted in a press release as saying the "EC
Bar's achievements serve as an excellent example of the power
of environmental stewardship on private land."
To Jim, however, the best indicator of his success didn't involve
a press release. It happened in late 2003, when the department
decided to relocate the "reference reach" for 27 miles
of Nutrioso Creek from a site below Nelson Reservoir, to "Reach
3" on the EC Bar ranch. This is significant because in
1996, "Reach 3" was officially rated as "nonfunctional"
by hydrologists.
"While I didn't say anything to them at the time, I consider
this to be about the highest award I may ever receive for riparian
restoration," Crosswhite said. "After traveling to
more than 70 countries around the world for 30 years, walking
down the creek on a summer's evening with my wife and old dog
is as good as it gets."
Making It Pay
The other unusual element to the EC Bar story is how Jim paid
for all this restoration work. He created a nonprofit corporation,
which allowed him to apply for government grants and other types
of support that are not available to "for profit"
corporations or private individuals. To date, Jim has pulled
in 20 grants worth about $1.3 million, with a 90 percent grant-approval
rate.
"My philosophy is a simple one," he said. "When
a government agency produces a report that identifies a problem
affecting my private property and recommends solutions, then
I want to participate in any grant program they may offer, including
matching with my own funds. This way, as a private landowner,
I can learn about issues, cooperate with agencies, and help
resolve water quality and habitat concerns, while improving
ranching economics."
In addition to the ADEQ, Jim has received grant money from the
EPA, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and the US Department
of Agriculture, among others.
"Grants are like a loan from the bank but without the repayment,"
he continued. For example, he says he gets paid $60 every time
he turns on one of his sprinklers. He also says he gets $2 a
willow from the government when he plants. Eventually, he intends
to raise willows as a business. "The feds can't grow as
many as I can," he said with a grin.
His cattle operation makes money, too. He buys low-weight stocker
cattle in the fall, fattens them up during the winter on grass
that he has spent all summer growing and then sells the animals
between January and March after the animals have gained as much
as 200 pounds of weight.
Additionally, Jim benefits from traditionally higher prices
for cattle in the spring. Meanwhile, he doesn't have the hassle
of breeding, calving, herding, hiring, maintenance or any of
the other costs of a year-round cattle operation.
Whatever other answers eventually develop, Jim likes to emphasize
one central point: Conservation increases profit.
"I've more than doubled the number of animal units per
acre by improving water quality through best management practices,"
he said. "More importantly, all the water quality projects
I've done have increased my property values, no question about
it."
It's all about incentives, Jim believes.
"These days, society would rather pay me to grow grass,
protect fish and raise willows than just cows," he said.
"If that's the market, then I'll deliver."
God's Work
Jim would be the first to tell you, however, that it's not all
about money. One glance at his information-packed Web site tells
even the most casual visitor that Jim is eager to share his
experience and knowledge with anyone who is willing to learn.
He's not protective of "trade secrets" – quite
the opposite. Jim seems genuinely motivated to share his success
with the world, down to the last willow and grade-stabilization
structure.
Jim has other motivations as well. On Thanksgiving Day 2003,
a vein in Jim's right leg clogged from his groin to his ankle.
Clots slipped into his heart and lungs, causing a 10-hour event
that had, Jim would learn later from his doctors, a statistically
predictable outcome of less than 1 percent for recovery. At
one point his kidneys failed and his heart stopped beating.
His wife, who is a doctor herself, called his recovery "a
miracle."
While Jim credits his high-altitude training for strengthening
his cardio-vascular system, he believes that God saved him in
order to complete his ranch work.
"I may be the first person in history whose first reason
for living was to complete water quality and habitat improvement
projects," he said. "I believe restoring and protecting
my riparian area is doing God's work. I believed this so strongly
that I was willing to bet my life on it and apparently God also
agrees."
Returning to his work with a redoubled sense of mission, Jim
directed the planting of 45,000 willows on Forest Service land
along Nutrioso Creek in February and March.
Apparently he's just warming up to his latest challenge.
A longer version of this profile will
be published in the Quivira
Coalition's newsletter |
Courtney
White writes