Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch

The Research Ranch is a cooperative partnership among the National Audubon Society, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy, Swift Current Land Cattle and The Research Ranch Foundation. The 8,000 acres are managed by Audubon and portions of the land include the Coronado National Forest and Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. The property is surrounded by 5 million acres of semi-desert grassland and forested mountains covering southeastern Arizona and adjacent portions of Mexico and New Mexico. For more than 30 years, the Research Ranch has protected grassland ecosystems through conservation, research, and education. **The Research Ranch has 3 main goals:** Conservation: to be a premier semi-arid grassland ecosystem that fosters a natural diversity of native species. To find out more click on the Conservation tab in the main menu. Research: to understand how grasslands and related ecosystems function, and to recognize the key elements that safeguard these ecosystems. To find out more click on the Research tab in the main menu. Programs: to advocate for grassland ecosystems by encouraging citizens and policy makers to safeguard and rehabilitate native ecosystems throughout the region. To find out more click on the Education Outreach Programs in the main menu. To protect wildlife habitat and ongoing research projects at the Research Ranch, public access must be restricted. Some roads and trails are accessible with permission only. Email the Research Ranch for information. Please do not walk or drive off existing roads or trails, and do not collect any plants, animals, rocks, or artifacts.