Investigating Payment for Ecosystem Services as an Approach to Jaguar Conservation in the Southwestern United States

Project Summary

n 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), per the requirements of the Endangered Species Act, officially designated jaguar critical habitat in southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico (see map below).

Many ranchers in the area who rely on public lands grazing allotments are uncertain about the impact of the designation on their operations.

Beginning in late 2014, and with funding from the USFWS, our project team has interviewed and surveyed ranchers across the region -- including hosting several workshops -- to learn about ranchers' opinions and attitudes towards the designation.

As a result, we have produced documents and materials (see list below) to provide information on what critical habitat does and does not do, and how ranchers may be able to use conservation incentives to implement conservation practices on their ranches.

Project Team

Laura López-Hoffman, PhD (Co-PI)
Associate Professor School of Natural Resources and the Environment and Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy

George Ruyle, PhD (Co-PI)
Professor, School of Natural Resources and the Environment; and, Specialist, UA Cooperative Extension

Aaron Lien, MS
Senior Researcher, Udall Center for Studies in Public Polic; Doctoral Student, Arid Lands Resource Sciences

Colleen Svancara, BS
Graduate Research Assistant, School of Natural Resources and the Environment

Wendy Vanasco, BA
Research Specialist, School of Natural Resources and the Environment

Scott Bonar, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Natural Resources and the Environment

Claudia Reynoso, BS, School of Natural Resources and the Environment

Lisa Haynes, PhD, Coordinator, UA Wild Cat Research and Conservation Program

Presentations

Workshop Goals and Survey Results(PPT 530kb)
Conservation Incentives(PPT 470kb)
Jaguar: A Regulatory Story, prepared by USFWS (PPT 8.5mb)

Instructions on Doing a Q-sort(PPT 430kb)

Handouts

Survey of Rancher Opinions about Wildlife & Jaguar Habitat Management(PDF 100kb)
Sustaining Ranching, Supporting Conservation(PDF 65kb)

Conservation Incentives (PDF 145kb)

UA Cooperative Extension Report

Payments for Ecosystem Services for Southern Arizona Ranchers(PDF 1.1mb)

Project Brochure

Protecting Habitat & Conserving Ranches on Rangelands in the Southwest U.S. (for double-sided printing | PDF 1.2mb)Protecting Habitat & Conserving Ranches on Rangelands in the Southwest U.S. (for single-sided printing | PDF 1.2mb)

Peer-Reviewed Publications

The effects of Federal policies on rangeland ecosystem services in the Southwestern United States
AM Lien, JL Neeley, G Ruyle, & L López-Hoffman. 2015 (in press). Rangelands.

Jaguar critical habitat designation causes concern for Southwestern ranchersCM Svancara, AM Lien, W Vanasco, L López-Hoffma, S Bona, & G Ruyle. 2015 (in press). Rangelands.

Additional publications in preparation.

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