Nonprofit says funding alone won't fix grazing violations in San Pedro River area

By Ron Dungan
Published: Tuesday, June 6, 2023 - 4:41pm
Updated: Tuesday, June 6, 2023 - 5:54pm

The Bureau of Land Management says new funding from the Inflation Reduction Act could go toward fencing to keep cows on their allotments near the San Pedro River.

Conservationists say that it may take more than new fences to fix the problem.

Regulations allow ranchers to graze their cattle on public lands for a minimal fee but only if they keep the animals on their allotments.

On leases near the San Pedro, that means keeping them away from the stream.

But conservationists have filed a number of legal complaints against the BLM for violations after cows get loose.

"I think it’s great that the folks in Washington, D.C., are paying attention to the trespass cow issue down here on the San Pedro," said Cyndi Tuell of the Western Watersheds Project. "But throwing more money at this isn’t really the solution. I think we’ve got to start having federal agencies hold the ranchers accountable for letting their cows go where they’re not supposed to."

She says that the hot, dry climate of southern Arizona can motivate cattle to seek water, even if it means breaking through a fence.

Environment