Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership
The Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership (SVPP) is a voluntary association of agencies (federal, state,
and local), organized groups and individuals who share a common interest in the future of public
land resources in the Sonoita Valley. Participating individuals come from a variety of communities
including Sonoita, Elgin, Patagonia, Huachuca City, Sierra Vista, Nogales, Tucson, and Phoenix
among others. Participation also comes from representatives of organized groups including hiking
clubs, conservation organizations, off-highway vehicle clubs, mountain bike clubs, bird-dog clubs,
and grazing and mining interests. Agency representation has come from BLM, Nogales and Sierra
Vista Ranger Districts of the Coronado National Forest, Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S.
Geological Survey, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona State Land Department, Arizona
Department of Water Resources, Pima County Parks and Recreation and Planning/Flood Control, and
Santa Cruz County.
What is the purpose of SVPP?
The SVPP was conceived as a way for the community (private, public, government, local, non-local,
etc.) to come together to achieve community oriented resolutions to local and national issues
affecting public lands within the Sonoita Valley. The SVPP's area of interest is roughly defined as the
Cienega Creek watershed south of Interstate 10 and small portions of the upper watersheds of Sonoita Creek and the Babocomari
River.
What has the SVPP Accomplished?
- Created vision statements relating to open space, water, healthy diverse grasslands and traditional uses
for the Sonoita Valley that broadly define desired future conditions to maintain or reach in this
valley.
- Raised a variety of issues concerning public lands within the Sonoita Valley including mineral use
and impacts; utility rights-of-way and other land uses; management of off highway vehicles and
road and trail networks; establishment of and management of a segment of the Arizona Trail;
management of outdoor recreation; management of visual resources; designation of Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern; management of livestock grazing; maintenance of water quality and
quantity; management of riparian and upland vegetation; management of endangered species and
fish and wildlife habitats, management of cultural/historical resources, economics, and public
education.
- Developed broad goals for vegetation, wildlife, water, watershed, cultural resources, recreation, open
space, traditional uses, and stewardship of resources.
- Drafted specific, measurable objectives for upland and riparian vegetation, watershed, wildlife,
cultural resources, and recreation opportunities.
- Developed alternative management strategies for mineral development, utility rights-of-way, OHV
designations, roads and trails closures and restrictions, recreation zones and sites, visual resource
management, ACECs, livestock grazing, fish and wildlife, vegetation management, and cultural
resources for public lands within the Empire-Cienega.
- Provided recommendations to the BLM on a preferred alternative for the Empire-Cienega Planning
Effort from the alternative management strategies that were developed with BLM.
- Provided input on BLM and Forest Service project proposals.
What are the future plans for the SVPP?
The land-use plan for the Empire-Cienega RCA is nearing completion and the SVPP will soon be
looking at a new direction. There is interest in continuing to meet to work on implementation and
monitoring of the Empire-Cienega plan; providing input on specific issues/topics relating to public
lands in the Sonoita Valley as they arise; working with or perhaps combining efforts with the Sonoita
Crossroads on issues facing public lands in the Sonoita Valley.
How can I get involved?
Participation in the SVPP is completely open. Anyone can participate and they can join the
partnership at any time. The partnership is not a formalized organization. The BLM's Tucson Field
Office maintains a mailing list for the SVPP and has been mailing out monthly minutes when the
partnership meets.
For more information:
Contact Karen Simms at the BLM, Tucson Field Office, 12661 E. Broadway, Tucson, Arizona 85748
phone (520)722-4289, e-mail ksimms@az.blm.gov.
© 1999 Sonoita Crossroads Community Forum
